NACD SENDS LETTER SUPPORTING VILSACK CONFIRMATION
WASHINGTON – Today, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) President Tim Palmer and President-elect Michael Crowder sent a letter to the chair and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, urging them to support the confirmation of former Secretary Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture.
Secretary Vilsack previously served as Secretary of Agriculture throughout President Barack Obama’s Administration, from 2009-2017.
“During his term as Secretary, NACD appreciated his support for the voluntary, locally-led, incentive-based conservation delivery system that has served communities well across the United States for over 80 years,” Palmer and Crowder said. “He demonstrated a deep understanding of the history of the conservation delivery partnership that conservation districts across the country participate in, providing conservation planning, technical and financial assistance alongside state conservation agencies and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).”
Secretary Vilsack’s confirmation hearing is to be held Tuesday, February 2 at 10:30 a.m. Eastern.
“The natural resource concerns facing our nation’s diverse communities, from our private agricultural working lands to forestlands and urban lands, span political parties and presidential administrations,” Palmer and Crowder said.
“The new Biden Administration has tough challenges ahead and has set ambitious climate and conservation goals for the Department. Secretary Vilsack has shown the ability to meet tough challenges and achieve ambitious goals,” they wrote.
“We have confidence that if confirmed, (Secretary Vilsack) will continue to provide excellent leadership and effective implementation of USDA programs.”
About the National Association of Conservation Districts:
The National Association of Conservation Districts is the nonprofit organization that represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, their state and territory associations and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. For more than 70 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. For more information about NACD, visit: www.nacdnet.org.
