Pres. Bush Nominates Nebraska Governor For USDA Head:
Will Pres. Bush AG Secretary's
Farm Background Help USDA?
WASH. D.C (Dec. 2, 2004) - President George W. Bush's nomination today of Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns as Secretary of Agriculture puts forward a nominee who was raised on a dairy farm. This is the first nominee to head the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with a dairy background in many years.
U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-Wisconsin) is the senior Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over the USDA's budget.
Kohl says when Congress reconvenes in January, he will continue to work to extend the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program which provides a safety net to dairy farmers when milk prices are low. The program is set to expire next year.
"I am happy to see that Governor Johanns comes from a background on a dairy farm, and I look forward to getting to know him through the confirmation process," Kohl said.
Kohl helped establish the MILC program to end regional fighting over federal milk pricing policies and as an alternative to the Northeast Dairy Compact he helped defeat.
In September, Kohl won overwhelming bipartisan approval in the Senate Appropriations Committee to extend the MILC program through 2007. Kohl's proposal earned the backing of the Senate and the endorsement of President Bush.
Republicans in the House of Representatives blocked passage of the extension during final action on the FY2005 federal budget.
For Other Stories See Menu At Right
|
