Tom Vilsack

Thomas James " Tom" Vilsack ( born December 13, 1950 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American politician of the Democratic Party, and since January 2009, Minister of Agriculture in the cabinet of President Barack Obama.

Life

Vilsack was adopted in 1951. In 1972 he graduated from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, with the bachelor's degree. There he learned early 1970s his future wife, Christie know. In 1975, he completed his law studies at the Albany Law School. Then he and his wife moved into their hometown, Mount Pleasant, Iowa. His political career began in 1987 with the Office of the Mayor of Mount Pleasant on.

Vilsack was from 1999 to 2007, the 40th governor of rural Iowa. As Governor, he distinguished himself particularly as genetic engineering advocates, who sought to bring more high technology in agriculture Iowa. Vilsack helped in May 2001, about to found the " Governors Biotechnology Partnership", an " exchange " for Democratic and Republican governors to those on "progress in the development of " genetic engineering " educate " and to promote " understanding " for them. This initiative soon belonged to more than 20 governors, including the President's brother Jeb Bush. For his service, Tom Vilsack was elected in 2001 by the genetic engineering industry to the " Governor of the Year".

For a short time he competed as the Democratic candidate for the U.S. presidential election in 2008, but already retired on 23 February 2007 from the race back to what he established with funding problems. On 12 January 2007 he handed over the governorship to his chosen successor on 7 November 2006 Chet Culver.

Minister of Agriculture of the United States

Tom Vilsack was commissioned as a future Minister of Agriculture of the Obama administration on 17 December 2008.

As the name Tom Vilsack has called for the first time, this sparked partly from opposition; as the Organic Consumers Association ( OCA ) organized a massive campaign against the appointment of Vilsack. Critics complain that he is too much for the interests of seed multinationals like Monsanto and Pioneer Hi -Bred and too little support as an outspoken proponent of genetic engineering, organic farmers and sustainable agriculture. On January 20, 2009, the day of Obama's inauguration, Vilsack's appointment was nevertheless confirmed by the Senate by acclamation.

In the State of the Union Address in 2012 was Vilsack Designated Survivor. He would have been in case of an attack on the Capitol, the highest ranking survivor and the succession of Barack Obama would have joined the company as President.