Editing Tom Vilsack (section)

==Secretary of Agriculture (2021–2025)==
[[File:20210225-OSEC-WH-0003.jpg|thumb|Vilsack is sworn in for the second time as agriculture secretary by Vice President [[Kamala Harris]], February 24, 2021.]]

===Nomination and confirmation===
In December 2020, [[Joseph R. Biden|Biden]] announced he would nominate Vilsack to again serve as the [[Secretary of Agriculture]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Dan|last=Charles|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/biden-transition-updates/2020/12/09/944434278/biden-plans-to-bring-vilsack-back-to-usda-despite-criticism-from-reformers|title=Biden plans to bring Vilsack back to USDA despite criticism|website=[[NPR]]|date=December 9, 2020|access-date=December 10, 2020}}</ref> The move was met by some with criticism from black farmers and progressives, because of Vilsack's perceived relationship with status quo and corporate agriculture.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-19|title=Tom Vilsack Is the Wrong Person To Lead the Department of Agriculture|url=https://reason.com/2020/12/19/tom-vilsack-is-the-wrong-person-to-lead-the-department-of-agriculture/|access-date=2020-12-20|website=Reason.com|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Editorial|first=Staff|title=Vilsack, a status quo pick, must lead change|url=https://www.thegazette.com/subject/opinion/staff-editorial/vilsack-a-status-quo-pick-must-lead-change-20201218|access-date=2020-12-20|website=The Gazette|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Black farmers, civil rights advocates seething over Vilsack pick|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/09/black-farmers-tom-vilsack-agriculture-usda-biden-cabinet-444077|access-date=2020-12-20|website=POLITICO|date=December 9, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> He appeared before the [[Senate Agriculture Committee]] on February 2, 2021, and was unanimously approved.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://eu.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/agriculture/2021/02/02/tom-vilsack-usda-nomination-full-senate-vote-joe-biden-cabinet-former-iowa-governor/4277677001/ | title= Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack's USDA secretary nomination gets committee nod, goes to full Senate | publisher= Des Moines Register | date= February 2, 2021 | accessdate= February 2, 2021}}</ref> His nomination was confirmed by the Senate on February 23, 2021, by a 92–7 vote.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Verma|first1=Pranshu|last2=Gladstone|first2=Rick|date=2021-02-23|title=Senate confirms Linda Thomas-Greenfield to be U.N. ambassador and Tom Vilsack to be agriculture secretary.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/23/us/politics/linda-thomas-greenfield-ambassador-united-nations.html|access-date=2021-02-23|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> He was sworn into office by [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Kamala Harris]] on February 24, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 25, 2021 |title=Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack sworn in as US Agriculture Secretary |url=https://www.kcci.com/article/former-iowa-gov-tom-vilsack-sworn-in-as-us-secretary-of-agriculture/35622969 |access-date=February 25, 2021 |website=KCCI |language=en}}</ref>

=== Tenure ===
The USDA implemented new rules to limit how much sugar can be in school meals.<ref>{{Cite web|title=New rules would limit sugar in school meals for first time|url=https://apnews.com/article/new-school-meal-nutrition-standards-30963aeb9f56aae0ee743c26f1117f19|website=www.apnews.com|date=February 3, 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

====Meat production====
During his tenure, Vilsack announced that the [[USDA]] would leverage $100 million in funding from the [[American Rescue Plan Act of 2021|American Rescue Plan Act]] to expand America's meat processing capacity.<ref>{{Cite web|title=USDA To Launch Loan Guarantee Initiative to Create More and Better Market Opportunities, Promote Competition and Strengthen America's Food Supply Chain|url=https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/10/04/usda-launch-loan-guarantee-initiative-create-more-and-better-market|access-date=2021-10-21|website=www.usda.gov|date=October 4, 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bustillo|first=Ximena|title=Vilsack takes another shot at meat industry concentration|url=https://politi.co/3D8Na9v|access-date=2021-10-21|website=POLITICO|date=October 4, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> In 2024, "more than $35 million in grants to 15 independent meat processors in 12 states to increase processing capacity, spur competition to expand market opportunities for U.S. farmers and create jobs in rural areas."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Awards through Landmark Meat and Poultry Processing Investment|url=https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2024/09/19/biden-harris-administration-announces-final-awards-through-landmark|website=www.usda.gov|language=en}}</ref>

====Forestry Protection====
The USDA also made investments into state forestry departments across the nation to help "plant and maintain new trees to reduce extreme heat, benefit health and improve access to nature" for $1.25 billion & directed $930 million to reduce wildfires in western states, which was accomplished by clearing trees and underbrush in national forests.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Feds spread $1 billion for tree plantings among US cities to reduce extreme heat and benefit health|url=https://apnews.com/article/tree-planting-usda-funding-billion-05dc7726a2940a89742432e1381ec565|website=www.apnews.com|date=September 14, 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Feds send $930 million to curb 'crisis' of US West wildfires|url=https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-science-politics-health-oregon-fd0b4b56e97fca9a6e083096f2bc97f4|website=www.apnews.com|date=January 19, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> In 2024, "The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced up to $7.7 billion in assistance for fiscal year 2025 to help agricultural and forestry producers adopt conservation practices on working lands. This includes up to $5.7 billion for climate-smart practices, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, which is part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda and $2 billion in Farm Bill funding."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Biden-Harris Administration Makes up to $7.7 Billion Available for Climate-Smart Practices on Agricultural Lands as Part of Investing in America Agenda|url=https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2024/10/02/biden-harris-administration-makes-77-billion-available-climate|website=www.usda.gov|language=en}}</ref>

====Rural Internet====
Vilsack helped expand high speed internet across the nation, as part of a "$65 billion push for high-speed connectivity" from the 2021 [[Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rural areas to get $759M in grants for high-speed internet|url=https://apnews.com/article/technology-north-carolina-us-department-of-agriculture-mitch-landrieu-tom-vilsack-e521854ebdaf6262202713abb2aa8415|website=www.apnews.com|date=October 27, 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Feds: $401M will add high-speed internet to rural US places|url=https://apnews.com/article/technology-new-mexico-arizona-colorado-nevada-277c9df9be42ed564271d4619d85c522|website=www.apnews.com|date=July 29, 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=US infrastructure splurge extends to remote New Mexico farms|url=https://apnews.com/article/rural-internet-fiberoptic-vilsack-biden-93123e7e848893dbee9d4a7c7c0d9621|website=www.apnews.com|date=April 3, 2023 |language=en}}</ref>