With news that former Iowa governor and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has been tapped to step back into that latter role in 2021, industry reactions are starting to stream in. Vilsack is a “known entity” in U.S. agriculture and has a strong understanding of USDA programs vital to U.S. farmers and ranchers, especially at a time with so much industry uncertainty. The announcement that he’s likely (yet not confirmed) to become the next USDA leader has garnered positive bipartisan reactions, with farm-state lawmakers and former USDA officials voicing support for Vilsack’s return to the agency. Ag insiders say he will likely be called upon to restore competition in some sectors of the ag marketplace where it’s needed, like the beef industry. It is just one area where Vilsack will be charged with building bipartisan support for actions he can take to support U.S. agriculture. See more industry reactions to Vilsack’s likely return to USDA.