WASHINGTON, D.C. (Ag News 890) – The U.S. Senate voted 92-7 Tuesday to confirm Tom Vilsack as Agriculture secretary.

The former Iowa governor spent eight years leading the same department for former President Barack Obama. In his testimony, Vilsack, 70, heavily endorsed boosting climate-friendly agricultural industries such as the creation of biofuels, saying “Agriculture is one of our first and best ways to get some wins in this climate area.”

He faced minimal opposition throughout the confirmation process.  The National Farmers Union President Rob Larew released a statement in support of Vilsack saying, “No one is more qualified to lead the USDA than Tom Vilsack. After serving as Secretary of Agriculture for eight years, he knows the agency inside and out, giving him the insight he needs to get to work right away on behalf of family farmers, rural communities, and hungry Americans.”