Veneman to step down as ag secretary Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, the daughter of a California peach farmer and the first woman ag secretary, has resigned from the post, according to press reports. Veneman is expected to remain on the job until her successor is chosen. Among potential replacements are former House Agriculture Committee Chairman and Texas Congressman Larry Combest, fellow Texan and former ranking member on the House Ag Committee Charlie Stenholm; Ambassador Allen Johnson, chief agricultural negotiator with the U.S. Trade Representative's office and White House agriculture advisor Chuck Conner. She made it clear she would like to serve a second term, but it is also clear, said Bagby, with almost of half of President Bush’s cabinet resigning within a few weeks of his election victory that the “President is making a bunch of changes.”....
Statement by the President
Ann Veneman has been a strong advocate for America's farm and ranch families. As Secretary of Agriculture, she has been a valuable member of my Cabinet, working to ensure that we promote economic opportunities for farmers and ranchers, ensure a safe and wholesome food supply, and sell American farm products all around the world. I commend Ann for her efforts to enact and implement a responsible farm bill with strong conservation provisions. I greatly appreciate Ann's leadership in ensuring that we responded quickly and effectively to protect the American food supply following the discovery of BSE in the United States and following September 11th. She has helped ensure commonsense forest management and skillfully implemented the Healthy Forests Initiative. She has played a key role in opening markets and in ensuring a level playing field for America's farm products. Ann has served our country with distinction and integrity. I appreciate her fine work and wish her well.
Democrats, Greens Aim to Overturn Bush Forest Plan Democrats and environmental groups on Monday expressed hope that changes in the Bush administration Cabinet could moderate a White House plan to open some 60 million acres of federal forests to logging. "With the president reaching out and seeing that in the West his candidacy was very contested, this was one of the reasons," New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, told reporters on a teleconference. We hope "a new secretary of agriculture would use this issue to bring people together," he said. Agriculture Department Secretary Ann Veneman resigned on Monday after four years leading the department that oversees the U.S. Forest Service. It was not clear how soon a successor would be named....
Greens see hope in Veneman departure Conservationists were hopeful Monday the departure of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman might lead to better protections for the nation's wildlands. Phil Clapp of the National Environmental Trust said Veneman's eventual successor might have a keener interest in protecting federal lands than did Veneman, whom he described as more interested in traditional farm issues rather than forestry....
Veneman: not popular with farmers after all Shortly after President George W. Bush's re-election, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman's name appeared on lists of cabinet officials who might be leaving the administration. Apparently, many farmers shared the view that she should go. Others posting comments said she supported the Pork Checkoff after farmers voted it out and fought country of origin labeling on behalf of meat packers. She was also criticized for slow implementation of parts of the 2002 Farm Bill. Delays in rules for the Conservation Security Program were criticized by many farm groups as well as former Senate Agriculture Committee chair, Tom Harkin (D-IA)....
Farm groups react to Veneman, Abraham resignations Upon hearing of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman's resignation from the Bush Administration today, Farm Bureau praised her service to agriculture. The leaders of the National Farmers Union, National Pork Producers Council, National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the National Corn Growers Association also weighed in. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham also turned in his resignation today. NCGA applauded his service as a strong supporter of the ethanol industry. "During her tenure, we have faced a variety of complex issues, some of which were crises, and she handled them adeptly," said Bob Stallman in a release today. Stallman is the president of the American Farm Bureau Federation....
Veneman presided over wary food supply Weeks after taking office in 2001, an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Europe prompted Veneman to increase inspections and testing to prevent its arrival in the United States. After the Sept. 11 attacks that year, concern grew that terrorists might seek to contaminate the nation's food supply. Then came the discovery last year of the first case of mad cow disease in the United States. Veneman quickly upgraded the country's defenses, banning high-risk meat products and meat from cows that could not stand or walk on their own, testing more cattle and promising to speed a nationwide animal tracking system. Farm interests for the most part praised Veneman's response, while consumer advocacy groups said Veneman and her agency had not done enough....