Thomas James Vilsack is an American politician. He served as the 32nd United States secretary of agriculture during the Biden administration. He previously served in the role from 2009 to 2017 during the Obama administration. A member of the Democratic Party,he served as the 40th governor of Iowa from 1999 to 2007.
The Under Secretary for Food,Nutrition,and Consumer Services is a position created within the United States Department of Agriculture in 1993,and is responsible for administering the department's fifteen nutrition and food security programs and for promoting the dietary guidelines. <7 CFR §2.19>The food assistance programs have a combined budget of $170.5 billion and include the Food Stamp Program,the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,Infants and Children,the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs,and the Commodity Distribution Programs. In addition,the Undersecretary oversees the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion,which leads the development of dietary guidelines and which promotes the guidelines through MyPlate.
The Under Secretary for Research,Education,and Economics is a high-ranking official within the United States Department of Agriculture that provides leadership and oversight for the Agricultural Research Service,National Institute of Food and Agriculture,Economic Research Service,National Agricultural Library,National Agricultural Statistics Service.
The United States deputy secretary of agriculture is the second-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Agriculture,appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate. The deputy secretary becomes acting secretary of agriculture in the event of the Secretary's resignation,death,or other inability to fulfill the duties of the position. The deputy secretary performs whatever duties are prescribed to him or her by the secretary of agriculture. The deputy secretary of agriculture is paid at level II of the Executive Schedule.
Rayne Pegg was the Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture,and was appointed on July 6,2009,by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. In her position,she has the responsibility of overseeing AMS policies and programs. AMS administers programs that facilitate the efficient,fair marketing of U.S. agricultural products,including food,fiber,and specialty crops. She participated in the World Trade Organization and US-Korea FTA negotiations,and was previously appointed to USDA’s Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee on Fruits and Vegetables.
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia that is responsible for promoting the economic growth and development of Virginia's agricultural sector. It also provides environmental protection services and consumer protection programs.
Catherine E. O'Connor Woteki was the under secretary for United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Research,Education,and Economics (REE) mission area,as well as the department's chief scientist. Her responsibilities included oversight of the four agencies that comprise REE,the Agricultural Research Service (ARS),National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA),Economic Research Service (ERS),and National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS.) The National Agriculture Library and National Arboretum also fall under this mission area. Since 2021,she has been a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
Polly Ellen Trottenberg is an American government official who served as Deputy Secretary of Transportation under Pete Buttigieg from 2021 to 2025. She served as the acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration from June 2023 to October 2023. She previously served as commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation from 2014 to 2020.
Basil Ivanhoe Gooden is an American governmental executive whose career has advanced equitable food systems,agriculture policy,public health,and community economic development in rural America. Gooden served as the 3rd Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry for the Commonwealth of Virginia in the cabinet of Governor Terry McAuliffe. He became the first Black American to serve in this position and during his tenure from September 2016 until January 2018,he was the only Black American Secretary of Agriculture in any state in the United States. In his capacity as Secretary,he provided strategic vision and leadership to two of Virginia's largest private industries,Agriculture and Forestry,with an annual economic impact of $91 billion on the Commonwealth.
Krysta Harden is an American government official who served as United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture from 2013 to 2016.
Xochitl Liana Torres Small is an American attorney and politician who was the 15th United States deputy secretary of agriculture from 2023 to 2025,acting as "chief operating officer" for the department. She was nominated by President Joe Biden in February 2023,and was confirmed by the senate on July 11.
Joe Biden assumed office as the 46th president of the United States on January 20,2021,and his term ended on January 20,2025. The president has the authority to nominate members of his Cabinet to the United States Senate for confirmation under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution.
Robert Farrell Bonnie is an American government official who served as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm Production and Conservation from 2021 to 2025. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Senior Advisor,Climate,in the Office of the Secretary in the United States Department of Agriculture. He was appointed on Jan. 20,2021.
M. Camille Calimlim Touton is a Filipino-American water policy advisor who served as the commissioner of the United States Bureau of Reclamation in the Biden administration from 2021 to 2025.
Homer Lee Wilkes is an American conservationist and government official from Mississippi. In 2021,Wilkes was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as under secretary of agriculture for natural resources and environment. He served in this position until 2025.
Janie Simms Hipp is an agriculture and food lawyer,policy expert,and the founder of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative at the University of Arkansas,founder of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of Tribal Relations in the Office of the Secretary,founding Executive Director of the Native American Agriculture Fund,. Hipp's work focuses on the intersection of Indian law and agriculture and food law. She is currently the CEO/President of Native Agriculture Financial Services since August 2023.
For the American singer-songwriter,author,and TV host,see Stacy Dean Campbell.
Alexis Taylor is an American agricultural policy advisor who served as under secretary of agriculture for trade and foreign agricultural affairs from 2022 to 2025. She formerly served as director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture from 2017 to 2022.
