At his Senate Agriculture Committee confirmation hearing this week, Ag Secretary Nominee Tom Vilsack told lawmakers he will ensure USDA is doing its part to end the COVID 19 pandemic, lead the government in building and maintaining new markets, stop the farm debt cycle and create transparency in pricing throughout the supply chain. Iowa Farmers Union President Aaron Lehman says he and his group share those goals.

He says they’re looking forward to working with Vilsack once he’s confirmed and team with him on helping farmers and ranchers address climate change with their practices.

Vilsack has said he wants to look at using CCC funding to create a carbon bank. Lehman says farmers and ranchers need to be creative with their climate goals and having a carbon bank in place could help that.

Lehman says it’s also positive that Vilsack wants to remove barriers to access for anyone who qualifies for nutrition assistance.