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Over a month has gone by since President Bush nominated Ed Schafer to take over the helm at USDA. But with the Senate bogged down on farm bill disputes, confirming him isn't even on their radar screen. It was thought if Schafer could advance Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin's agenda in the farm bill, Harkin would be more apt to speed up the confirmation process. That doesn't appear to be the case, with no date set as the Senate's schedule is overflowing with must-pass items.
A spokesperson for Harkin said today that the committee hasn't even received official White House paperwork on the nomination. "We can't act until we have that!" the spokeswoman said.
It is still unknown the level of influence Schafer will have in shaping U.S. farm policy. Gary Blumenthal, president of D.C.-based consulting firm World Perspectives, said Schafer will probably be little more than an administrator of USDA during the last year of President Bush's term, "which seems hardly worth the exercise," he said.
One of the most telling reasons behind the assumption is that Acting Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Conner made two principal personnel staffing decisions last week, naming Joe Glauber as USDA's chief economist replacing Keith Collins and Chris Connelly as director of communications.
"If Schafer were going to be anything more than the de jure agency head, those appointments would have been held for him to make," Blumenthal said.
While in office, Johanns championed his desire to reform farm policy. The same might be more difficult for Schafer, Blumenthal explained. "Coming from a state like North Dakota whose farmers have had the greatest dependence on federal farmer supports raises some doubt as to how determined he will be in altering these policies, particularly if he has any plans to return to the state."
It's unlikely the White House will give Schafer a recess appointment, however as Sen. Kent Conrad's ex-brother-in-law, he isn't expected to receive opposition in the confirmation process.
Blumenthal said there really is no rush for Schafer's services. "He is not a white knight coming in to rescue a failing department."
When Johanns came to town, there was a sigh of relief in many circles that Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman was no longer in charge. Her Californian roots never resonated in the Corn Belt. But Johanns brought a distinct, down-to-earth mentality that all farmers warmed up to quickly.
We'll see if Schafer can do the same with the verdict still out on the next farm bill.
Policy is one of the most important issues facing farmers today, but often the most difficult to digest. Jacqui Fatka has a passion to decode the often difficult world of agricultural policy into terms understandable for today's ag players.
Fatka joined the Farm Progress team as E-Content Editor in August 2003 after graduating from Iowa State University. Prior to full-time employment with Farm Progress, she interned at Wallaces Farmer magazine, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley's press office and the Iowa Pork Producers Association and freelanced for National Hog Farmer. She also worked as a public relations consultant with Iowa Industries for the Future, an effort to bring together major players in the biorenewables industry.
Currently Fatka is a staff editor at a sister publication, Feedstuffs. For Farm Futures she regularly tells the story of ongoing agricultural policy changes. Her byline can also be found on management profiles.
Fatka grew up on a grain and livestock farm near Atlantic, Iowa. She currently lives in central Ohio with her husband Eric.
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