Agriculture Secretary Johanns Resigns to Seek Senate Seat

WASHINGTON, DC, September 20, 2007 (ENS) - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has resigned the Cabinet post he has held since January 2005 to return to his home state of Nebraska, where he is plans to seek a seat in the U.S. Senate. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Charles Conner will take over as acting secretary.

Announcing the change today, President George W. Bush said Johanns brought "focus and energy" to the Department of Agriculture. "He was a champion of renewable fuels. He expanded the Department's commitment to conservation. He worked endlessly to open up foreign markets for American beef. He provided timely assistance to farmers and ranchers devastated by natural disasters," the president said.

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, left, bids farewell to President George Bush outside the WhiteHouse today. (Photo courtesy The White House)

Johanns said more people are being fed today by U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition programs than at any time in American history.

"The stewardship of our natural resources is absolutely unprecedented," Johanns praised. "You've more than doubled the number of acres enrolled in the USDA conservation programs. I often have told people over the last three years that it's great to have a boss who knows as much or more about agriculture than I do. Of course, your steady interest and your engagement has kept me on my toes, but I would not have wanted it any other way."

Bush supports the former Nebraska governor's run for the Senate, saying, "If it's Mike's decision and Nebraska's choice, he would make an outstanding member of the United States Senate."

Johanns' competition for the Republican nomination is the State Attorney General Jon Bruning, and a former Congressman and Omaha mayor, Hal Daub. No Democrat has yet announced a bid for the seat.

Johanns leaves as a major farm bill is working its way through Congress, which happens every five years. The bill was approved in the House earlier this year, and now will be debated in the Senate. The current farm bill expires at the end of this month.

The president said Johanns put together a good piece of legislation.

"I remember when Mike came here to the Oval he said to me, he said, what I'm going to do is I'm going to travel the country and reach out to the stakeholders to lay the foundation for farm legislation. And that's exactly what he did. And I got feedback from all around America that Mike Johanns listened, he wisely shepherded the process in such a way that we've got a good farm bill in front of the Congress. He set the framework for success," Bush said.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, an Iowa Democrat, had praise for the outgoing agriculture secretary. "I was very impressed by how involved he was in this farm bill process. Last year in particular he traveled all over the country to hear from farmers and others in rural communities most affected by agriculture and rural policies coming out of Washington. I felt that as Secretary, Mike Johanns had a positive effect on the Conservation Security Program, as well as renewable energy and biobased products."

"Of course our vital work on the farm bill must go forward," Harkin said. "Chuck Conner is a good choice to serve as acting Secretary. I have known him for over 20 years and believe his involvement in this farm bill process will make for a smooth transition."

But two Democratic senators on the Agriculture Committee say the secretary should have stayed to finish piloting the farm bill through Congress.

"Just to take a walk in the middle of a farm bill that only happens once every five years, it borders on irresponsible," Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota told reporters Wednesday.

Senator Ken Salazar of Colorado said, "The most responsible thing for him would be to stay with it until we've got it across the finish line."

Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Ranking Republican Member on the Senate Agriculture Committee, was, naturally, supportive, saying, "I am grateful for his dedication and hard work and wish Mike and his family well as they move on to the next phase of their life. As the Secretary departs, we will continue to work with the Department on issues of importance to America's farmers and ranchers."

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2007. All rights reserved.