IDFA voiced its support for former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack to become the next secretary of agriculture in a letter sent last week to Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. In a separate letter to President-elect Barack Obama's transition team, IDFA recommended the appointment of Dr. Janey Thornton, a school nutrition expert and board member of the Milk Processor Education Program, to the position of under secretary of agriculture for food, nutrition and consumer affairs.