Press Releases

Ag Chairman Welcomes Ann Veneman's Selection as USDA Secretary
Combest notes importance of experienced choice by President-elect Bush

(December 20, 2000)

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest (R-Texas) issued the following statement welcoming Ann Veneman as the choice of President-elect George W. Bush for U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

"I look forward to working with Ms. Veneman," said U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest (R-Texas).  "She knows policy and the way things get done in Washington.  All of us will be tested as we continue to strive to solve the problems that have been facing agriculture for several years, and her experience will be very important."

As the nation's 27th Secretary of Agriculture, Ann Veneman brings to Washington, D.C. her own familiarity with the workings of the Department, having served as deputy secretary of USDA from 1991 to 1993, and previously as deputy under secretary of agriculture for international affairs and commodity programs.  Her work at USDA began in 1986 within the Department's Foreign Agricultural Service as associate administrator until 1989.

Ms. Veneman was actively involved in the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations, NAFTA and the US-Canada Free Trade Agreement.  Most recently, she served as Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture from 1995 to 1999.

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