Two weeks from now, Tom Vilsack, the longest-serving agriculture secretary in half-a-century, will start his new job on the opposite side of the Potomac River from the USDA headquarters. As expected, he will be president and chief executive of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, based in Arlington, Va., which works to expand sales of American dairy products and ingredients.
Vilsack succeeds Tom Suber, the council’s first president, who retired at the end of 2016. Formed in 1995, the council has more than 100 dairy industry, dairy exporter and affiliated members. U.S. milk prices are beginning to recover from an abrupt plunge in 2015. Dairy farmers say the insurance-like margin-protection subsidy of the 2014 farm law has proven inadequate and should be changed.
The dairy council, founded by the umbrella group Dairy Management Inc., says Vilsack will be its primary spokesman and ambassador to stakeholder groups and will work with industry leaders “to develop a long-term visions for building sales and consumer trust in U.S. dairy. About 15 percent of U.S. dairy production is exported, with Mexico and Canada as the two largest customers, according to the dairy council.