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Jim Miller 
Tue Jan 18, 2011 at 22:48:04 PM PST
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USDA Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service Jim Miller has resigned from the USDA. This might sound like boring or routine news but I think it is actually significant. Miller was a favorite of Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), who he worked for on the Senate Ag Committee before moving over to the USDA. From the rumors I heard, Miller's role within the USDA was to keep Kathleen Merrigan from doing anything too "organic-y" (if you know what I mean).
At this point, there's no word on why he resigned, but it's fairly normal to have turnover in high level government positions like this. I wouldn't be too surprised if Miller left because he was offered a high paid lobbying position for Big Ag... or if he left for another reason but gets a lobbying job all the same. I also wonder how this will change things around the USDA, and who will be chosen to replace Miller for the remainder of Obama's term.
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Sat Apr 11, 2009 at 06:00:00 AM PDT
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There are a few new appointments to the USDA since I last wrote about the topic on this blog, as well as a few previously announced appointees who have now been confirmed.
The most recent news is the choice of Doug O'Brien as Kathleen Merrigan's Chief of Staff. O'Brien is one of the Sustainable Dozen advocated for on the Food Democracy Now petition, so that's two down and ten to go on our list of twelve. Also recently announced are the nominations of Michael Michener as Administrator of USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and Dave White as Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Someone who knows White and has worked with him said to me, "I don't think we could have found a better person to run the agency." Yay!
Last, recently confirmed by the Senate are Kathleen Merrigan as USDA's Deputy Secretary, Jim Miller as Under Secretary of the Farm Service & Foreign Agricultural Service, and Joe Leonard as assistant secretary for civil rights.
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Wed Apr 01, 2009 at 13:22:17 PM PDT
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Today the Senate Ag Committee met to confirm three nominees to the USDA: Kathleen Merrigan (Deputy USDA Secretary), Jim Miller (Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services), and Joe Leonard (Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights). All three will be confirmed, there is little doubt about that, but the highlight of the hearing for me was when Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) took Merrigan to task for her love of organic agriculture. Just one more reason we need to toss his ass out of the Senate in 2014.
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Fri Mar 13, 2009 at 16:35:12 PM PDT
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Today Obama announced two new USDA appointments - Jim Miller for Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services and Dallas P. Tonsager to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development.
Overall, neither of these guys are organic CSA farmers or outspoken Michael Pollan fans, but I think they aren't bad. Miller's affiliation with the National Farmers Union is a good thing, as is Tonsager's past as an appointee to federal positions. I doubt either of them will rock the boat too heavily, but they also aren't paid shills for Monsanto.
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UPDATE: Jim Miller's definitely NOT on the side of sustainable agriculture. He's very much for keeping things at the status quo (or worse!).
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