| FARGO, N.D. -- Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., complimented
President-elect George W. Bush's choice for agriculture secretary, but
fellow North Dakota Democrat Sen. Kent Conrad says he worries about her
earlier positions on trade and farm policy.
"We face severe challenges in American agriculture, and I hope
she's a roaring success," Conrad says of nominee Ann Veneman.
"But I must say I am concerned, based on her track record."
Dorgan calls Veneman a friend, and says she is well-respected by
lawmakers who have worked with her.
"I've worked with her on a range of issues, and I like her a
lot," Dorgan says. "She's very smart."
Dorgan drew a distinction between his personal opinion of Veneman and
his view of the incoming administration's positions on agriculture.
"She clearly is going to be reading from the sheet music that's
set at the White House," Dorgan says. "We'll have to see what
the Bush administration does in terms of policy choices."
Past service
Veneman served as deputy agriculture secretary for international
affairs and commodity programs from 1989 to 1991, when Bush's father was
president. She also directed the California Food and Agriculture
Department from 1996 to 1998.
Conrad says he plans to question Veneman about her support of the 1996
farm law, known as Freedom to Farm, when she appears for confirmation
hearings before the Senate Ag Committee.
He says Veneman was a "major cheerleader" for the
Republican-authored farm law, which has been criticized for taking away
government protections for farmers facing poor prices for their crops.
Others say the law was undercut by the Clinton administration's failure to
open foreign markets to American commodities.
Conrad says he wonders if Veneman changed her view on the North
American Free Trade Agreement, which he says has hurt North Dakota
farmers.
"She was very heavily engaged in negotiating the Canadian trade
agreement," he says. "She was very heavily engaged in
negotiating NAFTA. .¤.¤. I think we all need to be accountable for our
track records."
North Dakota Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Herb Manig worked for
the American Federation of Farm Bureaus when Veneman was at USDA.
"I think there will be a good opportunity for dialogue and
cooperation," Manig says of her nomination.
Manig says he expects farmers also could benefit from the fact that Bob
Stall-
lman, president of the national farm bureau group, is a former
president of the Texas Farm Bureau, where he worked with Bush during his
time as governor.
Robert Carlson, president of the North Dakota Farmers Union, has not
met Veneman. He says, "The second-hand word I've heard is she's a
real believer in the less government regulation of agriculture, the
better."
"I expect I will get to know her shortly," Carlson says.
"North Dakota is a very important agricultural state, and we deal a
lot with the USDA."
Carlson says he does not expect the Bush administration to be leading
the way for federal farm policy changes, in part because the new president
lacks a political mandate from his narrow electoral victory.
"They'll probably avoid controversy," Carlson says. "I
think Congress is going to be where the action is." |