Iowa’s Cabinet Position
The U.S. Department of Agriculture was founded in 1862, under President Abraham Lincoln. That’s 158 years…and five Iowans have held the position over time, serving a total of 35 years.
No U.S. ag secretary has ever held the job more than once…but if Tom Vilsack does become ag secretary in a Biden Administration, he’ll be the first.
The man who held the job longer than anyone else is from near Traer in Tama County…”Tama Jim” Wilson served 16 years, from 1897-1913, under three presidents: McKinley, Teddy Roosevelt, and Taft.
Edwin T. Meredith served in the role for the final year of Woodrow Wilson’s administration, from 1920-1921. He was succeeded by another Iowan, Henry C. Wallace, who was ag secretary under presidents Harding and Coolidge from 1921-1924.
Henry C.’s son, Henry A. Wallace, had decidedly different politics than his father…but they make up the only father-son ag secretary duo, with the younger Wallace holding the position in FDR’s administration from 1933-1940…he left and challenged his boss for president.
It was another seven decades before an Iowan returned to USDA…Tom Vilsack, the only Obama administration official to stay in place the full eight years, from 2009-2017. And he’s poised to be the first to serve two different times. And should he need advice, by then there will be eight other former USDA secretaries still living on whom he can call.
Vilsack celebrated his 70th birthday just yesterday, as well.
Iowans have held other cabinet positions…but it’s the most natural fit, for more U.S. ag secretaries to be from Iowa than any other state.
