Vilsack Does Not Want Another USDA Portrait

If you ever have an opportunity to visit the USDA headquarters in D.C., you’ll see painted portraits of all agriculture secretaries, including that of Secretary Tom Vilsack, from his first term of service from 2009 to 2017.  As Vilsack prepares to wrap up a second four-year stint as Ag Secretary, some might be surprised when he says a second portrait reflecting this most recent time in office is not necessarily needed.  Why?

“I like the way I look down there and I know that if there were a second portrait, I'd look a lot older,” Vilsack recently noted.  Beyond that, Vilsack said the focus of his initial portrait reflects not his first term, but of the various mission areas of the Agriculture Department and those serving in those missions.

"If you look at that, you see just about a symbol or virtually every mission area of the department, and that was the purpose of it.”

If a second portrait of Secretary Vilsack were to be done, he said he feels the emphasis should be on the consistency of his work done during his 12 years at the helm of USDA.

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