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(Photo: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
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President Bush chose Edward Schafer, a former two-term Republican governor from North Dakota, to be his next secretary of agriculture on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007.
Schafer's nomination was confirmed by the Senate, and he replaced Mike Johanns, who resigned in September 2007 to launch a bid for the Nebraska Senate seat being vacated by Republican Chuck Hagel at the end of next year.
Schafer, the grandson of Danish immigrants who farmed throughout their lives, gained extensive agricultural experience while serving as governor, from 1992 to 2000, of North Dakota where nearly 25 percent of its residents work as farmers and ranchers or are employed in farm-related jobs.
Schafer's selection comes at a crucial time for the Agriculture Department, which is closely following — and hoping to influence — congressional negotiations on a new five-year farm bill. There had been speculation that Mr. Bush would keep Charles Conner, the acting secretary and former deputy secretary, in place so the department would not face reshuffling until the farm bill was signed by the president.
The White House highlighted Schafer's experience in directing state response to eight disasters, including the historic flooding and fire in Grand Forks, N.D., in 1997, which led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of North Dakota residents.
His energy, friendliness and optimism, Schafer's political friends and foes both agree, made him a popular governor.
Johanns, a former governor of Nebraska had been chosen to succeed Ann M. Veneman in overseeing the nation's farm and food programs as secretary of agriculture. Veneman stepped down in January 2005.
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