President Bush has nominated Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns as Secretary of Agriculture. The conservative Republican began his career as an attorney after growing up on an Iowa dairy farm. If confirmed by the Senate as expected, Johanns, 54, would replace Ann Veneman as head of an agency of more than 100,000 employees who oversee farm, forest and food stamp programs worth some $75 billion a year.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, issued a statement stressing the experience of Johanns, who has led agricultural trade missions to Brazil, Chile, China, Japan and several other countries.