Former North Dakota governor Ed Schafer is scheduled to appear before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Thursday for a hearing on his nomination to replace Mike Johanns who resigned in September to run for U.S. Senate in Nebraska.
The hope is to have Schafer confirmed before the State of the Union address next Monday so he can attend as part of the president’s cabinet.
Meanwhile, Acting Secretary Chuck Conner who has been doing all the heavy lifting on the farm bill debate for the past four months will go back to being a bridesmaid again.
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