Vilsack: Agribusiness' pick for Secretary of Agriculture?

Some of the earliest proofs of how friendly (or not) the Obama administration is to a progressive agenda will be seen in his Cabinet picks, so the possibility of former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture is raising some alarm.

Vilsack represented one of the nation's major agricultural states--Iowa is the largest corn producer in the nation--but critics have been quick to point out his ties to biotechnology and agribusiness giants. For instance:

• Vilsack's support of pharmaceutical crops, especially pharmaceutical corn (links here and here)
• The biggest biotechnology industry group, the Biotechnology Industry Organization, named Vilsack Governor of the Year. He was also the founder and former chair of the Governor's Biotechnology Partnership. Read more here.
• Vilsack was the origin of Iowa's 2005 seed pre-emption bill, which many in the state fought because it took away the possibility that local governments could regulate genetically-engineered seed use. Rep. Sandy Greiner, the Republican sponsor of the bill, bragged on the House Floor that Vilsack put her up to it right after his state of the state address.
• Vilsack is seen as too cozy with agribusiness biotech giants like Monsanto. Sustainable agriculture activists highlighted this during his presidential bid. A west-coast activist even made this YouTube animation about Vilsack--the airplane at the end is a referral to the former governor's controversial travels via Monsanto's jet.

Vilsack hasn't been nominated, of course, but the pick raises the question of who--and what--matters in agricultural policy? Agribusiness and subsidies and a continuation of our status quo food policy, one that depends on corporate-controlled technologies and subsidies for energy-intensive monocultures? Or a change (ahem) to developing agricultural policies that put sustainability--on and off the farm--first?