LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraskans who are eager to see the ethanol industry evolve beyond the use of corn should be happy with selection of Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as the next secretary of agriculture.
Although Vilsack has been supportive of corn ethanol as an Iowa politician, he has been vocal recently about the need to move toward cellulosic ethanol, which uses plant materials in the creation of ethanol.
Although Nebraska ranks third in the country in corn ethanol production, residents should be sanguine about moving toward cellulosic ethanol.
Opportunities abound for the Cornhusker state.
For one thing, the University of Nebraska already is involved in research on the use of plants such as switchgrass to make ethanol.
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Vilsack also is expected to promote greater use of wind energy, and policies that could create financial rewards for farmers who adopt practices that sequester carbon in the fight against global warming. Both could bring economic benefit to the state.
In Iowa, Vilsack is regarded as a pragmatist and a centrist, which presumably means that he would push for change that is incremental and comes in phases.
In short, Nebraskans should be comfortable with Vilsack, a fellow Midwesterner, in charge of agricultural policy in the Obama administration.
