In 2011, agricultural exports hit a record high and producers saw their best incomes in nearly 40 years.

Vilsack appointed Shirley Sherrod as the Georgia Director of Rural Development saying that Tom Vilsack would be an "important advocate on behalf of rural communities. In the first report he raised over half a million dollars. On March 27 2013 Tom Vilsack beat the sequester by arguing that he would have to shut down companies if he did not get most of the cuts back which he did get.

Barack Obama announced Vilsack's selection to be Secretary of Agriculture under his administration on December 17 2008. Thomas James "Tom" Vilsack (/ˈvɪlsæk/; born December 13 1950) is an American politician who has served as the United States Secretary of Agriculture since 2009. On November 30 2006 he formally launched his candidacy for the Democratic Party's nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 election but ended his bid on February 23 2007.