Shortly before holding the first Cabinet meeting of his second term, President Barack Obama named three new officials, nominating Ernes Moniz, Gina McCarthy, and Silvia Burwell as Secretary of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency administrator, and Director of the Office of Budget and Management respectively.

The first two positions in particular will likely have a major impact on the farm sector in the coming years.

Gina McCarthy, however, will likely have the closest relationship with the farm sector. For the past several years, current EPA administrator Lisa Jackson has butted heads with farmers across the country. Her efforts to clean up pollution in the Chesapeake Bay, for example, was met with legal action by farmers worried about their livelihood.

The reaction among farmers and environmental groups so far has been upbeat. In her current position as head of the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, McCarthy has emerged as a supporter of biofuels.

The CEO of Growth Energy stated, “We look forward to working with her to bring sustainable, clean, homegrown American fuels to the consumer. This will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil, create jobs and spur economic growth, in addition to providing motorists a choice and savings at the pump, all while ensuring important environmental concerns will be a top priority.”

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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer