WASHINGTON – February 11, 2022Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack gave the following statement after Dr. Homer Wilkes was sworn-in to the position of Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment at USDA.
I was pleased to see Dr. Homer Wilkes confirmed by the Senate as Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment. He is an extraordinary public servant who has been with USDA for over 41 year, heavily contributing to engineering and natural resource projects as well as forestry and working land. His leadership as Director of the Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Restoration Division where he was responsible to restore the coastal ecosystem following the 2010 BP oil spillage has prepared him for this role. His confirmation is also historic. He will be the first African American to serve as Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment at USDA. I look forward working alongside him in our continued efforts to increase climate resilience and advance climate smart practices in agriculture, forestry, and other sectors.
