The Chairman of the Senate Ag Committee says his committee will conduct a hearing to review the nomination of former Governor Tom Vilsack to be the next Secretary of Agriculture. Tom Harkin says the confirmation hearing will be held next Wednesday, January 14th. This hearing falls in the middle of other key hearings of interest to agriculture.

Tom Daschle is first up this Thursday. The former Senate Ag Committee member and Senate Majority Leader has been selected to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. Then - next Tuesday (January 13) - the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will review Energy Secretary-designate Steven Chu. That same committee will hear from Interior Secretary-designate Ken Salazar next Thursday (January 15).