Obama's USDA nominee says will promote biofuels

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack said Wednesday he will promote renewable energy like biofuels and work for "more nutritious food produced in a sustainable way" if confirmed as U.S. agriculture secretary.

In a statement prepared for his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Vilsack said he would "leverage the financial commitment of the stimulus bill" being developed by the Obama administration to boost economic growth in rural America.

The Senate Agriculture Committee was expected to approve the nomination with little objection.

During his campaign, President-elect Barack Obama backed a $250,000 a year "hard" cap on farm subsidies and programs to bring the new generation of biofuels to the market.

Rural areas face historic challenges, Vilsack said in his statement, from the U.S. recession and long-standing problems of lower incomes and higher poverty rates than the rest of the country.

"The health care crisis aligns squarely with the need to promote more nutrition in our diets," said Vilsack. He said he would "work with those who seek programs and practices that lead to more nutritious food produced in a sustainable way."

Vilsack said he would promote renewable energy technologies such as biofuels, wind, solar and geothermal energy.

In a list of issues, Vilsack said he supported "a robust farm safety net," would "help families that struggle to make ends meet put food on the table," enhance food safety and encourage land stewardship.

He also said it was time to resolve civil rights complaints against the Agriculture Department and to modernize USDA's computer system.

(Reporting by Charles Abbott; editing by John Picinich)