Even with experience in international agriculture, the Iowa native appointed to lead the Agriculture Department faces a lot of challenges, local farming experts said.

On Thursday, President Bush nominated Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns, who grew up on a dairy farm near Osage, as successor to outgoing Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman. Since Bush’s re-election a month ago, eight of the 15 Cabinet secretaries have resigned, and more resignations are expected in coming days.

In a brief ceremony, Bush praised Johanns’ work during his tenure as Nebraska’s governor, and said the Republican has had a “deep commitment to a strong farm economy.”

Chad Hart, scientist in the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, said Johanns’ nomination came as a surprise to many people because he wasn’t on the list of prospective candidates. Before his nomination, other possible candidates included White House farm adviser Chuck Conner, U.S. Rep. Charlie Stenholm, D-Texas, and Chief U.S. Agriculture Negotiator Allen Johnson.

Johnson, an Iowa native, had been the top pick of Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, before Thursday’s announcement.

Afterward, both Grassley and Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, released statements in support of the president’s decision.

“Mike Johanns will make a positive impact on the Department of Agriculture,” Grassley said. “Growing up on an Iowa dairy farm, he understands the need for a department that works for the family farmer.”

Any candidate, he said, needs to have a strong background in farm-related issues and international trade, both of which Johanns has.

International trade negotiations, Hart said, has become a pressing issues during the last four years for a number of reasons. One is the appearance of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease.”The effects of [mad cow] has affected our ability to export livestock and meat,” Hart said.

Another important role for the agriculture secretary is the development of the next farm bill in 2007, he said. The bill will set the course for national farm policy during the next five years.

Generally, he said, the agriculture secretary has little control over what actually is put into the bill, but does have an important role as an adviser to Congress.

Since three of the major cash crops — corn, soybeans and wheat — are grown in the Midwest, Johanns’ background will help give a fresh perspective to farmers in the region.