Speculation over President-elect Barack Obama's new agriculture secretary is boiling over but the only thing that is clear right now is that nothing is clear.

Following a letter from the U.S. Congressional Hispanic Caucus on Tuesday recommending names for possible cabinet posts, Rep. John Salazar's name came up in the Denver Post as a possible agriculture secretary nominee. DTN Political Correspondent Jerry Hagstrom reported Salazar, a farmer and a third-term congressman, has talked with the Obama transition team but has not been interviewed.

In response to a request for comment from the Denver Post Wednesday, Salazar said, "I am humbled that I may be under consideration as a possible nominee for secretary of agriculture. Should President-elect Obama honor me with a nomination to Agriculture, I would certainly consider it. However, at this time, I am continuing my work on behalf of my constituents in the 3rd Congressional District and preparing for the many difficult challenges facing the 111th Congress."

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has reportedly told people she is not interested in the agriculture secretary job. Yet, the Washington Post reported Thursday that Sebelius is one of the candidates on the short list being considered. The Post article also referred to former Texas Rep. Charles Stenholm, who now is a lobbyist in Washington, as well as Dennis Wolff, the agriculture secretary for the State of Pennsylvania.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., has said he is not interested in the job but people I spoke with have said Peterson has talked with Obama's transition team in the past week and did not turn down the job. Peterson is quoted in an accompanying Washington Post story Thursday regarding all of the major issues facing USDA. Peterson is emphasizing an overhaul of USDA and the interesting notion behind that is he may very well be able to do a great deal more in that effort as part of the administration than as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

Just some food for thought. It's also somewhat odd that some names mentioned often just a week ago were not raised in the Post article, such as Tom Buis, president of the National Farmers Union or John Boyd Jr., president of the National Black Farmers Association.

From the 'No Foolin' File

Sen.-elect Mike Johanns, R-Neb., at an event unveiling his painted portrait as agriculture secretary on Wednesday at USDA, told a reporter he would like to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee.