10/31/2010:
President George W. Bush nominated former North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer as Secretary of Agriculture on this date in 2007. President Bush said of the nomination, “Ed Schafer is the right choice to fill this post…He was a leader on agricultural issues during his eight years as the governor of North Dakota.” After a quick Senate hearing on January 24th, Schafer’s nomination was unanimously confirmed on January 28th, 2008, placing him in charge of over 100,000 Agriculture Department employees. Only days later, a Humane Society investigation of animal cruelty at the California-based Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company led to criminal charges and a massive recall. The U.S. Senate called in newly-appointed Secretary Schafer to give testimony and take charge of the situation, just days into the job. Schafer oversaw the product recall, considered the largest meat recall in U.S. history.
Dakota Datebook written by Jayme L. Job
Sources:
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1007/103107cdpm2.htm
http://www.hpj.com/archives/2007/nov07/nov12/MeetthenomineeforSecretaryo.cfm?login=true
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Schafer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallmark/Westland_Meat_Packing_Company