SAINT PAUL, Minn. - President-elect Barack Obama announced yesterday his choices of former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and Colorado Senator Ken Salazar as his Cabinet nominees for Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of the Interior, respectively. Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF) see both designations as signs the incoming administration will be supportive of conservation and wise land use.

"If confirmed, both nominees - former Governor Tom Vilsack and Senator Ken Salazar - figure to be friends of the conservation community during their terms," said Dave Nomsen, PF/QF Vice President of Government Affairs, "Though we are still a month away from the official beginning of the Obama administration, today's appointments are another example of how this transition team is reaching out to the conservation community in unprecedented ways."

If confirmed, Vilsack will head a department which oversees federal farming and lands policies. Then-Governor Vilsack helped make the announcement that PF's National Pheasant Fest was coming to Des Moines in 2007. A two-term Governor of Iowa, Vilsack, now 58 and a pheasant hunter himself, has been to many PF events and has been supportive of the organization.

"The fact that Governor Vilsack comes from Iowa is a real plus," Nomsen said, "He understands the issues facing rural America. Iowa has suffered immensely this past year from flooding and loss of Conservation Reserve Program acres critical to wildlife. Federal agricultural programs and policies play an integral role to healthy wildlife populations and conservation. We look forward to working with him as Secretary of Agriculture and in furthering conservation initiatives in Iowa and nationwide."

If confirmed, Senator Salazar, D-Colo., will head a department that manages the nation's public lands, parks, and wildlife refuges. He is currently a member of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, and he also headed Colorado's Natural Resources Department from 1990-1994.

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are non-profit conservation organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. PF/QF has more than 129,000 members in 700 local chapters across the continent.

Media Contact:
Anthony Hauck (651)209-4972