President Trump plans to nominate Indiana farmer Kip Tom as the United States Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture at the Department of State. Tom will be given the rank of Ambassador if nominated and approved by the Senate.
Tom, of Tom Farms, is a seventh-generation farmer representing one of the largest farms in Indiana. Tom previously unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2016 and was in consideration by President Trump to be Agriculture Secretary during the transition period of the Trump administration.
In the announcement, the White House touted Tom’s agribusiness experience that includes work in North and South America, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Tom serves on the boards of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, the Future Farmers of America Foundation and the National 4-H Foundation.
Indiana Senators Todd Young and Joe Donnelly in a joint statement called Tom an “excellent fit” for the position.