Ed Schafer to be US Ag Secretary

A senior administration official says President Bush will nominate former North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer to be his next secretary of Agriculture Schafer a two-term Republican governor chose not to run again in North Dakota in 2000 He will replace Mike Johanns who resigned as U S agriculture secretary last month to launch a bid for the Nebraska Senate Bush will make the announcement early this afternoon in the Roosevelt Room Schafer is the grandson of Danish immigrants who farmed throughout their lives He gained extensive Agricultural experience while serving as governor in this state where nearly 25 percent of its residents work as farmers and ranchers or are employed in farm-related jobs