President Joe Biden's pick to be Under Secretary of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs in the Department of Agriculture is "the right person to lead," according to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The USDA released a statement by Vilsack in support of nominee Alexis Taylor, who is currently serving as director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA). In the May 13 statement, Vilsack said the Army veteran and former manager of the USDA's Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services "has dedicated her life to public service," the statement records.

"She has not only spent her career serving the American people through her work in U.S. agricultural and trade policy, but also as a veteran of the U.S. Army," Vilsack said in the statement. "Her nomination builds upon USDA’s commitment to link U.S. agriculture to the world to enhance export opportunities for American farmers and producers and increase global food security."

USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack, left, issued a statement of support for Alexis Taylor, left, as nominee for an under secretary role in the USDA. | Bob Nichols/USDA/Wikimedia Commons

Taylor was appointed to the ODA leadership position in 2016 by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. As director, Taylor manages 38 state programs and 500 employees,

oversees policy directives for Oregon’s 38 programs and its 500 employees, Vilsack noted in his remarks.

Taylor grew up on the Iowa farm her family has owned for 160 years, according to her nomination announcement, and graduated from Iowa State University. While in high school, Taylor joined the U.S. Army Reserves; during her junior year at university, her unit was deployed to Iraq where she did a tour of duty, the White House nomination biography states. Taylor has also worked for several members of Congress in her early career, according to her White House biography.

Vilsack said Taylor's "spirit and approach" make her qualified for the under secretary position, and described her as "a collaborative leader with a track record of working towards large-scale solutions in partnership with the communities she serves."

"I am confident Alexis is the right person to lead as we continue to address global food security, promote American exports across the globe and strengthen trade relationships with our global partners," Vilsack said in the statement.

Taylor's nomination received in the Senate on May 17 and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, according to the Congressional Record.