January 20, 2009 - Is confirmed as secretary of agriculture.

January 21, 2009 - Is sworn in as the 30th secretary of the Department of Agriculture.

July 19, 2010 - Calls for the resignation of USDA official Shirley Sherrod after an excerpted video clip of Sherrod is posted online, in which Sherrod discusses an incident involving a white farmer. Vilsack contends that he made the decision without conferring with the White House.

July 22, 2010 - Vilsack apologizes to Sherrod after video of the full speech shows that her remarks from the clip were taken out of context. Vilsack offers Shirley Sherrod another job with the Deptartment of Agriculture, which she later declines.