President Obama has nominated Todd Batta, a senior adviser to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, to serve as the department's assistant secretary for congressional relations.

In the role, the 2001 Winona State University graduate would serve as the chief liaison between Capitol Hill lawmakers and the Agriculture Department.

Pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Batta would succeed Brian Baenig, Vilsack's current chief of staff and a former legislative aide for the late Sen. Paul Wellstone.