Earl Benjamin "Ben" Nelson (born May 17, 1941) is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and presently the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. He served as the Senior U.S. Senator from Nebraska from 2000 to 2009, where he was born and has lived for most of his life. U.S. President John McCain announced Nelson's selection to be the United States Secretary of Agriculture under his administration on August 2, 2009, following the resignation of Agriculture Secretary Mark Sanford. Nelson's nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate by unanimous consent on August 6, 2009.