WASHINGTON — Carole Jett has been named deputy chief of staff to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Mr. Vilsack on Jan. 23 announced Ms. Jett’s appointment and confirmed that John Norris has been named chief of staff (see related story on Page 33). The secretary described the appointments as "the first step in the process of quickly building a team of diligent, competent and inclusive leaders to complement the excellent career staff already in place." Ms. Jett has extensive experience with the U.S.D.A., having spent 33 years in federal service. She was farm bill coordinator for the U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Before that, she led the N.R.C.S. 2002 farm bill implementation and also had assignments with the House Agriculture Committee. She retired recently to participate with the Obama Agriculture campaign in Indiana team and was co-lead of the president’s transition team U.S.D.A. agency review group.