In a 2006 interview with the Minnesota Independent, Mark Ritchie sounded positively Obamian in his intellectual interests, referencing a range of topics from the 1930’s Chemurgy green-fuel movement, artist Francis Lee Jacques and the business filings duties of the Secretary of State’s office. But, despite the similarity with Obama, it sounds like Minnesota’s Secretary of State wouldn’t accept the position of Secretary of Agriculture were the president-elect to offer it to him.

Last week, Ritchie — a former chicken farmer and founder of both the “November 2″ get-out-the-vote project and the Minneapolis-based Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy — was included on a shortlist of “sustainable” agriculture secretary candidates sent to Obama’s transition team by 88 activists including authors Frances Moore Lappé, Bill McKibben and Michael Pollan. While Ritchie’s political ascendancy has been far from typical, his answer (sent via Facebook) fits that time-honored political artform: a thanks-but-no-thanks delivered while leaving the door slightly ajar.

“I am honored that these folks would consider me capable and worthy of that important leadership role,” he wrote. “At this point in time I am very busy and very happy with my current job.”

He continued: “A strong and future-oriented thinking USDA is crucial for tackling our nation’s economic, energy, environmental and health challenges and I am anxious to find ways to be supportive of the team that President Obama puts into place to lead this important agency.”

Ritchie, who’s got his hands full with the Election 2008 recount, is not widely considered a contender for the top USDA job.