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Trump Picks Gov. Sonny Perdue to be Ag Secretary

By: Steve Kopperud

The man has a veterinary degree, spent most of his non-political career in the grain and fertilizer business and was elected the first Republican governor of Georgia since Reconstruction, but as of January 19, Sonny Perdue, 70, is Presidentelect Donald Trump’s choice to be the 31st Secretary of Agriculture.

Perdue told Politico in an interview before his nomination that he sees USDA needing to ensure department services are more producer friendly, that FDA, EPA and USDA work better together, that trade is an important issue – he counseled Trump on how to make sure farmers get fair deals in trade treaties – but said he supports Trump’s opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The last cabinet secretary to be nominated, the selection took longer than anyone expected – in fact, the process was the longest in remembered history – but Perdue finally prevailed over heavy pressure on Trump to use the USDA secretary slot as an administration position for a minority or woman nominee. He also overcame a push by Sen. Charles Grassley (R, IA) to get Trump to name a secretary from “north of the Mason-Dixon line.” 

Perdue, cousin to Sen. David Perdue (R, GA), grew up on a crop and dairy farm near Bonaire, Georgia, earning his doctorate in veterinary medicine in 1971. Before serving two terms as governor, Perdue served in the state senate from 1990-2001, winning his first election as a Democrat before changing parties in 1998.

The Perdue cousins founded Perdue Partners in 2011, a company “facilitating” exports. Sonny Perdue is managing partner of AGrowStar, which runs grain elevators in Georgia and South Carolina, and he also owns Houston Fertilizer & Grain Co., selling farming and garden supplies, and Perdue, Inc., a freight and warehouse company.

The next step for Perdue is confirmation hearings before the Senate Agriculture Committee, chaired by Sen. Pat Roberts (R, KS). Roberts said of the Trump announcement, “The most important quality for the Agriculture Secretary is a solid understanding of the tough economic challenges farmers and ranchers face due to three years of low prices, declining land values and difficult lending conditions. We need a secretary who can recall the 1980s, and will do everything within their power to make sure we do not return to those conditions.” Roberts said he appreciated an earlier meeting with Perdue and said “I look forward to meeting with him again as the committee completes a thorough confirmation process.”

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D, MI), Senate ag panel ranking member, released the following statement: “Today, we finally received a nomination for Agriculture Secretary, a critically important position that ensures the strength and vitality of American agriculture. It’s imperative the next Agriculture Secretary is ready on day one to support our nation’s food producers and local communities, protect our land, water and wildlife habitats, and ensure all Americans have access to healthy food. I intend to take a close look at Gov. Perdue’s qualifications to lead USDA, and balance the department’s important missions both on and off the farm.”

“Agriculture is the backbone of our nation. However, America’s farmers and ranchers are facing difficult times under current farm conditions, and they deserve a secretary who will work diligently to turn those tides,” said House Agriculture Committee Chair Mike Conaway (R, TX). “As we begin working on the next Farm Bill, the secretary will play a vital role in implementing positive changes, and must understand every aspect of the job at hand. I look forward to working with Sonny Perdue, especially on the committee’s priorities as Congress begins its work toward the next Farm Bill.”

National agriculture groups were near unanimous in praise for Perdue. Zippy Duvall, former head of the Georgia Farm Bureau and now president of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), said Perdue “I’ve known Sonny Perdue for years, and he’s always had an open door for farmers…and understands agriculture and its importance.”  As chief executive of the nation’s largest poultry producing state, Perdue was praised by the National Chicken Council (NCC) as “a welcome choice from the ‘Broiler Belt.’” 

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) slammed Perdue’s selection, saying, “It’s certainly hard to imagine that a former fertilizer salesman will tackle the unregulated farm pollution that poisons our drinking water, turns Lake Erie green and fouls the Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.” 

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