In his first hour at his new workplace, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue took off his coat and tie and rolled up his sleeves, telling USDA employees at a welcoming ceremony, “I was a farmer first.” During a 20-minute speech, Perdue repeatedly likened USDA to a family and said he might roam USDA’s mammoth headquarters complex, covering three city blocks, to drop in offices and learn the details of agricultural programs.
“I don’t cage too well,’ said Perdue, referring to the colloquial name, “the cage,” for the secretarial suite on the second floor of the USDA administration building. “It keeps you from people and keeps people from you.” He suggested a contest among employees for a new name for the suite, at least for his tenure, and later raised the idea of a USDA picnic as a get-to-know-you event.
“I want to learn from you,” he said. “Any organization, large or small, rises and falls with its people.”
Some of USDA’s people may be targeted for dismissal, however, because of Trump administration budget proposals to eliminate some USDA programs and slim down the workforce accordingly. The White House also has instructed agencies to draft plans for a smaller workforce and to suggest ways to restructure and reduce the size of the federal government.
USDA has one of the largest workforces among federal departments, more than 97,000 people worldwide. Its Depression-era South Building, across Independence Avenue from the administration building, was the largest federal building, with 4,500 rooms, until the Pentagon was constructed.
“We may have to examine things we are doing that don’t return that value,” Perdue said in listing goals that included being as innovative as farmers, being customer-based, being productive and exercising stewardship. “Trade is going to be at the top of our agenda,” he said.
On his first day on the job, Perdue got a new Twitter handle, @SecretarySonny, which ran several tweets, including a retweet from President Trump, “Congratulations to @SecretarySonny on being confirmed as 31st @USDA Secretary – DJT.”