President-elect Donald Trump has interviewed at least six people in the longest-running search for an agriculture secretary since the arrival of the New Deal in 1933, and he still hasn’t found the ideal person to help make America great again. “He continues to meet with highly qualified people in the Department of Agriculture,” said transition spokesman Sean Spicer during a daily teleconference, saying Trump wants cabinet members “to help make each of these departments operate at their highest efficiency and deliver the best results for the American people.”
The long search raises the question of whether Trump will be sworn into office without a successor to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in place to steer USDA. There was no indication from USDA of who — most likely a career civil servant — would be acting secretary if the Senate does not confirm an agriculture secretary by Jan. 20. Trump has a four-person “landing team” at USDA.
Trump is “looking for the most-qualified individuals,” Spicer told reporters when asked when a nominee would be announced for USDA. “But just to be clear, as has been the case in every one of these [cabinet nominations], it’s going to be the person that understands and demonstrates the greatest ability to implement the president’s agenda and make America great again in each one of these areas.” Spicer said, “[A]s soon as we have an update,” it will be shared.
Traditionally, the Senate Agriculture Committee “moves pretty quickly” on confirmation hearings for agriculture secretary, said a spokeswoman for chairman Pat Roberts. Vilsack’s hearing was held less than a week after background material was given to the committee. “There are a lot of variables,” said the spokeswoman.
Presidents-elect typically name their cabinet nominees before Christmas, creating the opportunity for a confirmation vote before inauguration day. This time, the selection process for agriculture secretary is the longest since Franklin Roosevelt selected Henry Wallace of Iowa in February 1933, according to a search by Ag Insider and DTN of newspaper stories on nominees. But Roosevelt had more leeway, since in that era administrations took office in early March.
At the start of this week, former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue was at the top of Trump’s list for USDA, sources told news outlets. A day later, CNN said former California Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado was the frontrunner: “The source stressed putting a farmer in the agriculture secretary spot is key as many of Trump’s supporters hail from rural America.”
According to Spicer, Trump’s schedule for Wednesday had no meetings with people believed in the running for agriculture secretary. Trump met four potential nominees face-to-face last week: Maldonado, former Texas Rep. Henry Bonilla, former Texas comptroller Susan Combs and former Texas A&M president Elsa Murano. On Nov. 30 he interviewed Perdue and on the next day, Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota.
Midwesterners are a frequent choice for agriculture secretary; Vilsack, a two-term governor of Iowa, is the latest. But no one from the region is known to be under consideration this time. More than a dozen people have been mentioned as possible nominees. Idaho Gov. Butch Otter was vetted for USDA, for example.
With a budget of $150 billion a year, USDA has one of the largest workforces in the federal government and oversees a panorama of programs, from farm subsidies, food stamps and school lunch to the national forests, international food aid and agricultural research.
In related news, USDA had no comment on an Agri-Pulse story that Vilsack “will become president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council when he leaves office this month,” succeeding Tom Suber. Vilsack and the trade group declined comment to Agri-Pulse.