Minutes after taking the oath of office on Monday, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small said the USDA should help farms of all sizes and types of production be successful.
“That’s why I’m so excited to have this job,” said Torres Small, who received Senate confirmation last week for the No. 2 position.
The deputy secretary traditionally oversees the day-to-day operations of USDA, one of the largest federal departments with more than 100,000 employees. “We can make sure … the department is not just for the few but the many. We can prove that there are more options than just getting big or getting out, but rather we can be there so the next generation of farmers, foresters, researchers, rural people, and every single partner of USDA can get innovative instead.”
Torres Small, the granddaughter of farmworkers, served one term in the U.S. House before becoming Agriculture undersecretary for rural development in 2021. President Biden nominated her to become deputy secretary following the departure of Jewel Bronaugh, the first Black person to serve as deputy secretary, in February. Torres Small described herself during a Senate nomination hearing as “a sunny woman of her word who will always fight for the underdog.”
To watch a video of the swearing-in ceremony, click here.