Sam Clovis, co-chair of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and a Tea Party activist from Iowa, is the president’s choice to run USDA’s research and economics agencies, said the White House, in a selection criticized for weeks before it was announced. Trump tabbed Indiana state agriculture director Ted McKinney for the newly created post of agriculture undersecretary for trade.
Both nominations for undersecretary require Senate confirmation and were widely anticipated. Son of an Indiana farm family, McKinney is a familiar name in agricultural circles, as a Dow and Elanco executive before going to work for then-Gov. Mike Pence in 2014. Trump’s chief policy advisor during the campaign, Clovis was a college professor before joining the campaign; his credentials have been challenged for a job where he would be USDA’s chief scientist.
“Clovis has never taken a graduate course in science and is openly skeptical of climate change,” said ProPublica. “While he has a doctorate in public administration and was a tenured professor of business and public policy at Morningside College for 10 years, he has published almost no academic work.” By contrast, ProPublica said on May 12, the 2008 farm law says USDA’s research leader should be chosen “from among distinguished scientists with specialized or significant experience in agricultural research, education, and economics.”
During the campaign, Clovis was a Trump intermediary with farm groups. Since Trump took office on Jan. 20, Clovis has headed the administration’s “beach head” team providing political guidance to the civil servants that are running USDA. So far, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is the only Trump nominee confirmed by the Senate to work at USDA.
Hours before Trump “announced his intent to nominate” Clovis and McKinney, the first public identification of the administration’s plans, the White House formally nominated Steve Censky, head of a soybean group, as deputy agriculture secretary. Censky, Clovis and McKinney would hold sub-cabinet jobs, one step below Perdue among USDA policymakers. USDA has seven undersecretary posts, each overseeing a major area of operations.
In a statement, Perdue said Clovis, an Air Force veteran, “was one of the first people through the door at USDA in January and has become a trusted advisor and steady hand as we continue to work for the people of agriculture. He looks at every problem with a critical eye, relying on sound science and data, and will be the facilitator and integrator we need.”
For the trade post, Perdue said, “I have always said that I want someone who wakes up every morning asking how we can sell more American agricultural products in foreign markets. Ted McKinney is that person.”
“Clovis’ published works do not appear to include any scientific papers,” reported ProPublica in May. “His 2006 dissertation concerned federalism and homeland security preparation, and a search for academic research published by Clovis turned up a handful of journal articles, all related to national security and terrorism.”
In May, the Washington Post said nomination of Clovis “would mark a break with recent Republican and Democratic administrations alike, which have previously reserved the high-level position for scientists with expertise in agricultural research.”