Sonny Perdue
Perdue names former House staffer to run USDA nutrition agency
Brandon Lipps, who helped engineer $8.6 billion in food stamp cuts in the 2014 farm law, is the new administrator of USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, which oversees food stamps, school lunch and other public nutrition programs. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the appointment of Lipps and two senior nutrition officials a day ahead of a trip, scheduled for today, to a summer meal site for school-aged children.
Senators would override Perdue, keep top rural development official
In the first serious congressional disagreement with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, the Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to vote on Thursday to reinstate the post of undersecretary for rural development, eliminated five weeks ago by Perdue in a USDA reorganization. "We want that position in place as part of our emphasis on rural development," said Republican Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota.
Wanted for USDA trade chief: A battler
Farm groups persuaded Congress to create a high-level USDA post to promote U.S, agricultural exports. Lawmakers, in putting up money for the office, want a fearless advocate on the job. "Be cognizant and steadfast in raising trade enforcement issues related to the agricultural practices of foreign nations," says the House Appropriations Committee in a report that accompanies the USDA-FDA funding bill for fiscal 2018.
Give USDA’s new rural alignment a chance, Perdue asks senators
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue proposed to skeptical senators the legislative version of a money-back offer: Let me run rural development my way for a year and if you're not happy, you can have your undersecretary back. Perdue said he expects prompt and gratifying results from his approach of putting economic development under his direct control.
Verse two of late start for Perdue: Long wait for USDA executives
By far, Sonny Perdue had the latest starting date for any agriculture secretary in USDA history – 13 weeks after President Trump took office. Perdue lamented at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing that history is going to repeat itself with a long wait, likely running into the fall, for the rest of the team of executives that runs USDA.
Realtors, key Senate Democrats oppose Perdue on rural development office
A month ago, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue unveiled a USDA reorganization plan that creates a new sub-cabinet post, undersecretary for trade, and eliminates the position of undersecretary for rural development. Now two key Senate Democrats have appealed to Perdue to retain the rural development slot.
With NAFTA on the horizon, U.S. deals with Canada and Mexico ag issues
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue went north and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross looked south as the Trump administration focused on North American food and farm trade issues. Based on "quite meaningful" progress, Ross allowed an additional 24 hours to complete a deal on sugar imports from Mexico, while Perdue discussed the future of two-way farm trade with Canadian Agriculture Minister Lawrence Macaulay.
Perdue cites controversial Chick-fil-A as example of good customer service
At a farm conference, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue likened his ideal of USDA service at its local offices to the service at the Chick-fil-A chain, which has been a target of criticism by gay-rights activists. Perdue described that ideal as a "what'll you have" greeting, convenient hours, "and a quality product with pleasure."
USDA and Interior stress cooperation in fighting wildfires
The two largest public-lands agencies in the United States, the Interior and Agriculture departments, “signed a memorandum emphasizing cooperation among federal, state, tribal and local agencies in battling wildfires as the main part of the wildfire season arrives,” said The Associated Press. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue signed the memorandum following a briefing at the interagency fire command center in Boise, Idaho.
Perdue: We won’t let you go hungry but there are limits
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, who runs the federal farm subsidy and public nutrition programs, told a Montana audience that "my goal is to have a safety net for all American citizens, producers but also those who cannot afford (food) ... It is not in the heart of America to want to see anyone go hungry."
USDA will help farmers adapt to climate change, says Perdue
Democratic lawmakers and farm activists criticized President Trump for his decision to withdraw from the Paris climate treaty, saying it would result in harsher conditions for agriculture in coming years. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue shrugged off climate change as inevitable and said USDA was "committed to digging ever deeper into research to develop better methods of agricultural production in that changing climate."
Perdue endorses former chief of staff to chair Georgia GOP
The first Republican elected governor of Georgia since Reconstruction is backing a key operative in the campaign, John Watson, in a four-way fight for Republican state chairman. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue endorsed Watson in an email that began circulating on Wednesday, saying, "I do not think there is anyone better prepared or positioned to lead our party organization to continuing victories."
Perdue says he wants more money to control wildfires
The Trump administration proposed a $700-million reduction in funding to fight wildfires, but Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told a House panel that he will press the White House for more money, said Roll Call. At a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Perdue said he would "advocate very strongly" for additional funding to prevent and manage fires.
‘No sugarcoating’ sharp cuts at USDA, Perdue says
The Agriculture Department would lose more than 5 percent of its workforce under President Trump's proposals to slash crop insurance and food stamps, to down-size conservation programs and to eliminate many rural development programs, said USDA officials. "There's no sugarcoating what we will face," said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.
Assistant secretary, or assistant to the secretary? Does it matter?
When Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said he would have a high-powered associate "sitting next to me, with walk-in privileges," focused on rural economic development, he said the new executive would be an assistant secretary. Actually, the job will be "assistant to the secretary," said a USDA spokesman, in arguing the title doesn't matter when you interact daily with a cabinet secretary.
Farm groups oppose end to USDA’s rural development office
Fearing the demotion of rural economic concerns and harm to their communities, rural and farm groups urged leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to oppose the USDA’s plan to eliminate the Office of Under Secretary for Rural Development.
Huzzahs for new USDA trade office, qualms about stewardship and rural development
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue unveiled a USDA reorganization that would take effect in mid-June, highlighted by creation of a high-level office to promote U.S. farm exports, with President Trump's call for a smaller and more efficient government still on the docket. Small-farm advocates said rural economic development was downgraded by Perdue's package "in favor of boosting international trade."
Perdue proves his row-crop credentials
The job went to Sonny Perdue of Georgia, although Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley loudly advocated for a northerner to be agriculture secretary under President Trump. Grassley told a crowd of Iowans that his doubts were erased went he met Perdue, who repeated for the crowd his bona fides in the three major U.S. crops, grown predominantly in the Midwest and Plains.