Sonny Perdue
Perdue assures farmers, ‘You grow it and we’ll sell it’
Standing in shirtsleeves on a hay rack at an Iowa farm, Agriculture Secretary discarded his prepared speech in favor of repeated promises to be an unstinting advocate of U.S. food and ag exports, which generate 20 percent of farm income. President Trump supports biofuels, said Perdue, adding, "I think it was the boss who said we're not going to mess with the RFS (Renewable Fuels Standard)."
Seven big school districts say they won’t relax school lunch standards
Seven of the largest school districts in the nation say they won’t relax school lunch standards despite Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s offer of flexibility in school meals.
Perdue calls it a slowdown, critics say it’s a rollback of healthy school lunch rules
When the 2017/18 school year opens in late summer, public schools will not have to use more whole grains and less salt in their cafeteria meals unless they want to, and they will be allowed to sell 1 percent flavored milk, said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Although he said he was giving schools more flexibility, consumer groups and lawmakers said Perdue was rolling back school-lunch reforms launched under an Obama-era initiative against child obesity.
Administration is on farmers’ side on exports, says Perdue
From President Trump down, the administration recognizes the importance of farm exports, said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, adding that he expects to make frequent trips overseas to promote sales. Farmers voted by wide margins for Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton last November, although his plans to renegotiate NAFTA and overhaul trade pacts in general has stirred concern in rural areas.
Two Midwesterners in contention for No. 2 at USDA
Indiana mega-farmer Kip Tom and Iowa agriculture secretary Bill Northey "seem to be the top contenders" for deputy agriculture secretary, says Politico, with sources saying talk of Northey for the job "has been increasing in recent days." After the agricultural roundtable with President Trump on Tuesday, Northey said he had not been offered any USDA position but would consider it if offered, said Iowa Farmer Today.
‘I don’t cage too well,’ folksy Perdue tells USDA employees
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.
Perdue races into action after overwhelming Senate confirmation
Newly minted Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue's first day on the job will be a busy one, following the 87-11 confirmation vote in the Senate that ended more than three months of waiting. Perdue scheduled a start-of-the-workday speech to USDA employees this morning and is to join President Trump for an agricultural roundtable discussion at the White House in the afternoon.
A sea of issues await Perdue when he walks in the door at USDA
Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue is hours away from becoming U.S. agriculture secretary, with the Senate expected to confirm the nomination by a solid majority this evening. Perdue will enter the job on a tide of goodwill and risks inundation by a flood of issues from budget cuts and agricultural trade to expanded subsidies for cotton and dairy producers.
Wildfire relief ordered by Trump becomes argument for Perdue confirmation
In response to fires that burned more than 1.5 million acres of rangeland in the southern Plains, the USDA opened the Conservation Reserve, normally off-limits to livestock, for grazing for the rest of the year in three states. The USDA said it acted at the direction of President Trump – a statement used to prod the Senate to vote on Trump's nominee for agriculture secretary.
Perdue ‘faces a real set of challenges’ due to late start, says Vilsack
Since January, Sonny Perdue's job has been simple yet slow to come into reach: Win Senate confirmation as agriculture secretary. Perdue's predecessor at USDA, Tom Vilsack, said during a public radio interview, "Gov. Perdue faces a real set of challenges because his confirmation has been delayed as long as it has."
Perdue cleared for Senate vote in historically slow walk to USDA
It could be May before Sonny Perdue starts work at the Department of Agriculture, the latest start for an incoming secretary since USDA became a federal department in 1889. The Senate Agriculture Committee approved Perdue's nomination on a voice vote but it's not clear when the Senate will vote.
Senate Ag panel to vote today on Perdue nomination
The pace of action is picking up for President Trump’s nominee for agriculture secretary, former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue. Chairman Pat Roberts says the Senate Agriculture Committee will vote Wednesday to favorably report the nomination to the full Senate for confirmation.
Perdue says he’ll be ‘USDA’s chief salesman’; some of his work may be at home
A shoo-in to become Agriculture secretary for President Trump, former Georgia Gov .Sonny Perdue says he will be "USDA's chief salesman around the world." Farm-state senators say the sales work should include the Trump team, which has threatened to disrupt relations with major customers for U.S. farm exports.
Senate panel ‘will move as quickly as possible’ on Perdue nomination
American agriculture is "going through a rough patch right now," so the Senate Agriculture Committee "will move as quickly as possible in a bipartisan fashion ... to get the governor down to the department," chairman Pat Roberts said, referring to the nominee for agriculture secretary, former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue. The committee has scheduled a confirmation hearing for Thursday at 10 a.m. ET.
Perdue assets top $11 million. Will he debut at USDA in April?
Seven weeks after President Trump selected Sonny Perdue for agriculture secretary, the White House formally transmitted the nomination to the Senate, opening the way for the long-awaited confirmation hearing for the former Georgia governor who faces minimal opposition so far. He could be in office in April, based on the Senate's handling of other cabinet nominees.
Seven weeks of waiting for a slam-dunk USDA Ag nominee
Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue is meeting an "unprecedented" number of senators while waiting for the administration to send to the Senate his nomination for agriculture secretary, says a transition official, who is hopeful the process will begin moving "in the next couple of days." Perdue's selection was announced on the day before President Trump's inauguration, so he's the last one to go through the FBI background check.
Sonny Perdue ‘having the time of his life’ waiting for USDA vote
President Trump's nominee for agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue of Georgia, is "having the time of his life" in meeting senators ahead of his confirmation hearing, said a transition official. The paperwork on his nomination, including the results of an ongoing background check, could be in the hands of the Senate Agriculture Committee in early March, the official estimated.
Stabenow meets Perdue, wants to learn more about his goals for USDA
The senior Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, said she had a productive conversation with President Trump's nominee for agriculture secretary, but did not endorse former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue for the job. So far, Agriculture Committee member Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota is the only Democrat in the Senate to commit to voting for Perdue.