Sonny Perdue
Heitkamp is first Democratic senator to back Perdue for USDA
The Trump nominee for agriculture secretary, former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, has the support of North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, the first Democrat to endorse him. A Democrat-turned-Republican, Perdue has attracted none of the controversy dogging other cabinet nominees. But as the last of President Trump's selections, he still awaits a confirmation hearing.
Sonny Perdue, third USDA chief to work in agriculture as an adult
An array of food, farm and agribusiness groups and companies asked in a letter to Senate Agriculture Committee leaders for "expeditious confirmation" of former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue as agriculture secretary. "Though some (agriculture secretaries) were raised on a farm, only two actually lived and worked in agriculture as adults," says the letter. "If confirmed, Sonny Perdue will be number three."
Vilsack backs Perdue as his USDA successor
On the same day that Senate Democrats toughened their opposition to President Donald Trump's cabinet nominees, former agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack said he supports Sonny Perdue as his successor at USDA. With Vilsack, Perdue "is the only cabinet nominee to secure the support of his predecessor in the Obama administration," said the Trump transition team.
USDA nominee Sonny Perdue begins Capitol Hill visits
The White House has yet to send the formal nomination documents to the Senate but President Donald Trump's nominee for agriculture secretary, former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, is meeting senators this week. The courtesy calls are a combination of get-acquainted sessions and a chance for the nominee to quell any doubts a senator might have. There is no confirmation hearing scheduled yet, says a Senate Agriculture Committee spokeswoman.
Who is running USDA while the Trump team arrives?
The headlines go to the president's appointee for agriculture secretary — this year, President Trump's selection of former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue. But the Agriculture Department has approximately 400 executive jobs, the great majority of them filled by the appointee. Michael Young, the USDA budget director, is the top officer at USDA for the moment, awaiting Senate confirmation of the new secretary.
Grassley pushes for Iowan in senior USDA post
Southerners and Westerners don't appreciate the family farming tradition as highly as Midwesterners, said Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, in promoting Bill Northey, his state's agriculture secretary, for a top job at USDA such as deputy secretary or undersecretary. Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue is President Donald Trump's choice for agriculture secretary.
A freeze on regulations before Trump team settles in at USDA
Within hours of taking office, the Trump administration put a freeze on federal regulations that could include the fair-play rules on livestock marketing issued last month and animal-welfare rules for organic farms issued last week. The new administration will have its first full workday of control at USDA today, with Sam Clovis, a senior adviser during the presidential campaign, as the top Trump official until the Senate confirms Sonny Perdue as agriculture secretary.
Activists, farm groups try to weave their goals into Perdue’s agenda at USDA
New York businessman Donald Trump, who becomes president today, said he expects his nominee for agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, to accomplish great things at USDA. Farm groups, antihunger activists and the food movement have a formula for success for Perdue: Do things our way.
Inauguration at hand, Trump to announce Perdue for USDA chief
In the end, President-elect Donald Trump selected Sonny Perdue, the first person he interviewed for the job, to be agriculture secretary, filling the last vacancy in his cabinet. Trump was to announce the selection of Perdue, the first Republican elected governor of Georgia since Reconstruction, as early as today, transition officials told multiple news organizations.
A USDA adrift in the early days of Trump era?
President-elect Donald Trump has waited so long that, with 10 days left before he takes office, there are rising odds that his nominee for agriculture secretary will get a late and perhaps bumpy start at USDA. Trump interviewed such a wide variety of candidates, from a California winegrower to a food scientist, that it's unclear what his administration will emphasize in its opening days beyond opposition to regulation of agriculture and support for corn ethanol.
Sonny Perdue is leading contender to head USDA
Out of a cavalcade of candidates, Sonny Perdue, the first Republican governor of Georgia since Reconstruction, is President-elect Donald Trump's leading candidate to become agriculture secretary in what has become the lengthiest selection process in at least 40 years. Perdue would be the second southerner to serve as agriculture secretary in the USDA's 118 years as a cabinet department.
Will agriculture be among ‘almost all’ of Trump nominees?
President-elect Donald Trump says "you'll be seeing almost all" of his cabinet nominees this week; he already has tabbed three of the four big posts — Defense, Treasury, Justice and State — and USDA usually is included in the second round of announcements. There were reports that Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad may become U.S. ambassador to China and Cathy Bertini, former head of the World Food Program, may be named head of the USAID.