U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue welcomed two leaders to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) staff this week. Steve Censky took the oath of office as the deputy secretary of Agriculture and Ted McKinney was sworn-in as the undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. Both received Senate confirmation one week ago.
Both men come to the department after lengthy careers in agriculture.
Censky served as the chief executive officer of the American Soybean Association for more than 20 years, and McKinney comes to USDA after serving as Indiana’s Agriculture director.
Secretary Perdue praised the Senate for confirming the two key players of his administration.
“Steve Censky will help us be responsive to producers reeling from the effects of multiple hurricanes and also offer prudent counsel as Congress continues work on the 2018 Farm Bill,” Perdue said.
McKinney is the first ever to hold his position, which was created by Perdue during a reorganization.
“Ted McKinney will take charge of the newly-created mission area focused on trade and wake up every morning seeking to sell more American agricultural products in foreign markets,” Purdue said.
Perdue said both men will provide steady leadership at USDA.