By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Editor
After a 13-week wait, prospective Secretary of Agriculture George “Sonny” Perdue will make his way to the full Senate for confirmation of his position.
While many hoped the confirmation would occur before the two-week Easter recess, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced April 5 he cut a deal with his Democratic counterpart agreeing to consider the former Georgia governor’s appointment as head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) April 24.
The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry approved Perdue’s nomination March 30, one week after Perdue’s confirmation hearing.
“I am pleased our committee has made swift strides to move Governor Perdue’s nomination closer to the finish line,” Roberts said in a press release. “Our farmers and ranchers have been waiting too long for this important position to be filled. We need to get Governor Perdue down to USDA to get to work. Rural America is ready.”
The only committee vote against Perdue came from Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) who told Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) she was concerned with how Perdue would handle the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Governor Perdue has the bipartisan support of six past agriculture secretaries. The former Georgia governor also has the support of more than 650 agricultural groups from across the nation, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Grain and Feed Association.
“U.S. farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses—and the consumers we serve—need the strong, capable leadership at USDA that Gov. Perdue will provide,” the AFBF and NGFA said in a statement. “He is a dedicated, accomplished, innovative, problem-solving and proven public servant, and we need him at the USDA to begin addressing a backlog of policy issues that are awaiting his attention and to begin the process of filling key positions within the department. It also is vital to have Gov. Perdue engaged fully within the administration and with Congress on international trade, farm bill and regulatory issues affecting U.S. farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses.”
Perdue, a Republican, grew up on a dairy and diversified row crop farm in rural Georgia. He holds a doctorate in veterinary medicine and is the founder and operator of three agribusinesses and transportation firms serving farmers across the Southeastern United States.
Perdue was nominated for the position at the head of USDA on Jan. 19, the day before President Donald Trump’s inauguration.