After months without a secretary of agriculture, the Senate voted Monday evening [April 24, 2017] to confirm former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue to the post.
The vote was 87 to 11….
The much-delayed appointment — the last announced Trump cabinet post, announced just a day before the Jan. 20 [2017] inauguration — has prompted some to express concern that President Donald Trump has made a low priority of the rural and farm interests credited with his victory in November.
In part to address that concern, the president is expected to sign an executive order on Tuesday [April 25, 2017] promoting agriculture and “rural prosperity,” and will hold a roundtable discussion with some farmers at the White House.
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Agricultural commodity industry associations from cotton to chickens reacted mostly favorably to the Perdue nomination although some were disappointed that it took so long for the then-president-elect to make his selection. … Perdue would come into office following some lean years for the nation’s farmers who have seen a 50 percent drop in net farm income since 2013.
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Friends of the Earth, an environmental advocacy group, released a statement reading in part: “The USDA needs a champion who will support small family farmers, food safety standards, and healthier food — not another shill for big agribusiness.”
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Sonny Perdue is confirmed by the Senate as the next agriculture secretary
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