Perdue pick kicks off ag department changes

It was a while coming.

“We were disappointed that the ag secretary was the last cabinet post to be named,” says Iowa Farmers Union President Aaron Heley Lehman. “It’s a huge job.”

But Lehman says farmers remain optimistic, and he says they welcome Perdue, although Midwestern farmers and Iowans in particular may miss having one of their own at the helm of USDA.

“We in Iowa have been blessed to have one of our own (outgoing Sec. Tom Vilsack) in that position. That was truly a huge benefit for Iowa,” Lehman says.

Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Craig Hill agrees Midwesterners may miss having someone from their region as head of the USDA. Vilsack’s predecessor Ed Schafer was from North Dakota, and Schafer succeeded Mike Johanns, an Iowa native who also served as senator and governor from Nebraska.

But Hill says Perdue appears to be a good choice at USDA.

“He has a background in agriculture and is a trained veterinarian,” Hill says. “That background is appreciated.”

Ron Birkenholz, communications director for the Iowa Pork Producers Association, says there are things to like in the Perdue appointment.

“We know he is pro-trade,” Birkenholz says. “We’re excited about the nomination.”

While he is just one of many appointments to be made by the new president and one of several that could impact farmers, Perdue’s nomination was eagerly awaited. It was the last cabinet appointment to be made by the incoming president and agricultural organizations were beginning to get concerned, fearing the delay could mean that agriculture would be a low priority in the new administration.

The USDA is a large agency with nearly 100,000 employees and dozens of programs. The new secretary will need to appoint various deputies within the department, as well as agency leaders for every state.

“There are something like 222 political appointments that need to be made,” Hill says. “He is going to be very busy with the confirmation hearings, getting up to speed on the department and its programs, and getting appointments made.”

And don’t forget that Congress may want to start work on the next farm bill this year.

The announcement of Perdue’s name for USDA was met mostly with relief and support from agricultural organizations. The Georgia native grew up on a farm and earned a veterinary degree from the University of Georgia. He served in the military and was involved in agribusiness before being elected to the legislature as a Democrat. He later switched party affiliations and eventually served as governor from 2003-11. He is currently a partner in a family grain business. Perdue is not related to the family that runs Perdue Chicken.

Farmers and farm organizations say there are several items that will demand immediate attention from Perdue and others in Washington in the next few months.

Hill points to the GMO labelling bill as one example. The USDA is in the midst of the rule-making process regarding the implementation of that bill and that will be something farmers will be watching.

“The Vilsack administration got a start on that,” he says. “It has to be done very carefully.”

Lehman says Farmers Union members will be watching the implementation of the new GIPSA rules. Those rules are strongly supported by some in the agricultural community and strongly opposed by others.

Birkenholz says trade will be an area everyone is watching since the Trump campaign was against many trade deals, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which had strong support from pork producers.