Inside D.C.

Perdue Needs a Full USDA Team

Just over nine months into the first year of the Donald Trump presidency, the Senate Agriculture Committee finally cleared American Soybean Assn. (ASA) CEO Steve Censky and Indiana Ag Director Ted McKinney to be Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue’s deputy secretary and newly minted under secretary for trade and foreign agriculture.  That’s two down and about half a dozen more to go if you’re counting how many subcabinet jobs are left to fill at USDA.

There are 1,212 presidential appointments requiring Senate confirmation, and 353 presidential appointments which don’t need Senate blessing.  As of September 18, 2017, 121 of Trump’s nominees had been confirmed, 158 are awaiting confirmation, and 15 have been announced, but not yet formally nominated, according to Wikipedia.  Some of the vacancies may be, as Trump has said publicly, because the president isn’t sure the job is necessary.

Arguably Censky and McKinney are the priority USDA slots to fill – they will keep the trains running on time within priority program areas – and the relatively brief group hug that was their combined confirmation hearing this week says they’ll be in their offices by early October.

Perdue showed up at this week’s Senate Agriculture Committee confirmation hearing to show support, but also demonstrate his eagerness to have some critical help running USDA.

Nominated, but unvetted by the committee, are Nebraska’s Director of Agriculture Gregory Ibach as under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs; Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture as under secretary for farm production and conservation, and Washington, DC, attorney Stephen Vaden as USDA’s General Counsel.  The next names expected to service are those for assistant secretary for congressional affairs and head of the USDA civil rights operation.

Still unnamed are two key USDA players:  Under secretary for food safety and administrator for the Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS).  Perdue has acting career senior civil servants in place until Trump nominates his picks and they’re confirmed by the Senate.  No word on when that may be.

Also critical to agriculture’s success on a global front is the chief agriculture negotiator slot at the Office of the U.S. Special Trade Representative (USTR).  President of the Commodity Markets Council (CMC), economist Gregg Doud, formerly of the Senate Agriculture Committee and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Assn. (NCBA), is Trump’s nominee, but he hasn’t cleared the Senate Finance Committee or gotten a Senate vote.  Doud’s status is routinely cited by trade competitors as a U.S. “weakness” in trade talks.

Dr. Sam Clovis is still miles away from being confirmed as under secretary for research, education and economics (REE) – the USDA “chief scientist” slot – dogged because he has no formal training in agriculture science or ag economics and because of past statements made about women, race, and other hot button issues.

It’s clear Clovis can’t overcome opposition by ag committee ranking member Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D, MI).  Stabenow restated she does not support the Iowa economist. “Since day one, I’ve been concerned that Sam Clovis is not qualified to lead the important science and research arm of USDA.  As I’ve learned more about his background and divisive views, it’s clear I cannot support his nomination,” she said in a statement to one publication.  She called on President Trump to withdraw the Clovis nomination, echoing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D, NY), who calls Clovis “wildly unqualified” for the job.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Pat Roberts (R, KS) says he’ll schedule a Clovis confirmation hearing if it’s “the will of the Secretary and the President,” which it appears to be right now.  That puts the ball in the court of Sen. Charles Grassley (R, IA), Clovis’ highest ranking home state Senator.  Grassley will need to rally the GOP and as many Democrat colleagues as he can to vote in favor of the nomination.  Grassley hedged a bit this week when he told reporters it’s too early to tell how much opposition there may be from both sides of the aisle lie given the ag committee has not held its hearing or vote.

If you’re interested, the White House is still taking applications.