President-elect Donald Trump has selected former Georgia governor Sonny Perdue as the next secretary for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Governor Perdue will oversee a department of about 100,000 employees and about US$140bn across various programmes, while he will also have a significant role in the next Farm Bill debate, which will be up for reauthorisation in 2018.
Perdue served as the 81st Governor of Georgia from 2003-2011 and served as senator in the Georgia Assembly.
United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel made the following statement regarding Governor Perdue: “We congratulate Governor Perdue on his selection as the next Secretary of Agriculture. We have high regards for this past work with our Georgia fruit and vegetable industry, and are confident he will bring a passion and commitment to supporting agriculture, and helping us deliver healthy foods to all Americans.
'We anticipate meeting with Governor Perdue soon, and working with him on critical issues such as securing an adequate workforce through immigration reform and a new guest worker programme, bolstering free and fair trade, serving the neediest Americans through federal feeding programs, and more.'
