March 23, 2017 - Mr. Chairman, I apologize for being late, I have been a little busy in the Judiciary Committee working to get Judge Gorsuch’s hearing wrapped up. 

However, I am glad we are here today considering Governor Perdue’s nomination for Secretary of Agriculture.  We need him to take the helm at the Department of Agriculture and start steering.

Mr. Perdue, welcome to the Senate Agriculture Committee.    

Like all of you, I met with Governor Perdue and was impressed with his knowledge of agriculture.  He grew up on a family farm which is a major qualification for him. 

I know some of us on this committee have different definitions of a family farm. 

The Secretary of Agriculture is the nation’s top public advocate for farmers both domestically and abroad. 

In addition to that, the Secretary also oversees our nation’s nutrition programs.  USDA is a huge agency composed of 29 agencies and nearly 100,000 employees.

I believe Governor Perdue is well qualified for this position and I look forward to working with him

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