NGFA Urges Senators to "Confirm Sonny Now!"

The Senate Agriculture Committee voted on Thursday to recommend the confirmation of nominee Sonny Perdue to serve as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. He now must be confirmed by the full Senate, but no vote is scheduled yet. Therefore, the OABA is partnering with the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) is mobilizing members to call their U.S. senators and engage with them on social media to urge them to confirm Perdue before the chamber recesses for two weeks on April 7.

As Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., stated after his committee's approval of Perdue, "We need to get Governor Perdue down to USDA to get to work. Rural America is ready." 

While there is strong bipartisan support for Perdue, unless the Senate confirms him as soon as possible, it means another month without one of the strongest voices for agricultural trade at the Trump administration table, another month of delays in staffing up key positions within USDA, and another month without action on NGFA priorities within USDA. OABA members: Tell your senator to confirm Sonny NOW!

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., was the only senator on the panel who voted against Perdue, a former two-term governor of Georgia and member of the NGFA Board of Directors from 2014-17. Perdue has the bipartisan support of six past agriculture secretaries, as well as the strong support of nearly 700 agriculture groups from across the nation, including the NGFA and virtually all of its 34 Affiliate State and Regional Associations.