Speculation Starts on Next Ag Secretary

Speculation has already begun on who the next Secretary of Agriculture will be when Donald Trump returns to the White House in January. Successful Farming says Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller, former ambassador Kip Tom, and Ted McKinney of NASDA are among a handful of people viewed as potential nominees to run the Department of Agriculture. Incoming presidents typically try to announce their nominees before the year-end holidays, although Trump didn’t announce Sonny Perdue to lead USDA until two days before his inauguration. Miller was initially mentioned for USDA after Trump won his first term. Tom was the U.S. ambassador to the UN agencies for food and agriculture in Rome during the first term. McKinney, the undersecretary for trade in the first administration, is now the CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has also been mentioned because his term expires in December.