Inside D.C.

USDA needs a policy, management pro at the helm

Sen. Pat Roberts (R, KS), chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is one federal lawmaker I trust almost blindly.  If Roberts were to look me in the eye, tell me the best thing I could do for American agriculture is strip, paint myself blue and go stand on the Washington Mall, there’d be another naked blue aggie standing between the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument.

Robert delivered this week to Vice President-elect Mike Pence some sage advice viz President-elect Donald Trump’s secretary of agriculture nomination. Roberts impressed upon Pence – advice coming from the only individual who’s been chair and ranking member of both House and Senate ag panels, and who’s written more Farm Bills than anyone I know – that the Trump choice for agriculture secretary must be an individual with deep agricultural roots, as well as someone who can manage the second largest bureaucracy in the federal government with one hand while protecting and promoting U.S. agriculture with the other.  In short, someone known and respected by the constituency.

There are two overriding reasons why it makes sense to put a seasoned professional in the top job at USDA.  First, the GOP may still be giddy from its capture of the White House and its control of Congress, but it mustn’t forget one thing:  The public has effectively given the Republican Party two years to show what it can achieve based on statements made by Trump during the campaign and since the election, as well commitments publicly voice by House and Senate Republican leadership.  The 2018 elections are not that far away.

Second, evidence is mounting we will likely rewrite the current Farm Bill in the next 12 months. No matter how surgical this effort on Capitol Hill, the administration cannot afford to make the mistake of prior regimes, i.e., “sitting out” Farm Bill development.  The new White House must engage.  A Farm Bill is an ugly thing; it’ big, heavy, complex and full of arcane programs and authorities, but it must reflect the realities of present and future farm income safety net(s), economic development, trade promotion, science and research, the fostering of technology, along with nutrition and feeding programs.

Given the administration must engage on Farm Bill development, then it would serve a Trump White House to select an individual in whom Roberts and Rep. Mike Conaway (R, TX), chair of the House ag panel, will share deep trust.  It’s like any get-acquainted phase will be short lived, so best to make the most the time allotted.  The White House would be well advised to select someone who can, with all due respect, push back against Capitol Hill policy giants, and do so without losing their respect.

The same attention must be paid to those individuals selected to serve in subcabinet roles, the under secretaries and assistant secretaries who will run USDA divisions on a daily basis.  This is the secretary’s A team; the secretary-designate needs to have a role in the selection of these individuals.  After all, he/she must rely upon them to provide the program and policy support needed by the secretary’s office.

The Trump team is fortunate as the type of individuals I’ve described here are on the short list for the head job.  The transition gang should not waste this opportunity by treating the secretary of agriculture slot as a political reward rather than as a critical Capitol Hill partner.

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