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Delay on Perdue vote could put USDA at risk

It is uncertain if a vote on Ag Secretary nominee Sonny Perdue will be held before Congress leaves for two weeks in mid-April for its Easter recess.

Following his hearing before the Senate Ag committee last week, Chairman Pat Roberts said the committee will hold a business meeting to vote on Perdue as soon as possible. A spokesperson from the committee told Brownfield this morning that meeting could be set sometime today.

Dale Moore, Director of Public Policy for the American Farm Bureau says further delay’s on a confirmation present a risk to USDA.

“Each day that this is delayed, each week that this is delayed is that much longer before Governor Perdue can become Secretary Perdue and sit down to work with whomever he’s going to have as his new political team and also his ability to sit down and start working with the career folks who have been keeping the department operating these many months since the election,” says Moore.

If a vote isn’t held before Congress adjourns for its recess, it may not happen until the last week of April.