Former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue may be the leading candidate to become Agriculture Secretary, but the Trump transition team continues to meet with others. Politico Thursday said again Purdue is the likely nominee, the same day Indiana farmer Kip Tom was spotted at Trump Tower. Tom is a 7th generation Indiana farmer who lost a Republican primary bid to represent the 3rd Congressional District of Indiana. Members of the Trump team this week said the President-elect is searching for the “most qualified” person to run the department. Former California Lieutenant Governor Abel Maldonado (Mal-do-nah-do) was also considered to be the leader of the pack earlier this week. However, some lobbyists have pointed out that Maldonado supported the Humane Society of the United States in the fight over the housing for egg-laying chickens in California, according to the Hagstrom Report. Meanwhile, two more have joined the Trump USDA landing team: Russell Laird, vice president for federal relations at the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corp., and Lance Kotschwar, chief ethics & compliance officer and vice president for government and industry affairs at the Gavilon Group.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.
