WASHINGTON, DC — President-elect Donald Trump selected former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue to lead the Department of Agriculture.
Perdue, 70, served on Trump’s agricultural advisory committee during his presidential campaign. His nomination, which must be confirmed by the Republican-led Senate, will complete Trump’s proposed cabinet just two days before he is sworn in as president on Friday.
Born and raised in Georgia, the 70-year-old veterinarian served as a state senator for 10 years beginning in 1991. In 2003, he became Georgia’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction.
This is not good news for horse advocates.
Perdue is pro horse slaughter. There is nothing to indicate he will be friendly towards efforts to put an end to horse soring.
From various reports Perdue was selected chiefly by Trump because of similar views on agricultural commodities, in particular the US trade with China.
Although lauded as being pro farmer, the following appeared in a Bloomberg article:
“Given Perdue’s position with a global agribusiness trading company and his actions as governor, we are concerned that Perdue will use his position at the USDA to prioritize the profits of big agribusiness and trade over the interests of American farmers, workers and consumers,” said Kari Hamerschlag, a deputy director with Washington-based Friends of the Earth, in a statement.”
IMAGE CREDIT
Jason Getz / Getty Images via NBC News
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