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Speculation for Secretary of Ag heats up
Names have started to surface as presumptive-President elect Joe Biden begins his presidential transition. According to the New York Times, former North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp and current Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar are top contenders for Secretary of Agriculture. Politico says Ohio Representative Marcia Fudge is also lobbying for the position.
Heidi Heitkamp has been considered one of the top contenders for Ag Secretary from the beginning. She has been critical of the Trump Administration’s trade policies and has been working with Democrats to educate them on the importance of the issues facing rural America.
Klobuchar, a current Senate Ag Committee member, is also on the list. She has been a strong proponent of increasing support for ag commodities, disaster programs, and federal crop insurance. Klobuchar is also reportedly being considered for Attorney General.
In an interview with Politico, long-time House Ag Committee member Marcia Fudge made her case for the position. Fudge currently serves as chair of the Nutrition Subcommittee, which oversees USDA operations. In addition to her fight to protect nutrition programs, she has also been a strong proponent of boosting USDA’s conservation programs and led the charge during the 2018 Farm Bill to protect water quality. Fudge would be the first Black woman to serve as Secretary of Ag.
A spokesperson from Biden’s transition team told Politico there have not been any personnel decisions made at this time.
This story originally appeared on the Voice of Muscatine. Read More local stories here.
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