Perdue Looks To Make USDA More Efficient

As U.S. lawmakers work to hash out the federal budget and avoid another potential government shutdown, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Purdue is taking a look at how the USDA operates, looking at ways to move toward his vision of seeing the USDA become the most effective, most customer-focused agency in the federal government.

"This may sound silly, but I want the USDA to be the Amazon of the federal government, Why has amazon grown so much? Because it works? You order, it shows up, and it's just there; we take it for granted."

Purdue spoke last week in Pennsylvania to a group of farmers, agricultural officials and business leaders as part of a national listening tour.

"We're dreaming big about how to improve services to you all, interface with you all in a new and different way, taking modern technology to bilaterally transfer information between you to us and from us to you."

Last week, Purdue released the outline for this year's farm bill, which will replace the current bill that expires at the end of September.