Secretary Perdue Selects Three Senior Leaders at USDA

Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue Monday named three appointments to Department leadership positions. Perdue named Dr. Mindy Brashears as deputy undersecretary for Food Safety, Naomi Earp as deputy assistant secretary for civil rights, and Dr. Scott Hutchins as deputy undersecretary for research, education, and economics. These positions do not require Senate confirmation.

The trio was nominated for Senate-confirmed USDA positions by President Trump, but the nominations expired without receiving confirmation votes by the end of the 115th Congress. Perdue notes all three received bipartisan support from the Senate Agriculture Committee and that President Trump has resubmitted their nominations to the Senate in the 116th Congress.

The three have been re-nominated for more senior roles than the ones Perdue selected them to fill in their respective mission areas at USDA. Dr. Brashears was nominated for undersecretary for food safety; Earp was nominated for assistant secretary for civil rights; and Dr. Hutchins was nominated for undersecretary for research, education, and economics.

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