An impressive field of possible Secretary of Agriculture candidates includes several well-known and respected members of Congress as well as individuals from the working world of agriculture.
As reported last week in Ag World at https://www.agweb.com/news/policy/politics/new-names-surface-trumps-possible-pick-secretary-agriculture ,
more than a dozen individuals are possible candidates for the Cabinet post to be chosen by President-Elect Donald Trump.
Ag World said that as names are added to the list, “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly playing an active role in the cabinet selection…”
The latest name added last week was Jimmy Emmons, who “has a heavy background in regenerative agriculture. Emmons is the senior vice president of climate-smart programs for Trust In Food, Farm Journal’s sustainable agriculture division, but is on leave of absence from Farm Journal.”
Ag World said, “The nationally recognized no-till farmer, regenerative rancher and soil-health expert leads Trust In Food’s national programs to accelerate the adoption of conservation agriculture. Emmons and his wife, Ginger, own and operate Emmons Farm in Leedey, OK, where they manage 2,000 crop acres, 5,000 rangeland acres, 300 cow/calf pairs and custom graze yearlings in an integrated row-crop and livestock operation that optimizes water resources, reduces erosion and improves soil organic matter.
“He is a public speaker, educator, mentor and advocate for conservation management practices that improve producers’ resiliency to weather, operational efficiency and profitability. Emmons previously served as coordinator for mentoring for the Oklahoma Conservation Commission.
“Prior to that, he was regional coordinator for USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation, where he supported operational and business functions across the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Risk Management Agency. He has also served as president of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts and led fundraising for the National Young Farmers Education Association.”
Previously reported candidates were also profiled by Ag World. The updated list is as follows:
Charles Herbster. A Trump donor who led his 2024 rural campaign coalition, Herbster is a fifth-generation farmer, born and raised in Falls City, Neb. Today, he is CEO and President of Carico Farms, Herbster Angus Farms and the Conklin Company. Trump appointed Herbster as his National Chairman of the Agricultural and Rural Advisory Committee.
Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller. Serving in this role since January 2015, Miller was born in 1955 in De Leon, Texas and has deep roots in the state’s agriculture industry. He is a cattle rancher, a farmer and owner of a commercial nursery business. He served six terms as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013. Miller was first elected as Texas Agriculture Commissioner in 2014 and re-elected in 2018 and 2022. He granted “amnesty to cupcakes” as his first official action, drawing attention to the repeal of a ban on junk food in schools. Recently, he issued an executive order allowing Texas farmers to use water from the Rio Grande for irrigation to address water shortage concerns. Miller has faced criticism. He awarded significant bonuses to staffers and created high-paying positions for political allies early in his tenure. Miller has recently been sounding the alarm about water shortages in Texas, particularly in the Rio Grande Valley.
Sarah Frey. She is the founder and CEO of Frey Farms, a company she established at the age of 16. Frey grew up on a struggling farm in southern Illinois as the youngest of 21 children. At the age of 15, Sarah started her own fresh produce delivery business using an old pickup. Several years later, she took over the family farm, which was facing foreclosure, and purchased it outright. This bold move marked the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey in agriculture. Under Sarah’s leadership, Frey Farms has grown into a major agricultural enterprise: It is now the largest producer of pumpkins in the U.S. The company owns approximately 15,000 acres of farmland across seven states. Besides pumpkins, Frey Farms produces watermelons, cantaloupes, sweet corn and hard squash. She is an advocate for better health initiatives, nutrition policies and economic opportunities for underserved rural communities. In 2020, she published a best-selling memoir, The Growing Season: How I Built a New Life—and Saved an American Farm.
Ray Starling. A prominent figure in agriculture policy and law with extensive experience in both the public and private sectors, Starling currently serves as the general counsel of the NC Chamber and president of the NC Chamber Legal Institute. In these roles, he sets litigation strategy and leads public policy development, focusing on issues affecting businesses in North Carolina. Previously, Starling held several high-profile positions in the federal government, including chief of staff to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue; principal agriculture adviser to the president of the United States at the White House; and special assistant to the president for agriculture, trade and food assistance on the White House National Economic Council. He also worked as chief of staff and chief counsel for U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis. He grew up on a century family farm in southeastern North Carolina.
Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto. She is an American attorney, businesswoman and biologist who served as the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) from 2019 to 2021. She began her career at Monsanto in 2006, working her way up to sustainable agriculture partnership manager. When confirmed as the director of the USFWS on Dec. 12, 2019, she became the first African American to hold this position before leaving office on Jan. 19, 2021. She currently serves as the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality since January 2024.
Gregg Doud. He served as the chief agricultural negotiator with the rank of ambassador in the Office of the United States Trade Representative, confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 1, 2018. In this role, Doud was responsible for conducting and overseeing international negotiations related to trade in agricultural products. His background is deeply rooted in agriculture as he grew up on a dryland wheat, grain sorghum, soybean, swine and cow-calf operation near Mankato, Kan., which he remains involved with today. Doud is currently the president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). Prior to joining NMPF, he worked at Aimpoint Research, a global intelligence firm specializing in agriculture and food.
Kip Tom. The Indiana farmer transformed his family’s farm, Tom Farms, into one of the largest farming operations in the state. From April 2019 to January 2021, he served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, based in Rome, Italy. Tom was named the 2007 Top Producer of the Year by Farm Journal. Also of note, he helped celebrate Donald Trump’s victory on election night at The Mar-a-Lago Club.
Former House Ag Chairman Mike Conaway. Now a private consultant, Conaway is the only person not in office who has negotiated a farm bill, led an investigation resulting in debunking the Russia hoax, turned USDA upside down to investigate where all the debt relief and climate money has gone, knows rural America, and aligned with Trump on needed SNAP reforms.
Current House Ag Chairman Rep. Glenn Thompson. The Republican U.S. representative currently serves Pennsylvania’s 15th congressional district and is the chairman of the House Ag Committee. Prior to entering politics, Thompson had a 28-year career in healthcare. He worked as a therapist, rehabilitation services manager and licensed nursing home administrator. Thompson was first elected to Congress in 2008, representing Pennsylvania’s 5th congressional district. In 2018, due to redistricting, he began representing the 15th district. In 2018, Thompson supported new work and job training requirements for SNAP (food stamp) beneficiaries. Thompson has been actively involved in crafting the 2024 farm bill.
Zippy Duvall. Since January 2016, he has served as the president of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). Duvall is a third-generation farmer from Georgia with deep roots in agriculture. He operates a farm in Georgia, currently raising beef cattle and broiler chickens and produces more than 750,000 broilers per year with his wife, Jennifer. Prior to his role as AFBF president, Duvall served as the president of the Georgia Farm Bureau for nine years.
Rep. Thomas Massie. The rebel House conservative is one most consider a long shot choice, but his name surfaced on social media last week. Massie was interviewed by Tucker Carlson in June, where he talked about his “off-the-grid home” on his Kentucky farm where he has chickens and grows food on his property. More recently, Massie has been promoting the benefits of raw milk versus pasteurized milk.
Ted McKinney. Currently, McKinney serves as CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Before that he was Undersecretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs (2017 to 2021) and director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (2014 to 2017). McKinney worked for 19 years with Dow AgroSciences and 14 years with Elanco, a subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, where he was director of global corporate affairs.
Abel Maldonado. Said to be at or near the top of possibilities, Maldonado was the California Lt. Gov. from April 27, 2010, to Jan. 10, 2011. He is the oldest son of immigrant field workers and grew up working alongside his father picking strawberries to help support the family. He ran unsuccessfully for California’s 24th congressional district in 2012 and briefly ran for governor in the 2014 election. He was considered for USDA Secretary by Donald Trump in 2017 but was not ultimately nominated. He is currently the owner of Runway Vineyards in Santa Maria, CA.
Of note: If Trump makes his selection soon, it will be quicker than previous nominations for the position. Trump’s previous USDA secretary nomination, Sonny Perdue, did not occur until Jan 19, 2017, the day before inauguration and more than two months after the election. Under the Biden administration, multiple news sources reported then President-elect Joe Biden selected Tom Vilsack as his nominee for Secretary of Agriculture on Dec. 9, 2020.
