Trump taps Sonny Perdue for top Agriculture post

Donald Trump said Thursday that he expects that former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, his choice to lead the Agriculture Department, will "deliver big results for all Americans who earn their living off the land."

Agriculture secretary was the final Cabinet nomination to be announced by President-elect Trump, who is set to take office Friday.

"From growing up on a farm to being governor of a big agriculture state, he has spent his whole life understanding and solving the challenges our farmers face, and he is going to deliver big results for all Americans who earn their living off the land," Trump said in a statement.

One of the first Georgians to applaud the nomination of the Houston County native was his cousin, U.S. Sen. David Perdue. The Republican senator said in a written statement that he could not be more proud of Sonny Perdue on the pending nomination.

“Sonny’s executive experience as a two-term governor of Georgia, the first Republican in 135 years, as well as his veterinary background and agribusiness career, are a few of the many reasons he is the best person for the job,” wrote Georgia’s junior senator.

David Perdue was a strong Trump supporter and is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Georgia’s senior senator, Republican Johnny Isakson, congratulated Sonny Perdue on the nomination in a written statement on Thursday morning.

“Sonny is a friend, a tested leader and true visionary when it comes to public service. His background in public service coupled with his experience in business and agriculture make him an excellent choice to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As governor, his policies helped Georgia farmers and producers succeed and paved the way for Georgia to become a major exporter of agricultural products,” Isakson wrote.

Perdue is the second Cabinet nominee from Georgia. Trump wants Georgia Rep. Tom Price to head the Department of Health and Human Services.

On Tuesday, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said that two Georgians in the Cabinet would do a lot for the prestige of the state.

“I think it just goes to show that Georgia has a lot to offer at the federal level as well as what we’re doing at the state level,” the Republican and current governor said.

Perdue, 70, graduated from Warner Robins High School and earned a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Georgia.

He started his eight years in the governor’s office in 2003, the first Republican to be elected to that office since 1868.

Perdue’s victory over an incumbent Democrat completed Georgia’s shift to a solidly Republican state, ending generations of Democratic control of state government.

Despite the seismic political change, Perdue showed little interest in pushing big programs or signature legislation during his two terms. Instead he focused on finding ways to save money while improving customer service by state agencies — such as reducing wait times for renewing driver’s licenses. He often referred to himself as Georgia’s CEO.

“If I could choose my legacy it would be the epithet that he made government work,” Perdue told The Associated Press in 2010 before he left office. “That’s really what I’ve focused on. It’s not some big monument.”

Critics accused Perdue of failing to tackle some of Georgia’s biggest problems, such as struggling public schools.

Perdue didn’t rely only on his business acumen as governor. A devout Southern Baptist, he also found a place for faith in his administration. In 2007, when a withering drought gripped Georgia and neighboring states, Perdue held a prayer rally in front of the state Capitol in Atlanta to pray publicly for rain. In 2010, he signed a water stewardship act that included a requirement for water-saving fixtures in new buildings, among other measures.

It was also Perdue who brought an end to Georgia’s longstanding conflicts over a state flag that featured the Confederate battle emblem. The controversial flag was replaced by lawmakers under Perdue’s Democratic predecessor, but the new design proved unpopular. Perdue insisted Georgia voters should pick the flag. A referendum was held in 2004, though Southern heritage groups were outraged that the options did not include the old flag with the Confederate symbol.

Under Perdue’s watch, Georgia adopted tough new food-safety regulations after a deadly U.S. salmonella outbreak was traced to Georgia-made peanut butter. He moved the state office that issues water permits for irrigation and other agricultural uses from Atlanta to rural south Georgia, where it would be closer to farmers. And Perdue poured millions of state dollars into Go Fish, a program that aimed to lure bass fishing tournaments to the state.

In 2011, after Perdue left office, he and several others started Perdue Partners, a trading company focused on exporting U.S. goods and services.

When Perdue visited Trump Tower in November, he described his meeting with the president-elect as kind of a job interview. He said the two discussed trade and agricultural potential and productivity.

Perdue served as an agricultural adviser on Trump’s campaign committee.

Trump is reported have considered several candidates for the top agriculture job, including former Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs, former Texas A&M President Elsa Murano , Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and former California Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado.

This story was originally published January 18, 2017 at 8:28 PM with the headline "Trump taps Sonny Perdue for top Agriculture post."