Market News & Headlines >> Trump Said to Tap Perdue for Ag Secretary

Former Georgia governor Sonny Perdue has been chosen by President-elect Donald Trump’s to be the next U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, ending an extended search, according to reports from various news outlets that cite senior transition team members as sources. 

Perdue, an original member of Trump’s agricultural advisory team, was one of the first people mentioned as a candidate for the USDA post and first met with Trump about the job back in late November. His nomination could be announced as early as Thursday. 

Perdue, 70, would be the first Southerner to lead USDA since Mississippian Mike Espy, who headed the department in 1993-1994 under President Clinton. One of Perdue's major tasks as Ag Secretary figures to be overseeing the implementation of the 2018 U.S. farm bill.