Perdue on AgriTalk: 'Hold Me Accountable'
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue spoke candidly with AgriTalk host Mike Adams about a broad range of topics during their interview, which airs May 17.
Perdue chatted about the next farm bill, a potentially tight agency budget for 2018, trade, immigration, rural development and more. The Secretary says first and foremost, he wants to be seen as authentic.
“Having grown up on a diversified row crop farm a dairy farm, you learn some things there that you just can't learn in school,” he says. “I spent a little time in the Air Force … and then went into agribusiness for the last 40 years. So my heart’s there, and my livelihood has been there, and I bleed agriculture. It’s who I am.”
Perdue says he understands there are some legitimate questions around some recent reorganization moves within USDA, and he asks that people give these changes some time to unfold.
“I would ask people to hold me accountable and make sure they see that I am elevating rural development issues to [the] highest level,” he adds.
AgriTalk airs each weekday from 10:06 a.m. to 11 a.m. CST. To listen, check the list of local affiliates or download the My Farm Radio app, free for both Apple and Android devices.