USDA Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh Exits to Spend More Time With Family

USDA's second-highest ranking executive, Jewel Bronaugh, announced her resignation on Thursday as Agriculture Deputy Secretary. In a statement, she said she's looking forward to taking some time off to spend more quality time with her mom, husband and four children. 

Bronaugh was confirmed by the Senate to the post in May 2021 after serving as Virginia’s agriculture director for three years. 

"Serving in the Biden-Harris Administration and having the opportunity to make history alongside Secretary Vilsack has truly been the greatest honor of my professional career. I continue to be in awe of all we have accomplished during these first two years," Bronaugh said in a statement. "We are making historic investments in advancing equity and opportunity at USDA and have significantly bolstered food assistance programs to support those most in need. We are helping U.S. agriculture lead the way in climate-smart agriculture, opening more, new and better markets for our producers through trade missions to the UK and East Africa and other partner nations across the world and we are providing new and unprecedented support for underserved producers and rural communities. "

She noted other achievements including USDA’s first-ever Equity Commission, which will leave a lasting imprint for generations to come.

“Undersecretary Bronaugh was always available to listen to the concerns of the meat and poultry industry. I appreciate her establishing open lines of communication from day one. She will be missed at the Department but I look forward to working with her as she begins her next chapter," said North American Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts.

Deputy Secretary Bronaugh’s time at the Department of Agriculture was historic, serving as the first African American woman in the role, said Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee David Scott.

"During her time as Deputy, she uplifted American agriculture and our rural communities, something she has long done throughout her career. She is a wonderful champion for our food and agriculture sectors in this country, and I offer my sincere gratitude for her service," Scott said in a statement.

Bronaugh encouraged the next generation of agriculture leaders in her statement to keep working hard and dreaming big.