WASHINGTON - Sen. John Hoeven’s office announced on Thursday that he has invited Sonny Perdue, nominee for secretary of agriculture, to North Dakota, and that Perdue had accepted the invitation.
Hoeven’s announcement was made after Perdue’s appearance before the Senate Agriculture Committee. In a prepared statement, Hoeven, R-N.D., expressed his hope that Perdue, the former governor of Georgia, is confirmed soon.
“We appreciate Sonny’s commitment to visit North Dakota and see the good work being done by producers and ag researchers in our state,” Hoeven said. “Some of the key things we talked about today are support for the ag budget and the importance of building a coalition to pass a strong Farm Bill with good risk management tools.”
Perdue was nominated for the position earlier this year by President Donald Trump, following speculation that Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., might be nominated for the position.
Heitkamp is a fellow member of the Agriculture Committee. In a statement issued by her office, Heitkamp outlined her concern for Trump’s proposed cuts in agricultural funding as well as farmers’ access to foreign markets.
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“North Dakota farmers and ranchers can’t make a living without opportunities to sell their top-notch products overseas,” said Heitkamp. “But uncertainty about trade in markets like Mexico has already cost North Dakota valuable business. It’s my hope that, if confirmed, Gov. Perdue can be a strong voice for agricultural exports in the president’s cabinet and make sure they have a seat at the table.
