WASHINGTON — The nominee for agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, on Thursday sought to reassure farm-state senators fearful about the impact of President Donald Trump's proposed deep cuts to farm programs, promising to work with Democrats to create jobs in the struggling industry.
At his confirmation hearing, the former Georgia governor stressed bipartisanship, reaching out to Democrats who have complained about Trump's lack of experience in agriculture and his proposed 21 percent cut to the farm budget.
"In Georgia, agriculture is one area where Democrats and Republicans consistently reached across the aisle and work together," Perdue said.
Perdue, 70, is a farmer's son who would be the first Southerner in the post in more than two decades. Some Democrats have said they will support his nomination, and he is expected to be confirmed easily. But Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, expressed frustration with the Trump administration, saying "it's clear that rural America has been an afterthought."
She said government dollars are important to rural communities as many of them are still struggling to recover from the Great Recession.
Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.