Perdue to take action if Northey isn’t confirmed by year’s end

Source: By Ben Nuelle, Iowa AgriBusiness Radio Network • Posted: Sunday, November 19, 2017

(Kansas City) — Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue says he’ll go to congress if the hold on Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey’s USDA nomination isn’t lifted soon.

Perdue spoke to farm broadcasters about USDA appointments at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting convention last week in Kansas City.

“Obviously we have a big job with our farm service agency and NRCS. We need Bill (Northey) there very quickly,” Perdue says.

Perdue says if issues don’t get resolved quickly he’ll take action.

“God help us if he is not on board by January. I will go directly make appeals to the leadership of the senate if it goes on that long. We are trying to be respectful but there is a limit,” Perdue adds.

He says hold from a senator in the same political party should not happen.

Senator Ted Cruz’s office says they won’t lift the hold on Northey’s nomination until Cruz gets a meeting with President Trump to discuss the RFS.

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