Senate agriculture leaders ask White House to quickly nominate new USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development

Image of USDA.jpg

Key Takeaways

On May 3, U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) sent a letter to the president thanking him for signing the 2018 farm bill and urging him to act quickly on nominating a candidate for Under Secretary for Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Under Secretary is a Senate-confirmed position that implements USDA’s Rural Development programs and plays a lead role in helping counties make key investments in rural communities.

Previously, the Under Secretary position had been eliminated by the administration during a 2017 reorganization of the agency. NACo strongly opposed this decision, as counties rely on a qualified and accountable leader to effectively implement USDA’s Rural Development programs. After months of working with congressional leaders during negotiations over the 2018 farm bill, counties secured language in the final legislation requiring the USDA Secretary to reinstate the Under Secretary for Rural Development.

Counties appreciate efforts by Chairman Roberts and Ranking Member Stabenow to expedite the nomination process and look forward to working with the new USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development.

Image of USDA.jpg

Attachments

Related News

539281953
Advocacy

MAHA Commission releases federal strategy outlining next steps in childhood chronic disease prevention

On September 9, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission’s new Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy, following the earlier MAHA Report published in May 2025. The strategy builds on the assessment’s findings regarding four key drivers of childhood chronic disease: poor diet, chemical exposure, lack of physical activity and chronic stress and overmedicalization.

Ambulance of emergency medical service on road
Advocacy

CMS releases details on the Rural Health Transformation Program

On September 2, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released additional details on the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program, overviewing program goals, requirements and timelines.