Three months after taking office, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has nominated his second in command, and soybean growers are looking forward to the next four years.
The Trump administration named current American Soybean Association (ASA) CEO Stephen Censky as the number two position at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to oversee the day-to-day tasks.
This position is the first of several USDA cabinet spots still not filled.
In a prepared statement, current president of the ASA, Ron Moore, said, “Nobody in agriculture is equipped to assist Secretary Perdue in meeting the needs of farmers with practical solutions than Steve. He is a perfect fit for this role and we give him our strongest endorsement.”
Censky also has a strong backing from Jim Wiesemeyer, Farm Journal’s Washington correspondent.
“He’ll have wide bipartisan position, and since he left his Republican-oriented jobs, he was in two administrations in different capacities,” said Wiesemeyer.
He told AgDay Censky could receive approval before the Senate leaves on break in mid-August.
Perdue said he is pleased with the Censky nomination and said he “will bring enthusiasm and a dedication to this country which will be great assets to USDA’s customers.”
If Censky is confirmed, he will leave his position from the ASA after serving as CEO for 21 years.
