President Trump last week selected Sonny Perdue, governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011, to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees several Rural Housing programs. Although Mr. Perdue has extensive experience in agriculture, his position on rural development and affordable housing is largely unknown.
Before becoming governor, Mr. Perdue served as a state senator for eleven years, ran a grain and fertilizer business, earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, and worked as a veterinarian. He has served as a board member for the National Grain and Feed Association, president of the Georgia Feed and Grain Association, and president of the Southeastern Feed and Grain Association.
Mr. Perdue currently serves on the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Governor’s Council. He is the cousin of U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA).