February 28, 2018

USDA undersecretary finally confirmed

Topic: Leadership

February 28, 2018: Bill Northey has, after months of delay, been confirmed as Undersecretary of Farm Production and Conservation. It's a start, but there is still a long way to go.

Download the USDA undersecretary confirmed mp3

Read the transcript:

Slowly we are seeing progress being made when it comes to the appointments of the top positions at the USDA. The Senate finally confirmed Bill Northey for one of the top USDA posts after several months of delay.

Bill Northey was named and confirmed undersecretary for farm programs within the USDA, which means he will have direct oversight to FSA, NRCS and RMA. This is important to North Dakota farmers and ranchers, and extremely important to NDFB as we search for answers and we search for solutions, and we offer those solutions and corrections, when it comes to handling wetlands and doing on your private property the things you need to do to increase production and maintain the sustainability of farms and ranches across North Dakota.

So albeit, this is a good start, there are still many other posts and many other positions that still need to be filled and we encourage that the Senate take quick action to approve those that have been recommended to the positions by President Trump and make sure that the USDA positions are filled, so that the critical work that needs to be done, whether it’s fixing an issue or coming up with solutions, can happen through the USDA.

Responsiveness to those they serve – the North Dakota farmer and rancher, and the American farmer and rancher – is what’s at stake. And it’s time that we get to work and change the things that we need to change to make life better out on the farm and ranch.