Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH), who currently Chairs the House Agriculture Nutrition, Oversight and Department Operations Subcommittee, indicated this week she would be open to serving as Secretary of Agriculture in the Biden Administration. A Rep. Fudge spokeswoman said, “Congresswoman Fudge, if asked, would be honored to serve as Secretary of Agriculture in the Biden Administration.” Fudge herself said, “We need to start to look outside of the box and, as they [President-elect Biden’s transition team] have promised, a cabinet that is representative of this country as well as representative of the people who have supported them.”
Last Tuesday, President-elect Biden announced transition teams, including one for the Department of Agriculture. Robert Bonnie, who served as Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment in the Obama Administration, is leading the USDA transition team. Bonnie previously also served as a senior adviser to former Secretary Vilsack on environment and climate change and as vice president for land conservation at the Environmental Defense Fund.
The following individuals are joining Bonnie on the transition team: Nicholas Anthis, University of California; Sanah Baig, The Good Food Institute; Brooke Barron, Office of the Speaker, Maine State Legislature; Kumar Chandran, FoodCorps; Jonathan Coppess, The University of Illinois; Andrea Delgado, UFW Foundation; Debra Eschmeyer, Arizona State University; Meryl Harrell, Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards; LaQuita Honeysucker, The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union; John Padalino, Bandera Electric Cooperative Inc.; Gregory Parham, U.S. Department of Agriculture (retired); Lisa Pino, State of New York, Department of Health; Amy Pitelka, Barker Pitelka PLLC; Jeffrey Prieto, Los Angeles Community College District; Audrey Rowe, self-employed; and, Corey Then, Moneta Group.