Why Isn’t U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on the Coronavirus Task Force? [Poll]
April 14, 2020 By now you have probably read the letter from Congressman Josh Harder (CA) to Vice President Mike Pence requesting that someone from agriculture is represented on the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
“Appointing a Task Force member that can knowledgeably advocate on behalf of our producers, consumers, and distributors to bolster an uninterrupted supply of food and products will ensure our families have access to the food they need to survive this pandemic,” Harder wrote on March 27.
With agriculture being deemed essential during the emergency, it would seem Harder’s request is warranted. After all, the Task Force is already represented by a number of key federal departments that I think, at the very least, agriculture is on par with in terms of importance right now, such as Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Veteran Affairs. It’s not that the Secretaries of these departments aren’t deserving of being on the Task Force, because they are. It’s simply that agriculture is conspicuous by its absence.
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue at the 2020 Commodity Classic.
“Our agriculture industry needs to be treated as an essential industry at the federal level and that is why I respectfully request that you include an Agriculture Task Force member to the Coronavirus Task Force,” Harder wrote.
If the Department of Homeland Security is going to declare that our industry is essential, then treat us like we are. I’ll take the Congressman’s request a step further and urge that U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue be appointed to the Task Force immediately. Farmers, ranchers, and ag professionals across the country, who were already under stress due to the economic downturn, need to know now more than ever that someone they trust is playing a huge part in the nation’s response to COVID-19. And who better to represent the voice of agriculture on the Coronavirus Task Force than the head of the USDA. Let us know your thoughts in the poll below and/or in the comments section.
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