Trump selects Censky for USDA deputy
According to Politico, U.S. President Donald Trump has selected Stephen Censky, president and CEO of the American Soybean Association (ASA), for the role of deputy agriculture secretary.
According to Politico, U.S. President Donald Trump has selected Stephen Censky, president and CEO of the American Soybean Association (ASA), for the role of deputy agriculture secretary. Censky, if confirmed for the position by the Senate, would be responsible for running the day-to-day operations of the 90,000 employee Dept. of Agriculture and overseeing implementation of policies set by the Trump administration and Congress. That includes a new farm bill, which lawmakers will try to enact before the current iteration expires in September 2018.
While at the helm of the ASA for two decades, Censky made expanding U.S. soybean exports overseas a priority, particularly in China. He also sought approvals for new biotech traits in seeds and played a key role in the coalition that advocated against mandatory, on-package labeling of foods containing genetically engineered ingredients. Censky has served at the USDA in both the Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations, worked on the 1990 farm bill, and eventually became administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service.
Of the appointment, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue released the following statement: “Our work has only just begun in delivering results for the people of American agriculture, and the experience and leadership skills of Stephen Censky will only enhance our efforts. He will bring enthusiasm and a dedication to this country, which will be great assets to USDA’s customers. I am extremely pleased with the nomination for this key position and am hopeful that the Senate will take it up in short order.”