Agriculture Sec. Sonny Perdue talks chicken and more
It was like old home week for U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.
Although it was his first visit to the Delaware State Fair, he's been around farming most of his life.
As he walked around the Delaware State Fair's 4-H and FFA exhibits shaking hands and posing for photographs, he appeared completely at ease. He's no relation to the family who operates Perdue Farms on the Delmarva Peninsula.
Prior to his July 24 tour of the fair, he met with the Delaware congressional delegation, farmers and ag-business people in a roundtable discussion about issues in Delaware. With Perdue were Sen. Tom Carper, Sen. Chris Coons, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Delaware Sec. Of Agriculture Michael Scuse and Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long.
Carper called agriculture the mother lode in the state's economy accounting for $1.3 billion annually. He said they were looking at what works – such as the crop insurance program – and what doesn't work, including government regulations that hamper farmers.
Blunt Rochester, who serves on the House Committee of Agriculture, said the priorities include food safety, jobs, family farm legacy and recruiting young farmers.
“Delaware farmers talked about their own operations as we drilled down on issues as we prepare for the next Farm Bill,” she said.
She said legislators are developing a list of the top 10 regulatory problems affecting farmers across the nation and will address each one.
“The most important people here are the producers,” Perdue said. “We are looking for a better pathway to the future to preserve the family farm.”
Perdue said he plans to take lessons learned from Delaware farmers and their success dealing with water runoff to farmers in other states.
And he vowed to work diligently to get China to open its market once again to Delmarva poultry. “No one can compete with U.S. poultry producers,” he said.
Perdue was raised in a farming family and is a former farmer, agribusinessman, veterinarian, state legislator and Georgia governor. He has a long-standing relationship with the American Farm Bureau and has been recognized for his leadership by the FFA and 4-H.
