President-elect Donald Trump nominated Colorado oil executive Chris Wright for Energy Secretary over the weekend, continuing an almost daily announcement of cabinet nominees since the election.
“It is amazing to me how quickly Trump has named 10 or 11 people out of the top 25,” said veteran farm policy expert Mary Kay Thatcher with Syngenta during an interview at the NAFB Convention last week. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we have them all before Thanksgiving and they’re going to be ready to go. And you know, one difference we will see from four years ago is that it was a Democratic Senate. So I’m not saying they stalled things, but I don’t think they had the incentive to move those confirmations along as quickly as possible as this Republican Senate is going to have. So I think we’re going to see those confirmations go much quicker.”
Still no Secretary of Agriculture announcement has been made, but industry organizations have welcomed the nominees made so far including North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum for Secretary of the Interior, and former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin for EPA Administrator.
Syngenta Sr. Manager, Federal Government and Industry Relations Mary Kay Thatcher
NAFB24 Mary Kay Thatcher, Syngenta (4:02)