Trump picks former Governor of Georgia Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture

Washington, Jan 20
US President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday nominated former Governor of Georgia Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture, finishing all his cabinet selection before his inaugural ceremony.

"Sonny Perdue has embraced policies under which Georgia farmers have thrived, and he is ready to generate the same level of success on the national level," Xinhua news agency quoted Trump's transition team as saying in a statement.

"I am proud and honoured to be joining President-elect Trump's administration as his Secretary of Agriculture," said Perdue in a statement, adding he is going to "champion the concerns of American agriculture and work tirelessly to solve the issues facing our farm families in this new role."

Perdue, 70-year old, was born in Perry, Georgia. He served as Governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011 and Member of the Georgia Senate from 1991 to 2001. Before that he ran a business of grain and fertiliser.

Some US environmental activists criticised Trump's selection, saying choosing a former fertiliser businessman as Agriculture Secretary will not help solve farm pollution that poisons drinking water.

Perdue's nomination still needs the approval of US Senate.