Meet Trump’s Potential Picks for Agriculture

Since early November, President-elect Donald Trump has been announcing his cabinet picks at a historic pace. To date, he’s named at least 24 of his closest advisors. Many of the positions will need to be confirmed by the Senate.

In the last Trump administration, the role of USDA Secretary was among the last to be filled when Sonny Perdue was confirmed by the Senate in April 2017.

Here’s a closer look at the names on Trump’s unofficial short list for the position in his second administration.

Abel Maldonado

Location: Santa Maria, California

Current Role: Owner of Runway Vineyards

Background: Maldonado was considered for the USDA Secretary position in 2017, but was not ultimately nominated.

Maldonado was 48th Lieutenant Governor of California during Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration. He ran for Congress in 2012, but was defeated by the Democratic incumbent. 

Maldonado’s early political career included stints as a Mayor of Santa Maria and California State Senator.

According to the Pacific Coast Business Times, Maldonado grew up in the Santa Maria Valley, the son of an immigrant Mexican family. He went on to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to study crop science. He left the school to join his family’s strawberry farm, helping to grow it to a large operation with refrigerated facilities.

Zippy Duvall

Location: Greene County, Georgia/Washington, D.C.

Current Role: Duvall was elected the 12th president American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) in 2016.

Background: Duvall is a third-generation farmer from Greene County, Georgia. He and his son raise beef cattle, broiler chickens, and hay. The family farm used to include a dairy.

Prior to his role at AFBF, Duvall served as the president of Georgia Farm Bureau for nearly a decade.

Recent statements: Duvall has not publicly acknowledged the possibility of serving in the Trump administration. However, he’s recently made headlines for expelling Illinois Farm Bureau from the national organization after a membership dispute.

Kip Tom

Location: Leesburg, Indiana

Current Role: Chairman of Tom Farms

Background: Kip Tom served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture during the first Trump administration.

Before his appointment, Tom was the Chairman of Tom Farms, one of the largest farms in the state. According to the Tom Farms website, the multi-generation family owned business is one of the leading suppliers to the DEKALB seed production supply chain and has more than 17,000 acres in production.

In addition to his agri-business affairs in Indiana, Tom has served as a crop production consultant to various companies in South America.

In 2016, Tom ran in the Republican primary for Congress and was defeated by Jim Banks.

Recent statements: Tom spoke to media post-election, acknowledging his name is on the short list for USDA Secretary. Although he declined to speculate who would fill that role he said, “I would be honored, if asked, to serve. I would serve at the pleasure of the President in any role that he would offer to me at that time.”

Mike Conaway

Location: Midland, Texas

Current Role: Private Consultant

Background: Conaway served as a U.S. representative for Texas’ 11th congressional district from 2005 to 2021. In July 2019, he indicated that he would not seek reelection. 

From 2019 to 2021 Conaway was the Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee. Prior to that, from 2015 to 2019 Conaway was Chair of the House Agriculture Committee.

Before his political career, Conaway served in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1972. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1974 and went on to work as CFO at a bank and Arbusto Energy Inc in the 1980s.

Sid Miller

Location: Stephenville, Texas

Current Role: Texas Agriculture Commissioner

Background: Miller has been elected to three terms as Texas Agriculture Commissioner.

According to the Texas Department of Agriculture’s website, Miller is an eighth generation farmer and rancher who breeds and trains American Quarter Horses. In his spare time, Miller is a rodeo cowboy.

Any statement: Miller recently told the Texas Tribute that, before Trump’s 2020 loss, he was in early talks with the administration to lead the USDA.

Ray Starling

Location: North Carolina

Current Role: Executive Advisor at Aimpoint Research, General Counsel at NC Chamber

Background: Starling served as USDA Chief of Staff from 2018 to 2019, coordinating execution of the Secretary’s policy agenda.