Sonny Perdue USDA
Council Executive Director Bob Petersen welcomes Secretary Perdue. | Jim Barcus Photography
 
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, U.S. — In his first public appearance outside of Washington, D.C., U.S., since taking the helm at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Secretary of Agriculture George E. (Sonny) Perdue on April 28 addressed more than 450 Missouri and Kansas farmers, ranchers and agribusiness men and women at a town hall meeting at the American Royal. The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., was host to the event.

Perdue said he pledged to do the best job he could as the agriculture secretary.

"What I do reflects on you and what you do reflects on me,” he told the farmers and ranchers. “Let’s be a family, do things right and feed everyone.”

Sonny Perdue USDA
Perdue entered the event flanked by Senator Moran (left) and Missouri Lt. Governor Mike Parson (right). | Jim Barcus Photography
 
Perdue said his philosophy regarding agriculture was straight forward: “Grow and trade it.” He noted the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has been good for American agriculture and industry, but added the Trump administration intended to bargain for the best terms possible in all areas of the pact.

On hand for the event were many Kansas and Missouri agricultural and government leaders, including Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas; Missouri Lt. Governor Mike Parson; Chris Chinn, director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture; Jackie McClaskey, Kansas secretary of agriculture, and Bob Petersen, executive director of the Agricultural Business Council.

While in Kansas City, Perdue also visited with staff of the USDA’s Beacon Facility.