The current Secretary of Agriculture is Sonny Perdue.
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Sonny Perdue
Sonny Perdue is the current secretary of agriculture. He was sworn in on April 25, 2017. Prior to his current position, Perdue served as the governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011.
Early Life and Education
Current Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue was born on December 24, 1946 in Perry, Georgia. He grew up on his family’s farm where he learned the values of hard work and determination. After graduating from Warner Robins High School, Perdue attended the University of Georgia where he received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1971. He then went on to complete a business management course at Sturm College of Law at Denver University.
Business Career
Prior to his appointment as Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue served as CEO of Perdue Farms, one of the largest privately held companies in the U.S. He began his business career as a farmer in Georgia, where he started with just 50 acres of land. He eventually grew his operation to include more than 3,000 acres of land and became one of the largest producers of poultry in the Southeast. He also served on the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles and was a member of the Georgia Senate from 1991 to 1999.
Political Career
From 2001 to 2006, Vilsack served as the 40th Governor of Iowa. He was a member of both the Iowa House of Representatives from 1973 to 1975 and the Iowa Senate from 1975 until he became governor. On November 30, 2006, he was nominated by President George W. Bush to be the United States Secretary of Agriculture, and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 21, 2009.
Personal Life
Sonny Perdue was born on December 20, 1946, in Perry, Georgia. He is the eldest of the four children of Ocylene (née Kelley) and George Ervin Perdue Jr., who ran a feed and seed business. Sonny Perdue’s grandfather, George Ervin Perdue Sr., nicknamed “Big Pop”, emigrated from Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1919 and established a farm near Bonaire, in Houston County. When Sonny was five years old, his family moved to Warner Robinssovichistoryteacherpartywhip From there, Perdue later transferred to the University of Georgia (UGA) where he earned a bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine in 1971. During his time at UGA, he was active in Future Farmers of America (FFA). He was also elected as president of the freshman class and eventually served as student body president for the 1970–1971 term.
