Unveiling Kelly Loeffler's Journey to the USDA Secretary Role
Background and Family Roots
Kelly Loeffler was raised as the fourth generation on her family's corn and soybean farm in Stanford, Illinois. Just 8 miles west of Bloomington, Loeffler Farms is now run by her younger brother Brian and his family. On the farm, she learned the values of faith, family, and hard work. Growing up, she worked in the fields and then waitressed her way through school. She was the first in her family to graduate from college, obtaining a BS in marketing from the University of Illinois and an MBA at DePaul University. After almost three decades in the automotive and financial service industries, she advanced to an executive position at Intercontinental Exchange and later launched Bakkt as its founding CEO.Even before her senate appointment in 2019, Loeffler had a diverse career in the private sector, creating jobs and making a mark in the business world.
Stance on Farm Bill
In the 2020 questionnaire, Loeffler emphasized the significance of the farm bill. She stated that it is the single most important piece of agricultural legislation regularly considered in Congress. Her top priorities for the farm bill were to ensure farmers have an appropriate safety net and bolster support given the current unfavorable economic conditions.She recognized the importance of safeguarding the interests of farmers and ensuring their livelihoods during challenging times.
Stance on Trade
Loeffler praised the previous Trump administration's trade negotiations and enforcement mechanisms with China and Japan. She believed that these trade deals should be strictly enforced and that foreign governments, especially the Communist Party of China, should not be allowed to grow their economies at the expense of American workers and farmers.Trump's proposed 60% tariff on goods from China, considering China as the U.S.'s leading agricultural export market, shows the importance Loeffler attaches to protecting American agriculture.
Ag Policy and Activity During Senate Tenure
In May 2020, Loeffler faced scrutiny when she removed herself from a role in the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade after making stock trades in February 2020 following a classified briefing on the coronavirus. However, she remained on the Senate Agriculture Committee and was later cleared by the Senate Ethics Committee and Department of Justice.During her tenure, she sponsored the American Farmers, Food Banks, and Families Act of 2020 to connect farmers with food banks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the bill was introduced, it was not enacted.
She also participated in announcing a $323,834 grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture to the University of Georgia for research to improve crop protection and pest management. This shows her commitment to supporting agricultural research and safeguarding Georgia crops.
Industry Praise
Sonny Perdue, who served as the Secretary of Agriculture during Trump's first administration, praised Loeffler after her senate appointment. He recognized her understanding of the agriculture community's needs and her ability to bring that knowledge and experience to her work in the Senate.Perdue's words highlight Loeffler's credibility and potential to make a significant impact in the agricultural sector.