Washington: The US Senate has easily confirmed Sonny Perdue, the son of a farmer, as the next secretary of agriculture, filling one of the few remaining vacancies in President Donald Trump's cabinet after a long delay.
Senator David Perdue, the nominee's first cousin, voted present.
Perdue, a Republican, will take charge of the nation's food and farm programs, a hefty job in the best of times but one in which he now will have to juggle the White House's proposed 21-percent cut in US Department of Agriculture programs.
Furthermore, Mexico, which has bristled at Trump's harsh talk on trade and his call for scrapping or renegotiating NAFTA, has threatened to stop importing billions of dollars' worth of US corn.
"Governor Perdue's leadership is desperately needed," said Stabenow, who voted for the nominee.
Two cabinet nominees are still awaiting Senate confirmation: Alex Acosta, who if confirmed as secretary of labor would be the only Hispanic American in the cabinet, and
Robert Lighthizer for US trade representative.
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