United States | Johanns Resigns As Ag Secretary, Conner Named As Successor | ...

United States

Johanns Resigns As Ag Secretary, Conner Named As Successor

President George Bush announced today (Sept. 20) that Mike Johanns has resigned as Secretary of Agriculture and named Chuck Conner, the second-ranked official at USDA who has led the farm bill lobby, as his successor.

Johanns resigned his post of nearly three years to return to Nebraska, where he served as governor, to seek a U.S. Senate seat, which will be vacated by two-term Republican Chuck Hagel.

Bush said that Johanns brought focus and priority to issues such as renewable fuels, conservation and opening international markets to U.S. products.

“We look forward to working with Mr. Conner to restore full beef access worldwide and to expand international opportunities to our meat industry,” said USMEF President and CEO Phil Seng.

Conner, who still grows corn and soybeans in his home state of Indiana, faces unfinished issues such as beef trade negotiations with Japan and South Korea, passage of a new farm bill and completion of several bilateral trade agreements, which impact U.S. agriculture and meat exports.

For more information, see Johanns’ Statement of Resignation.

United States

Johanns Resigns As Ag Secretary, Conner Named As Successor

President George Bush announced today (Sept. 20) that Mike Johanns has resigned as Secretary of Agriculture and named Chuck Conner, the second-ranked official at USDA who has led the farm bill lobby, as his successor.

Johanns resigned his post of nearly three years to return to Nebraska, where he served as governor, to seek a U.S. Senate seat, which will be vacated by two-term Republican Chuck Hagel.

Bush said that Johanns brought focus and priority to issues such as renewable fuels, conservation and opening international markets to U.S. products.

“We look forward to working with Mr. Conner to restore full beef access worldwide and to expand international opportunities to our meat industry,” said USMEF President and CEO Phil Seng.

Conner, who still grows corn and soybeans in his home state of Indiana, faces unfinished issues such as beef trade negotiations with Japan and South Korea, passage of a new farm bill and completion of several bilateral trade agreements, which impact U.S. agriculture and meat exports.

For more information, see Johanns’ Statement of Resignation.