Claire Thompson
Sonny Perdue, the former US Secretary of Agriculture, is not related to the family that operates Perdue Farms, the company behind Perdue chicken. Perdue was born into a farming family in Bonaire, Georgia, and has been around farming most of his life. He grew up and still lives in Bonaire, an unincorporated area between Perry and Warner Robins. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1971 with a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Before entering politics, Perdue served as a captain in the Air Force and started small businesses related to agriculture and transportation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | George Ervin Perdue III |
| Nickname | Sonny Perdue |
| Profession | Politician, former veterinarian, former farmer, former agribusinessman, former state legislator |
| Political Affiliation | Republican |
| Known For | Former Secretary of Agriculture under Trump Administration, former Governor of Georgia |
| Relation to Perdue Chicken | None |
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What You'll Learn
Sonny Perdue's background in agriculture
Sonny Perdue, born George Ervin Perdue III, is the son of a farmer. He was born in Perry, Georgia, and grew up in Bonaire, an unincorporated area between Perry and Warner Robins. He has experienced the agriculture industry from every possible perspective, from childhood and through his life in business and elected office.
Perdue's father, George Ervin Perdue Jr., was a farmer. Perdue has been known as Sonny since childhood and prefers to be addressed by that name. He signs official documents as "Sonny Perdue." Perdue's nomination as Secretary of Agriculture was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee by a vote of 19–1 on March 30, 2017. He was confirmed by the Senate on April 24, 2017, and served as Secretary of Agriculture throughout Trump's term.
Prior to his role as Secretary of Agriculture, Perdue served as the governor of Georgia. During his governorship, Perdue continued to own or help run four farming-related family businesses. He also broke Georgia tradition by refusing to put his assets in a blind trust and bought $2 million in land near Disney World from a developer he had appointed to the state's economic development board.
During his tenure as Secretary of Agriculture, Perdue focused on helping new farmers get started in agriculture. He announced a mentoring program for new farmers in August 2017. He also addressed issues such as assisting rural communities, reducing regulations for farmers, increasing exports, passing the 2018 farm bill, and addressing crop damage caused by dicamba.
Perdue's background in agriculture and his experience in the industry have influenced his approach to policy and decision-making as Secretary of Agriculture. Under his leadership, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been described as facts-based, data-driven, and customer-focused.
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Perdue's relationship with the American Farm Bureau
Sonny Perdue, the former US Secretary of Agriculture, has long-standing and close relationships with the leadership of the National Farm Bureau. Perdue was born into a farming family in Bonaire, Georgia, and has first-hand knowledge of agriculture, both as a farmer and an agribusinessman. He has served as a board member for the National Grain & Feed Association and as President of the Georgia Feed and Grain Association and the Southeastern Feed and Grain Association.
Perdue has had ties to several Georgia-based entities, including his family's company, Perdue Farms. Perdue Farms is a major chicken, turkey, and pork processing company in the United States, founded in 1920 by Arthur Perdue and his wife, Pearl Perdue. The company started out selling table eggs and later switched to selling chicks to farmers. Arthur and Pearl's son, Frank Perdue, joined the company in 1939 and assumed leadership in the 1950s. Today, the company is run by Jim Perdue, Frank's son, who serves as Chairman.
Sonny Perdue has been criticized for his business ties, which have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest. As governor of Georgia, he passed a tax bill that allowed him to save a significant amount in state taxes. He also travelled back to Georgia multiple times at taxpayer expense and refused to put his assets in a blind trust.
American Oversight, a watchdog group, has filed lawsuits and made records requests seeking information about Perdue's communications with his family business and external groups. There were concerns that Perdue's personal interests could have influenced USDA policy decisions, such as lowering nutritional standards for school lunches, which could benefit large agribusinesses.
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Perdue's time as governor of Georgia
Sonny Perdue is not related to Perdue Chicken. However, he is related to Senator David Perdue, who is his first cousin. Sonny Perdue was born in Perry, Georgia, and grew up in Bonaire, Georgia, where he still lives. He was born into a farming family, which is where his knowledge of agriculture comes from.
Sonny Perdue served two terms as the governor of Georgia, from 2003 to 2011. He was the first Republican governor of Georgia since the 1800s. Perdue resigned as a state senator in 2001 to devote himself to running for governor. He won the 2002 Georgia gubernatorial election, defeating Democratic incumbent Roy Barnes. In 2006, he was re-elected, winning nearly 58% of the vote.
During his tenure as governor, Perdue focused on improving education, providing better access to healthcare, creating quality jobs, and increasing resources for charter and private schools. He also advocated for reforms to cut waste in government, such as the sale of surplus vehicles and real estate. Perdue also promoted the return of decision-making to the local level when it came to education. During his governorship, Georgia's SAT scores improved, moving from last place in the country in 2003 to 45th place in 2008.
Perdue also had a controversial financial history during his time as governor. He broke Georgia tradition by refusing to put his assets in a blind trust and was involved in a scandal where he passed a tax bill that allowed him to save over $100,000 in state taxes. Additionally, he collected at least $25,000 in gifts, including sporting event tickets and airplane flights, despite signing an executive order prohibiting state employees from receiving gifts worth more than $25.
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Perdue's ethics issues and financial disclosures
Sonny Perdue, the former US Secretary of Agriculture, has had a long career in business and elected office, including serving as the governor of Georgia. Perdue has extensive knowledge of agriculture, having been born into a farming family in Bonaire, Georgia.
Perdue's business ties and financial disclosures have been a subject of scrutiny and ethical concerns. When he joined the Trump administration, he submitted a lengthy ethics recusal letter and a detailed financial disclosure report. This report revealed a complex network of Georgia-based entities, including Perdue Partners and AGrowStar, highlighting potential conflicts of interest.
One notable incident during his tenure as Georgia governor involved a controversial tax bill. Perdue passed a seemingly mundane tax bill that allowed him to personally save over $100,000 in state taxes, raising ethical concerns. Additionally, Perdue broke with Georgia tradition by refusing to place his assets in a blind trust and made a questionable land purchase from a developer he had appointed to the state's economic development board.
In 2019, American Oversight filed a lawsuit to gain access to Perdue's ethics disclosures and communications with Senator David Perdue. The lawsuit also sought records related to Perdue's meetings with agricultural organizations and emails sent and received using non-governmental email addresses. These actions raised questions about transparency and potential influence on policy decisions.
Furthermore, during his governorship, Perdue accepted gifts totaling at least $25,000, including sporting event tickets and airplane flights. This raised further ethical concerns, as it contradicted his executive order prohibiting state employees from receiving gifts worth more than $25.
Perdue's financial dealings and potential conflicts of interest have been a recurring theme throughout his political career, with ongoing scrutiny from organizations like American Oversight and FactCheck.org.
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Perdue's family and cousin, Sen. David Perdue
Sonny Perdue, the former secretary of agriculture, is not related to or affiliated with Perdue Farms, the company behind Perdue chicken. However, he is a first cousin of Georgia Sen. David Perdue. Sonny Perdue was born into a farming family in Bonaire, Georgia, and has had a long career in politics and business. He served as governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011, advocating for reforms to cut waste in government and signing an executive order prohibiting state employees from receiving gifts worth more than $25. He also owned and helped run several farming-related family businesses during his tenure as governor.
Sonny Perdue was nominated by President Donald Trump to be the United States secretary of agriculture in January 2017. His nomination was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee by a vote of 19-1 and confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 87-11. As secretary of agriculture, Perdue focused on helping new farmers, assisting rural communities, increasing exports, and addressing crop damage. He also made controversial changes to nutrition standards for school lunches, allowing more refined grains and added sugar.
Senator David Perdue is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and supported his cousin's nomination for secretary of agriculture. In a statement, he expressed his pride in Sonny Perdue and confidence in his ability to advance smart agriculture policies. However, David Perdue abstained from the vote on Sonny Perdue's nomination due to their familial relationship.
Sonny Perdue's tenure as secretary of agriculture was not without controversy. There were concerns about his business ties and potential conflicts of interest, leading to a lawsuit filed by American Oversight for his ethics disclosures and communications with external entities. Additionally, his hiring of former Trump campaign workers with little agricultural knowledge or experience raised questions.
In conclusion, while Sonny Perdue, the former secretary of agriculture, is not related to Perdue Farms or Perdue chicken, he has strong ties to the agriculture industry and a close relationship with his cousin, Senator David Perdue.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Perdue is not related to or affiliated with Perdue Farms.
David Perdue is Sonny Perdue's first cousin.
Sonny Perdue was born in Perry, Georgia, and grew up in Bonaire, Georgia. He is the son of a farmer and grew up in a farming family.
