Emily Carter
Sonny Perdue is an American politician, veterinarian, and businessman who served as the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021. He is not related to the Perdue chicken family. The Perdue chicken company was founded by Arthur Perdue in 1920 and has been handed down through the family since. Although Sen. Perdue is the cousin of Sonny Perdue, the former secretary of agriculture, he has no relation to the Perdues who started the national chicken company.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III |
| Profession | Politician, veterinarian, businessman |
| Relation to Perdue Chicken family | None |
| Relation to Senator David Perdue | First cousin |
| Political Party | Republican |
| Previous positions held | 81st Governor of Georgia, member of the Georgia State Senate, Secretary of Agriculture |
| Business ties | Perdue Partners, AGrowStar |
| Ethics complaints | 13 complaints, 2 rulings against |
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What You'll Learn
Sonny Perdue is a politician, veterinarian, and businessman
Sonny Perdue, born George Ervin Perdue III, is an American politician, veterinarian, and businessman. He served as the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021. Before that, Perdue was the 81st governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011 and a member of the Georgia State Senate from 1991 to 2002. Perdue is a member of the Republican Party and was the first Republican governor of Georgia since the Reconstruction era.
Perdue's career in politics began in the Georgia State Senate, where he served from 1991 to 2002. In 2002, he was elected governor of Georgia, defeating incumbent Roy Barnes. Perdue was the first Republican to hold this office since the Reconstruction era, and he served as governor for two terms, from 2003 to 2011. During his tenure as governor, Perdue received 13 complaints from the Georgia State Ethics Commission, two of which resulted in rulings against him for violating ethics rules. These violations included accepting improper campaign contributions and using a family member's airplane for his campaign.
Following his tenure as governor, Perdue founded Perdue Partners in 2011, a company that facilitated the export of U.S. goods and services. He also served on the Governors' Council of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C., from 2012 to 2017. In 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Perdue to be the Secretary of Agriculture, and he was confirmed by the Senate. As Secretary of Agriculture, Perdue focused on supporting farmers of all sizes and pledged to make natural resource conservation and land stewardship a priority for the USDA. However, he also faced criticism for his financial dealings and was fined for violating the Hatch Act while promoting the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.
Sonny Perdue is not related to the Perdue family that owns Perdue Chicken. Perdue Chicken was founded by Arthur Perdue in 1920 and has since been handed down through the family. While there is a Senator David Perdue, who is Sonny Perdue's cousin, the company has clarified that there is no relation between them and the Perdue family that owns the chicken company.
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He served as the 31st US Secretary of Agriculture
Sonny Perdue, born George Ervin Perdue III, is an American politician, veterinarian, and businessman. Perdue served as the 31st US Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021. He was nominated for the position by President Donald Trump on January 18, 2017, and was confirmed by the Senate on April 24, 2017, with a vote of 19-1.
Perdue's tenure as Secretary of Agriculture was marked by a focus on helping new farmers enter the agriculture industry. In August 2017, he announced a mentoring program for new farmers. Perdue also pledged to support farmers of all sizes and to prioritize natural resource conservation and land stewardship. He sought to maximize the ability of American agriculture to create jobs, sell foods and fibres, and feed and clothe the world. Additionally, he aimed to prioritize customer service for taxpayers and ensure food supply safety and security.
Perdue's time as Secretary of Agriculture also saw him face ethical controversies. He was fined for violating the Hatch Act while promoting the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. There were also concerns about potential conflicts of interest due to his complicated network of ties to Georgia-based entities, including his family's companies. In October 2019, American Oversight sued the Department of Agriculture for emails and records related to Perdue's communications with external entities and his family businesses.
Prior to his role as Secretary of Agriculture, Perdue served as the 81st Governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011. During his governorship, he received 13 complaints from the Georgia State Ethics Commission, with two rulings against him for violating ethics rules. Despite these controversies, Perdue has extensive knowledge of agriculture, having been born into a farming family in Bonaire, Georgia. This experience has shaped his approach to policy-making, with a focus on supporting American agriculture and addressing challenges within the industry.
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Perdue has no relation to the chicken farming giant Perdue Farms
Sonny Perdue is an American politician, veterinarian, and businessman. He served as the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021 and was the first Republican Governor of Georgia since the Reconstruction era, serving from 2003 to 2011. Perdue has no relation to the chicken farming giant Perdue Farms.
Perdue was born in Perry, Georgia, and grew up in Bonaire, an unincorporated area between Perry and Warner Robins. He was born into a farming family and has experienced the agriculture industry from every possible perspective throughout his life. He is the son of Ophie Viola (Holt), a teacher, and George Ervin Perdue Jr., a farmer. He is the first cousin of U.S. Senator David Perdue.
Senator David Perdue, on the other hand, was the subject of a boycott of Perdue Chicken, with people believing the company was connected to him. However, the company clarified that the senator has no affiliation with their brand. Perdue Chicken was founded by Arthur Perdue in 1920 and has since been handed down through the family. Today, it is one of the largest chicken product producers in the United States.
Sonny Perdue's ties to various Georgia-based entities, including his family's companies, have raised questions about potential conflicts of interest. During his tenure as governor, the Georgia State Ethics Commission received 13 complaints against him, two of which resulted in rulings that he had violated ethics rules. These violations included accepting improper campaign contributions and using a family member's airplane for his campaign.
Despite sharing similar names, Sonny Perdue is not related to the Perdue family that owns and operates Perdue Farms.
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He was the first Republican governor of Georgia since the Reconstruction era
Sonny Perdue, born George Ervin Perdue III, is an American politician, veterinarian, and businessman. Perdue served as the 81st governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011. He was the first Republican governor of Georgia since the Reconstruction era.
Perdue was born in Perry, Georgia, to a farming family. He grew up in Bonaire, Georgia, and was known as Sonny from childhood, preferring to be addressed by that name. He attended the University of Georgia, where he earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) in 1971. Before entering politics, Perdue worked as a veterinarian and owned several small businesses.
Perdue served as a member of the Georgia State Senate from 1991 to 2002. In 2002, he was elected governor of Georgia, defeating incumbent Roy Barnes. During his governorship, Perdue faced multiple ethics complaints, including allegations of improper campaign contributions and the misuse of a family member's airplane for his campaign. He was also criticized for his close ties to Georgia-based entities and his family's businesses, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
After leaving the governor's office, Perdue founded Perdue Partners, an agricultural trading company. In 2017, President Donald Trump nominated him to be the United States Secretary of Agriculture, a position he held until 2021. As Secretary of Agriculture, Perdue focused on supporting farmers and advocated for American agriculture. However, his financial dealings and ties to agribusinesses continued to draw scrutiny.
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He was fined for violating the Hatch Act
Sonny Perdue, the former US Secretary of Agriculture, was fined for violating the Hatch Act in August 2020. Perdue, a member of the Republican Party, was found to have used his position to advocate for then-President Donald Trump's reelection campaign.
The Hatch Act prohibits government officials from engaging in certain political activities while acting in their official capacity. In this instance, Perdue attended an event in Mills River, North Carolina, to promote the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, which aimed to deliver food to low-income people during the coronavirus pandemic. During his speech, Perdue encouraged voters to support Trump's reelection bid, stating that those assembled would continue to receive help "if America gets out and votes for this man, Donald J. Trump".
The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) found that Perdue's comments violated the Hatch Act and ordered him to reimburse the government for the costs associated with his participation in the event. The OSC's decision was based on the fact that Perdue had used his official position to promote a political campaign, which is prohibited by the Hatch Act.
This incident was not an isolated one within the Trump administration. The administration had already accumulated a record number of Hatch Act violations, with several high-ranking officials being reprimanded for similar infractions. The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed the initial complaint against Perdue, stating that the case exemplified the administration's "lack of concern about these anti-democratic abuses".
Sonny Perdue is not related to the Perdue family that owns Perdue Chicken. Perdue Chicken was founded by Arthur Perdue in 1920 and has since been handed down through the family. While there is a Georgia Senator named David Perdue, he is not related to the chicken company either, despite sharing a name.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Sonny Perdue is not related to the Perdue chicken family. However, he is the cousin of Sen. David Perdue.
Sonny Perdue is an American politician, veterinarian, and businessman. He served as the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021.
Perdue Chicken was founded by Arthur Perdue in 1920 and is headquartered in Salisbury, Maryland. The company has been handed down through the family and is now one of the largest chicken product producers in the United States.
Sen. David Perdue is the cousin of Sonny Perdue and a Georgia senator. He faced backlash and calls for boycotting Perdue Chicken due to his controversial comments about Sen. Kamala Harris during a rally.
