Biden sets succession order for the Agriculture Department

President Joe Biden signed a January 3, 2025 executive order setting who could act as secretary of agriculture if both the secretary and deputy secretary were unable to serve. The order placed USDA under secretaries first, starting with farm production and conservation, then food, nutrition, and consumer services, natural resources and environment, research and education, rural development, food safety, marketing and regulatory programs, and trade and foreign agricultural affairs. It then listed the general counsel, assistant secretaries, chief financial officer, chief of staff, selected Farm Service Agency state executive directors, budget leadership, and the Forest Service chief. The action mattered because USDA affects food assistance, farming, rural development, food safety, forestry, and conservation, so succession rules shape continuity across major public services.