Agriculture Secretary names a new chief of USDA's Rural Development division

OMAHA (DTN) -- U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue named a new chief of USDA's Rural Development division on Monday, despite concerns Perdue's reorganization plan lowers the stature of the role.USDA named Anne Hazlett as "Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development." Hazlett is a former Indiana director of agriculture who most recently was chief counsel for Republicans on the Senate Agriculture Committee. She takes over job responsibilities previously held by a USDA undersecretary for Rural Development, a position historically nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Hazlett will start her new position without a White House nomination or Senate confirmation."Small towns and the people who call them home have been my life's passion," Hazlett said. "It is with great enthusiasm and a deep commitment to rural America that I am eager to get to work at USDA and be a partner in crafting solutions to the significant challenges these communities face from economic opportunity to infrastructure, quality housing, and addiction."The White House budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018 calls for a 26% overall cut to Rural Development programs, which includes the elimination of the Rural Business Cooperative Service and steep cuts to the Rural Utilities Service.Perdue's USDA reorganization announced last month eliminated the undersecretary for Rural Development; Perdue proposed eliminating the position as part of a process to create a new undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs.Currently, the White House has yet to nominate any of the top sub-cabinet leadership at USDA. Perdue remains the only USDA officeholder named by the Trump administration.