Senate Ag Committee sets nomination hearing
December 09, 2011 | 02:33 PM | Filed in: Foreign Agriculture Service Personnel Senate Ag Committee USDA
The Senate Agriculture Committee will hold a hearing on pending nominees next Thursday, said Chairman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.
Although the announcement did not name the names to be considered, the most prominent pending nominee is Michael Scuse as Agriculture undersecretary for farm and foreign agricultural services and a member of the board of directors of the Commodity Credit Corporation. President Barack Obama announced his intention to nominate Scuse on Sept. 27.
Michael Scuse
Scuse has been serving as the acting undersecretary since January, when Jim Miller resigned to rejoin the staff of Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D.
Scuse formerly held the title of deputy undersecretary for farm and foreign agricultural services. As deputy, Scuse had primary responsibility over the Farm Services Agency, which distributes farm subsidies, and the Risk Management Agency, which runs the crop insurance program. The undersecretary also supervises the Foreign Agricultural Service and is involved in a wide range of international trade issues.
Before joining USDA in 2009, Scuse was chief of staff to Delaware Democratic Gov. Ruth Ann Minner. Before that, he served as Delaware agriculture secretary from May 2001 until September 2008. From 1996 to 2001, he served as both chairman of the Kent County (Delaware) Regional Planning Commission and chairman of the USDA Farm Services Agency’s Delaware State Committee.
From 1986 to 1994, he served as the Kent County recorder of deeds. He also previously served as both president and vice president of the Northeast Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Scuse attended Salem College.
Although the announcement did not name the names to be considered, the most prominent pending nominee is Michael Scuse as Agriculture undersecretary for farm and foreign agricultural services and a member of the board of directors of the Commodity Credit Corporation. President Barack Obama announced his intention to nominate Scuse on Sept. 27.
Scuse has been serving as the acting undersecretary since January, when Jim Miller resigned to rejoin the staff of Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D.
Scuse formerly held the title of deputy undersecretary for farm and foreign agricultural services. As deputy, Scuse had primary responsibility over the Farm Services Agency, which distributes farm subsidies, and the Risk Management Agency, which runs the crop insurance program. The undersecretary also supervises the Foreign Agricultural Service and is involved in a wide range of international trade issues.
Before joining USDA in 2009, Scuse was chief of staff to Delaware Democratic Gov. Ruth Ann Minner. Before that, he served as Delaware agriculture secretary from May 2001 until September 2008. From 1996 to 2001, he served as both chairman of the Kent County (Delaware) Regional Planning Commission and chairman of the USDA Farm Services Agency’s Delaware State Committee.
From 1986 to 1994, he served as the Kent County recorder of deeds. He also previously served as both president and vice president of the Northeast Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Scuse attended Salem College.
