Last week the Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing for Secretary of Agriculture nominee Sonny Perdue. Perdue, former Georgia Governor, stated that he would fight to protect and defend rural America and the agriculture industry. For pesticide users, it is our belief that under the new administration the U.S. Department of Agriculture will play a more prominent role in the regulation of pesticides, which is statutorily mandated but ignored under the Obama administration. Perdue’s hearing was uncontroversial, and he has already garnered bipartisan support. Senate leadership is pushing to confirm Perdue before the Easter recess.