Indiana's top agricultural official will be the nation's first undersecretary for foreign agricultural trade. The U.S. Senate confirmed Ted McKinney to the newly-created Department of Agriculture post Tuesday.
In a statement, USDA secretary Sonny Perdue says McKinney will, quote-"wake up every morning seeking to sell more American agricultural products in foreign markets."
Before taking over Indiana's agriculture department in 2013, McKinney worked at big global agribusinesses like Dow and Elanco in Indianapolis.
In a statement, Indiana Farm Bureau president Randy Kron says McKinney is "well-suited" to the trade job. He adds, quote-"We are excited to see him promote and expand American agriculture's influence around the world."
There's no immediate word on who will succeed McKinney as Indiana's director of agriculture. He was confirmed alongside Steve Censky, the American Soybean Association CEO who will become deputy secretary at the USDA.