Stephen Vaden was confirmed as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture along a 51 to 44 party-line vote. Vaden was a judge on the U.S. Court of International Trade. He also served as General Counsel for the USDA under the previous Trump administration from December 2018 to December 2020. He will now serve under Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

Chairman of the Senate Ag Committee John Boozman said Vaden’s knowledge of agricultural policy and the needs of America’s farm communities will be valuable as a leader of the department. He is well-prepared to serve in this new role.

The National Cattleman’s Beef Association Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Ethan Lane, said Vaden spent his career immersed in trade issues and fighting for farmers and ranchers. This will be important as the administration works to expand market access for cattle producers.

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) CEO Ted McKinney said Vaden’s experience makes him well-qualified to serve in this leadership role. We look forward to working with Deputy Secretary Vaden to continue advancing agriculture.

Read more about Deputy Ag Secretary Stephen Vaden and industry reaction here.