September 20, 2007
Purdue Agriculture alum new acting head of USDA
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University agricultural alumnus Chuck Conner, who was named Thursday (Sept. 20) as acting head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is known by Purdue officials as a determined individual who has spent many years in Washington, D.C., serving the Midwest.President George W. Bush selected Conner for the interim post after Mike Johanns resigned to run for the Senate.
"Chuck has a long history of serving agriculture, and we at Purdue are proud that he will be leading the nation's agricultural interests at a pivotal time for the industry," said Randy Woodson, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture.
Conner is a 1980 Purdue graduate of the Department of Agricultural Economics. He was later named a distinguished agricultural alumnus by Purdue in 1998.
"Chuck knows agriculture, he knows bioenergy, he knows policy and all the things that make him right for this job," said Wally Tyner, professor of agricultural economics and former head of the department. "He has continued to seek advice from Purdue experts and is a fantastic choice."
Otto Doering, agricultural economics professor and expert in federal agriculture policy, calls Conner "unusually effective."
"He's low-key, bright and has never lost his sense of public service," Doering said.
Conner has been deputy secretary of agriculture since 2005 and is a native of Otterbein, Ind. He previously served as agricultural adviser to Bush and to U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar.
Writer: Beth Forbes, (765) 494-2722, forbes@purdue.edu
Sources: Randy Woodson, (765) 494-8391, woodson@purdue.edu
Wally Tyner, (765) 494-0199, wtyner@purdue.edu
Otto Doering, (765) 494-4226, doering@purdue.edu
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
Agriculture News Page
To the News Service home page