Senate Agriculture Committee Hears Nominees for Two USDA Undersecretary Posts; Focus on Avian Flu, Staffing and Research Cuts

Chairman John Boozman convened the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee to consider the nominations of Dudley Hoskins to be Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs and Scott Hutchins to be Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics.

The hearing focused on short‑term animal and plant health threats — including highly pathogenic avian influenza and the new world screwworm — as well as longer‑term concerns about workforce losses at USDA research and response agencies and proposed cuts to agricultural research funding.

The nominees each described their backgrounds and pledged to support USDA Secretary Rollins’ priorities if confirmed. Dudley Hoskins, the nominee for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, said he would “support Secretary Rollins’ leadership and work every day to support the APHIS and AMS missions” and deliver “a transparent, predictable and science‑based regulatory structure.” Scott Hutchins, the nominee for Research, Education and Economics, described his long career in entomology and stated, “if confirmed, I pledge to do all I can each and every day to improve the lives and livelihoods of farmers, ranchers, and all Americans through the work of the research, education, and economics agencies.”

Senators pressed both…