The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry on Wednesday advanced the nomination of Xochitl Torres Small to be USDA Deputy Secretary.
Her nomination now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
Torres Small currently serves as the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development since 2021. Prior to her time at USDA she served in Congress representing New Mexico’s 2nd congressional district for three years, from 2019 to 2021.
She holds an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and a law degree from the University of New Mexico.
“Ms. Torres Small has a proven track record and a wide-ranging background that make her an ideal candidate to help lead the nearly 100,000 public servants at USDA. Ms. Torres Small is deeply committed to food and farm policy and understands the needs of rural America. I am pleased that we are making progress advancing her nomination, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to see her confirmed as soon as possible,” Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) said following the committee vote.
“Xochitl Torres Small is well-qualified to serve as deputy secretary at USDA. She has shown herself to be a thoughtful leader while overseeing the rural development mission, and I believe those qualities will be an asset in this new role. Additionally, it will be beneficial for committee members to have someone who has served in Congress, who understands our role, as the second in charge at USDA. I encourage the Senate to move swiftly to confirm her as deputy secretary,” Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) said.
