Stephen Vaden, who served as general counsel to the USDA and received an appointment from the president in 2020 to serve on the U.S. Court of International Trade, is now the deputy secretary of the USDA. The Senate confirmed Vaden on June 10 by a vote of 51 to 44 with five senators not voting.
He was nominated in December 2024. Not a stranger to farming, Vaden grew up in Union City, Tennessee, and helped on his family’s farm.
USDA’s deputy secretary typically functions as the agency’s chief operating officer, according to the Center for Presidential Transition. “The deputy secretary historically serves as a partner to the secretary, managing day-to-day operations and addressing issues that need not require the secretary’s attention.”
“There is a lot of work to be done, and Judge Vaden will hit the ground with a firm understanding of the challenges facing America’s farmers,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said in a statement. “We look forward to engaging with him to create opportunities for farmers and ranchers to continue growing the food, fuel and fiber families rely on.”
