Trump Nominates Scott Hutchins for USDA Top Scientist

A pesticide industry leader, Hutchins was formerly president of the Entomological Society of America.

Sukanya Charuchandra
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President Donald Trump nominated Scott Hutchins, the global head of integrated field sciences for Corteva Agriscience, the agriculture division of DowDuPont, to the role of undersecretary for research, education and economics at the US Department of Agriculture on Monday (July 16). Hutchins also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska.

The chief scientist position at the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has remained vacant since Trump took office. The previous nominee, Sam Clovis, the President’s campaign cochairman, pulled out of the running due to a number of controversies, according to Politico.

If Hutchins is approved by the Senate, he will be the third individual with strong ties to Dow, which, in the past, has contributed to the President’s campaign fund, reports Mother Jones. His job will include planning the allocation of the USDA’s $2.9 billion budget. Hutchins has been with Dow Agrisciences, as it was known before it ...

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Meet the Author

  • Sukanya Charuchandra

    Sukanya Charuchandra

    Originally from Mumbai, Sukanya Charuchandra is a freelance science writer based out of wherever her travels take her. She holds master’s degrees in Science Journalism and Biotechnology. You can read her work at sukanyacharuchandra.com.

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