Heinrich Welcomes Nomination Of Xochitl Torres Small To Serve As Deputy Secretary Of Agriculture
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the new Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, released the following statement on President Joe Biden nominating Xochitl Torres Small to serve as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture at the U.S Department of Agriculture:
“President Biden could not have picked a better nominee for this important leadership role at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. During her time leading USDA Rural Development, Xochitl Torres Small has demonstrated her collaborative and pragmatic approach that New Mexicans know well and appreciate. I look forward to working in close partnership with Xochitl in this even greater role at USDA as we continue to invest in rural communities, restore our forests and watersheds, and support sustainable resilient food systems and science-based policies that conserve the long-term health of working lands.”
Background:
Xochitl Torres Small was confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as the Under Secretary for Rural Development on October 7, 2021. Prior to serving as Under Secretary, Torres Small was a United States Representative for New Mexico’s second congressional district, the fifth largest district in the country. As a United States Representative, Torres Small served as a member of the House Agriculture Committee, the House Armed Services Committee, and as Chairwoman of the Oversight, Management, and Accountability Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee. Torres Small was the first woman and first person of color to represent New Mexico’s second congressional district. The granddaughter of farmworkers, Torres Small grew up in the borderlands of New Mexico. She has worked as a Field Representative for U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), clerked for United States District Court Judge Robert C. Brack, and served as an attorney practicing water and natural resources law.
