Yesterday, the Trump administration formally named its candidate for the Department of Agriculture’s undersecretary of research, education, and economics, a post that serves as the agency’s chief scientist. Its choice? Sam Clovis, who has no scientific background but is notable primarily for having been a conservative talk-radio host. If approved by the Senate, the US’ attempts to understand climate change’s impact on agriculture will be led by someone who called climate research “junk science.”
Clovis, who has also taught economics and management at an Iowa liberal arts college, was an early supporter of Trump’s candidacy. He’s been working at the USDA as a White House advisor since shortly after Trump’s inauguration.
