U.S Senate Confirms Torres Small as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture 

On July 11th, the U.S. Senate confirmed Xochitl Torres Small as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Agriculture in a vote of 84-8. Torres Small, a former member of Congress from New Mexico, has a background in water rights law and has been praised for her work as the Undersecretary for Rural Development. In her new role, Torres Small will serve as the Chief Operating Officer for the department and will be responsible for strategic planning for the department, which operates 29 agencies and offices. Her nomination received bipartisan support in the Senate Agriculture Committee. Torres Small aims to focus on improving customer service for farmers and rural communities and streamlining applications for various programs.