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<DIV>Forest pest mavens,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>the confirmation hearing for former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue to be
Secretary of Agriculture has been scheduled for 23 March - next Thursday.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Please contact your senators and ask them to ask Mr. Perdue how he will use
USDA authorities to address invasive species - prevention,
containment/eradication, management; research; restoration ... outreach to and
collaboration with partners ...</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I suggested a number of questions you might suggest in my blog of February
9 - available at <A
href="http://www.nivemnic.us/2017/02">www.nivemnic.us/2017/02</A> --
scroll down to the picture of Sonny Perdue (after my description of Interior
Secretary Zinke's discussion of invasive species policies.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Your engagement is particularly important if one of your senators is on the
Agriculture Committee. You can find the committee members at <A
href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/about/membership">https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/about/membership</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(MD & PA both have members on the Committee)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This is the best opportunity we will have to put invasive species on USDA
leadership's agenda. Please help!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Faith Campbell</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>