Former New Mexico lawmaker tapped for USDA leadership role

Associated Press
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U. S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small listens to a comment as she visits the dairy farm of Austin and Jenna Schulte in rural Norway, Iowa, on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. Torres, a former Democratic congresswoman from New Mexico, has been nominated to serve as the next deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced by the agency and members of New Mexico's congressional delegation on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023.
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ALBUQUERQUE - A former Democratic congresswoman from New Mexico has been nominated to serve as the next deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The granddaughter of migrant farm workers, Xochitl Torres Small has been working as an undersecretary in the agency with a focus on rural development. Her nomination was announced Wednesday by the agency and members of New Mexico's congressional delegation.

Torres Small served on the House Agriculture Committee during her one term in Congress. For nearly two years, she has overseen loans and grants to provide infrastructure improvements, broadband expansion and business development as undersecretary for rural development.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small, right, looks at Randy, one of the steer calves, shown to her by Cole Schulte, 9, third from right and his brother Caleb, 12, second from right in rural Norway, Iowa, on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. Torres, a former Democratic congresswoman from New Mexico, has been nominated to serve as the next deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced by the agency and members of New Mexico's congressional delegation on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement described Torres Small as an exemplary member of USDA leadership, saying she represents "the heart and soul of rural communities."

Torres Small started out as an organizer in southern New Mexico before joining former U.S. Sen. Tom Udall's team as a field representative. She also practiced water and natural resources law after earning a degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law.

U. S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small listens to Jenna Schulte in the milking parlor at the dairy farm of parents Austin and Jenna Schulte in rural Norway, Iowa, on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. Torres, a former Democratic congresswoman from New Mexico, has been nominated to serve as the next deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced by the agency and members of New Mexico's congressional delegation on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023.

In 2018, Torres Small won by less than 4,000 votes to flip a traditionally Republican-leaning district that spans oil and gas country, border communities and desert valleys known for their agricultural production.

She lost her re-election bid to Republican Yvette Herrell in 2020 and was tapped the following year by the Biden administration to lead the agency's rural development office. Her husband, Nathan Small, is a state lawmaker.

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This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Former New Mexico lawmaker tapped for USDA leadership role