What Does the Crystal Ball Say About the Next Secretary of Agriculture?

The election has shaken up the agriculture policy landscape and left many wondering who will become the next Secretary of Agriculture. There are many possibilities, including:

Abel Maldonado, who served as California Lt. Governor from 2010 to 2011. Donald Trump considered him for USDA Secretary in 2017.
Zippy Duval has served as American Farm Bureau President since January 2016. Duval operates a dairy farm in Georgia that raises beef cattle and broiler chickens.
Kip Tom operates one of the largest farming operations in Indiana. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture from April 2019 to January 2021.
Mike Conaway is a former House ag chairman. He previously negotiated a farm bill. Conway is aligned with Trump regarding SNAP reforms.
Sid Miller has served as Texas Ag Commissioner since January 2015. He is a cattle rancher, farmer and owner of a commercial nursery business. Miller served six terms as a Texas House of Representatives member from 2001 to 2013.
Rep Thomas Massie is a House representative from Kentucky. He is considered a long-shot choice.
Ray Starling serves as the general counsel of the North Carolina Chamber and president of the North Carolina Chamber Legal Institute. He previously served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue; Principal Agriculture Advisor to the President of the United States at the White House; Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and Trade and Food Assistance on the White House National Economic Council.
Ted McKinney is CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. He was previously Undersecretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs from 2017 to 2021 and Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture from 2014 to 2017.
Doug Burgum is the governor of North Dakota. His term expires in December. Burgum is also being considered for other Cabinet positions.