Trump pushing for Sam Clovis to serve as the USDA's top scientist is "a direct attack on science and our food and farm system," coalition says

A diverse coalition on Friday called for senators to oppose the nomination of Sam Clovis—President Donald Trump's controversial pick to serve as chief scientist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture—calling it "a direct attack on science and our food and farm system."

In their letter to senators, more than 50 groups, including Friends of the Earth, ActionAid USA, the National Family Farm Coalition, Patagonia, and Sierra Club, argue the former conservative talk radio host who also served as Trump campaign co-chair "lacks the formal training in the hard sciences and expertise in food and agriculture policy" to serve as undersecretary of research, education, and economics at the USDA.

In short, he has vocalized disregard for worker rights, is a climate change skeptic, and is not a scientist, so his serving in the post would violate the law, they write.

From the letter: