chicago u.s. president-elect donald trump leave agriculture secretary last department head name cabinet meet chief executives two agribusiness giants give hint roster farm issue incoming president face trump meet wednesday leaders monsanto co mon.n bayer ag baygn.de pitch benefit propose 66 billion merger critical large tie-ups trump publicly take stance bayer-monsanto deal secretary u.s. department agriculture usda approve reject merger face issue industry consolidation dow chemical co dow.n propose merge dupont dd.n china national chemical corp chemchina cnncc.ul seek acquire syngenta ag synn.s trade environmental regulation 2018 federal farm bill also expect top farm agenda trump take office jan. 20 accord members agricultural advisory committee form campaign trump respond issue pick lead usda could determine whether able maintain strong rural support demonstrate nov. election committee members tell reuters meet trump advisers suggest possible nominees help define type person lead department former georgia governor sonny perdue trump lead candidate run department senior trump transition team official say last week trump also meet elsa murano undersecretary agriculture food safety president george w. bush chuck conner head national council farmer cooperatives also talk abel maldonado former lieutenant governor california co-owner runway vineyards tim huelskamp former republican u.s. representative kansas sid miller texas agriculture commissioner trump committee want someone familiar day-to-day farm life open new market trade pressure federal regulators ease environmental restrictions accord dozen committee members interview reuters sooner someone place agriculture secretary good say mike strain louisiana commissioner agriculture forestry part trump agricultural advisory committee a.g. kawamura former california agriculture secretary committee say discussions within trump transition team free flow head agency usda make 29 agencies offices perform job range agricultural research work foreign governments facilitate trade generally country know propose cabinet go inauguration day learn anything past year make assumptions happen say john block illinois corn soybean hog producer serve usda secretary president ronald reagan certain trump make right choice like think see conclusion soon look future say plenty confidence trump hang there one key trait look someone stand farmers amid flurry merger deal bayer-monsanto tie-up even members trump agricultural advisory committee disagree deal merit bayer ceo werner baumann monsanto ceo hugh grant productive meet president-elect trump team share view future agriculture industry need innovation accord statement issue company bill northey iowa agriculture secretary member trump agricultural advisory team say believe president-elect pay attention monsanto-bayer merger rural voters support election say possible part deal might beneficial piece would detrimental trump meet biotech ceos farm advisers fret empty usda spot