Kevin Shea (administrator)

Kevin Shea
Kevin Shea
Acting United States Secretary of Agriculture
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; January 20, 2021
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Sonny Perdue
Personal details
Education	DeMatha Catholic High School ; University of Maryland, College Park (BA); University of Baltimore (JD)

Kevin Shea is an American administrator who has served as the acting United States Secretary of Agriculture since January 20, 2021.[1] A career civil servant, he has also served as the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a division of the United States Department of Agriculture, since June 18, 2013.[2]

As administrator, Shea has filed legal complaints against tiger owners violating the Animal Welfare Act of 1966, including one in July 2016 against Tim Stark and Wildlife in Need;[3] and again in August 2020, against Jeff Lowe, the former business partner of Joe Exotic, regarding the alleged mistreatment of his tiger cubs.[4] The latter case resulted in a federal judge, John F. Heil III, requiring the surrender of all tiger cubs in mid-January 2021.[5]

Shea is a graduate of DeMatha Catholic High School; the University of Maryland in College Park; and the University of Baltimore School of Law, summa cum laude.[2] He has worked at the Department of Agriculture since 1978.[1] A decorated employee, Shea has received Presidential Rank Awards for Distinguished Service (2012) and Meritorious Service (2009) from President Obama, and Distinguished Service (2004) from President Bush.

References

Ferguson, James (January 21, 2021). "Kevin Shea is acting Ag Secretary, until Vilsack confirmation". RFD-TV. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
"APHIS Leadership and Biographies". USDA. January 20, 2021.
Shipman, Bobby; Goetz, Kristina (July 14, 2016). "USDA files formal complaint against Wildlife in Need". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
Clay, Nolan (August 24, 2020). "'Tiger King' zookeeper Jeff Lowe willfully violated animal welfare regulations, feds say". USA Today. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
Spears, Darcy (January 18, 2021). "Federal court crackdown forces 'Tiger King's' Jeff Lowe to surrender cubs". KTNV-13. Retrieved January 21, 2021.

External links

Appearances on C-SPAN

Political offices
Preceded by Sonny Perdue	United States Secretary of Agriculture Acting 2021–present	Succeeded by Tom Vilsack Nominee

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[RFD-1] Ferguson, James (January 21, 2021). "Kevin Shea is acting Ag Secretary, until Vilsack confirmation". RFD-TV. Retrieved 2021-01-21.

[USDA-Bio-2] "APHIS Leadership and Biographies". USDA. January 20, 2021.

[3] Shipman, Bobby; Goetz, Kristina (July 14, 2016). "USDA files formal complaint against Wildlife in Need". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 2021-01-21.

[4] Clay, Nolan (August 24, 2020). "'Tiger King' zookeeper Jeff Lowe willfully violated animal welfare regulations, feds say". USA Today. Retrieved January 21, 2021.

[5] Spears, Darcy (January 18, 2021). "Federal court crackdown forces 'Tiger King's' Jeff Lowe to surrender cubs". KTNV-13. Retrieved January 21, 2021.