Rollins provides vision for USDA at confirmation hearing
Surrounded by a large support system of family, friends and community members, Brooke Rollins, President Donald Trump’s U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) secretary nominee, outlined her day-one priorities, laid out her vison for the department and fielded questions about how she will tackle current issues during her confirmation hearing on Jan. 23 in Washington, D.C.
During her opening remarks, Rollins thanks family and friends in attendance, including her former FFA advisor and the little league softball team she coaches, as well as the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry for her nomination.
“Most importantly, I want to thank and honor the men and women I may potentially serve, who daily – without pause or complaint – provide our great nation and the world with the best food, fiber and fuel,” she adds.
“It is clear we all agree farmers and ranchers are the cornerstone of our nation’s communities, and I commit to you today, if confirmed, I will do everything in my ability to make sure our farmers, ranchers and rural communities thrive,” she continues.
Immediate priorities
With hopes of “rethinking” and “modernizing” USDA in line with Trump’s plans to make sweeping changes across federal agencies, Rollins notes she would immediately get to work on four priorities if confirmed as USDA secretary.
First, she says she will make a “fast and furious effort” to efficiently distribute the $10 billion of economic aid approved by Congress in December.
Second, Rollins vows to address animal disease outbreaks, noting highly pathogenic avian influenza and New World screwworm are currently top of mind.
“Third, we must immediately begin to modernize, realign and rethink the USDA, responding to the clear need and the desires of the American people as set forth so well by the president over this last historic week,” she says.
“And finally, longer term, we understand serving all American agriculture and all of the American people means ensuring our rural communities are equipped to prosper, not just today, but tomorrow, the day after and the many tomorrows to come,” she adds.
Trade and immigration
Trump’s views on tariffs and immigration have caused some controversy in the industry, with many worried a second trade war could severely limit export markets and mass deportation would threaten an already worrisome labor shortage.
When faced with tough questions on the topics, Rollins says she stands behind the president’s views, but promises to cushion the blows and ensure the fallout to the nation’s producers will be limited.
Rollins notes while Trump understands tariffs could have a “potentially devastating impact” on farmers and ranchers, he still believes they are an important tool to ensure a thriving economy.
Because of this, Rollins relays she is willing to set up another farm bailout program to offset trade losses, similar to the Market Facilitation Program employed by former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, who Rollins has been in consultation with.
When it comes to immigration, Rollins promises to advocate for industry interests, even though she supports Trump’s plan to conduct mass deportations.
“The president’s vision of a secure border and a mass deportation at a scale that matters is something I support,” she states. “It is my commitment to help Trump deploy his agenda in an effective way, while at the same time defending our farmers and ranchers across this country. One may argue they are in conflict, but I have both of those as key priorities.”
If confirmed, Rollins plans to work with the Secretary of Labor Nominee U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR) to modernize the H2A visa program.
Biofuels
Another concern brought to light during the hearing was Rollins tenure as president and chief executive officer of the Texas Public Policy Foundation between 2003-18, an organization which has endorsed multiple reports critical of ethanol – even going so far as to call it a national security threat.
When U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, asks about her position on biofuels, Rollins clarifies the documents in question were written over a decade ago and were not authored by her.
While she admits she has been a “massive defender of fossil fuels,” she promises to be a “champion for all fuels,” and notes Trump’s energy plan includes biofuels as a key component.
“I will be a secretary for all agriculture,” Rollins remarks. “It is really important to me we continue to defend, elevate and honor all sources of fuel. In his current energy dominance plan, my former and current boss included biofuels as an important piece of his agenda, so I really look forward to continuing on with this.”
Additionally, Rollins says she is committed to working with U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent on the 45Z Clean Fuels Production Credit and ensure he has the “data and voices around him to make the right decisions.”
Other issues
While immigration, trade and biofuels dominated the discussion during Rollins’ confirmation hearing, a few other issues were also addressed.
Rollins notes she is committed to providing whatever assistance is needed to advance a farm bill and says she is in support of efforts to overturn California’s Proposition 12.
When asked about nutrition program funding, Rollins discloses her support for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other nutrition programs, but would not commit to ruling out funding cuts. She also declines to offer a position on additional work requirements for SNAP recipients.
When U.S. Sen. Rafael Warnock (D-GA) brings up an executive order (EO) issued by Trump with the potential to eliminate USDA’s liaison to 1890 land grant institutions, Rollins admits she is not familiar with the EO.
When asked about the provision in the controversial Project 2025 which calls for capping crop insurance payments at $40,000 per farmer, Rollins declines to offer a position on whether she favors or opposes the cap.
Next steps
To wrap up the hearing, Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) announced committee members had until 6 p.m. on Jan. 24 to submit additional written questions.
Once these questions are resolved, the committee will continue considering Rollins’ nomination, and if they recommend her, the full Senate will vote at a date yet to be determined.
According to a Jan. 28 press release, many of the members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, as well as numerous other policy leaders and stakeholders, are impressed with Rollins and fully support her nomination.
“As I have met and talked with Rollins, it is clear the needs of America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities will be her focus,” says Boozman. “It is also clear she has the relationships across this new administration and an understanding of the processes in which decisions are made in the executive branch to best position our producers for success. I look forward to seeing her bring her considerable skills and abilities to bear at USDA for the benefit of our farmers, ranchers and rural communities.”
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) comments, “At every stage, Rollins has proven herself to be a leader. She’s proven herself to be an innovative policy thinker and she’s proven herself able to bring people together to accomplish major objectives. All of these skills will serve her and the farmers and ranchers of America exceptionally well.”
“There is no doubt Rollins has the connections, the tools and the good ol’ fashioned know-how she needs to be a strong leader and to succeed in the fight for America’s farmers as our next secretary of agriculture,” adds Perdue.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
