Senate Overwhelmingly Confirms Brooke Rollins as 33rd Secretary of Agriculture

Brooke Rollins, President Trump’s nominee for Agriculture Secretary, was overwhelmingly confirmed by the Senate on Thursday. The vote was 72-28. Her confirmation was expected, as the Senate maintains its quick pace of confirming President Donald Trump’s key Cabinet positions.

“America’s farmers, ranchers and foresters need a leader at USDA who will be an advocate for their livelihoods and rural America and be a strong voice to address the pressing needs of our agriculture community. Brooke Rollins is that person,” Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, said on the Senate floor prior to the vote.

“I congratulate Secretary Rollins on her confirmation,” said House Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN) in a statement following the vote. “Secretary Rollins begins her new role at a critical time for American agriculture. Family farmers are struggling with high input costs and low prices; tariffs are being proposed that will raise costs on American producers and American consumers; the agricultural workforce is being threatened; and Congress is behind schedule in passing a new, bipartisan farm bill. If we want to tackle these challenges in a way that supports family farmers and the communities they feed, we will need to work together. I look forward to building a strong working relationship with Secretary Rollins as ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee.”

Rollins’ close ties to President Trump are viewed as a positive for U.S. agriculture as some say, “she has President Trump’s ear.”

When President Trump made the nomination announcement in November, he said her “commitment to support the American farmer, the defense of American food self-sufficiency and the restoration of agriculture-dependent American small towns is second to none.”

Important Issues in Immediate Focus

Rollins has some important issues to focus on immediately, including:

1. Reviewing the various USDA grants and other funding that remain frozen;
2. Getting ag disaster ($21 billion) and economic aid ($10 billion) payments made to eligible producers;
3. Working with NEC Director Kevin Hassett and others on the bird flu situation;
4. Monitoring the impact of Trump tariffs on the U.S. ag sector and any need for a farmer aid program
5. Advising key congressional members on a new farm bill;
6. Working with Treasury/IRS, EPA and Energy Dept. personnel on finalizing information regarding the 45Z program;
7. Informing President Trump and others about the impact on farm country from mass deportations relative to border security action;
8. Checking on and working with other agencies and departments regarding food aid;
9. Working with her new staff and other key USDA personnel as they officially come into USDA;
10. Getting ready for fiscal year 2026 budget matters for USDA;
11. Working with EPA and the Dept. of Energy on the 2026 RFS RVOs;
12. Dealing with a smaller USDA workforce via buyouts and other actions to reduce the number of government workers;
13. Addressing issues raised by the GAO relative to operation of the SNAP/food stamps program and other operational aspects of the program should they see any major alternations under budget reconciliation.

Rollins Gets Straight to Work

Rollins already held a meeting at 4 p.m. CT Thursday at USDA on bird flu, gathering who she said were “some of the most brilliant professionals I’ve encountered. Their insights were invaluable.” Rollins will be very visible in the days ahead, she said on X that she will be in four states, give six speeches, attend the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville and “so much more.”

A Look Back at Rollins’ Confirmation Hearing

During Rollins’ confirmation hearing in the Senate Ag Committee last month, she outlined several key priorities for USDA if confirmed:

• Rapid deployment of disaster and economic assistance authorized by Congress.
• Addressing current animal disease outbreaks.
• Modernizing and realigning USDA.
• Ensuring long-term prosperity for rural communities.

Rollins also clarified her stance on ethanol and RFS, distancing herself from past positions of the Texas Public Policy Foundation:

• She stated the Foundation’s position on ethanol/RFS was written a decade ago and was one of 900 to 1,000 papers produced annually.
• Rollins emphasized she did not author those papers.
• While admitting to being a defender of fossil fuels, she insisted she would be “a secretary for all of agriculture” and a “champion for all fuels.”

Tariff Impact Aid for Farmers

During questioning, Senate Ag Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.) asked Rollins about her approach to working with President Trump’s trade agenda. Rollins responded she would prioritize working with the White House to address any challenges farmers and ranchers might face under potential tariff implementations.

Rollins committed to supporting farmers in the case of tariff-related harm:

• She pledged to undertake efforts such as the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) via payments from the first Trump administration. MFP was part of a broader effort by USDA to assist farmers impacted by retaliatory tariffs and trade disruptions.
• Rollins has consulted with former USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue about the implementation of such programs.

Rollins previously servied as the president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a think tank established by former Trump officials to promote conservative policies.

AFPI has advocated for curbing foreign ownership — particularly from China — of U.S. farmland, an issue with bipartisan support in Congress. She served as the president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) from 2003 to 2018, where she significantly expanded the organization and positioned it as a leading state-based think tank.

Economists Says Rollins is a Positive for U.S. Agriculture

(Farm Journal )

80% of economists in the January Ag Economists’ Monthly say Rollins is a positive pick for U.S. agriculture.

“Rollins knows ag and has Trump’s ear,” said one economist.

“Her close connection the President and reasons outlined in the letter sent by 427 ag organizations and businesses on January 15th,” said another economist.

20% of economists say Rollins wouldn’t be positive for U.S. agriculture.

One economist said, “USDA focused heavily on under-served producers during the Vilsack era and my sense is that producers wanted the Secretary to come from a production ag view; whereas Rollins come at it more from an overall domestic policy view. Also, feel the administration isn’t helping her out with the Deputy Secretary nomination. Producers don’t see themselves in the upcoming USDA leadership.”

Ag Groups React to Rollins’ Confirmation

• “Congratulations to Secretary Brooke Rollins on her confirmation to lead USDA. America’s pork producers are eager to work with Secretary Rollins to fix the multitude of problems caused by California Proposition 12 and ensure farm families have reasonable policies to pass down our farms to future generations,” said National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).
• “On behalf of America’s farmer cooperatives, I would like to congratulate Brooke Rollins on her confirmation as Secretary of Agriculture today. In this role, Secretary Rollins will lead an agency that impacts the operations of every farm and ranch in the country and touches every local community across rural America. She will also serve as the voice of producers within the Trump administration at a critical moment. NCFC looks forward to working with Secretary Rollins on a range of issues within USDA that impact farmer co-ops and their members,” said National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC).
• “Congratulations to Secretary Brooke Rollins on her bi-partisan confirmation to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Clearly, President Trump has selected a highly capable and accomplished individual to lead USDA. Secretary Rollins’ commitment to returning USDA to its core mission of supporting all of agriculture is exactly the focus our country needs right now. I am confident that she will be an effective advocate for farmers, ensuring that President Trump’s policies reflect their needs and support the vitality of our rural communities,” said Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture.
• “The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) congratulates the Honorable Brooke Rollins on her confirmation to lead USDA as the 33rd U.S. agriculture secretary. Rollin’s policy crafting experience and passion for opportunities for agriculture will contribute tangible impacts for American farmers and ranchers and people around the globe who enjoy U.S. food products.
  NASDA is enthusiastic to work with the secretary on our priorities including increasing economic opportunities for farmers, ranchers and food producers, advancing a new farm bill, improving Americans’ access to nutrient-dense foods and ensuring American agriculture can continue to provide the most secure, affordable and nutritious food supply in the world,” NASDA said in a statement.
• “Secretary Rollins understands the pain points the agriculture industry faces and has a plan to address these right away,” Hawkins said. “She understands the importance of a strong safety net and is prepared to work with Congress to implement a modernized Farm Bill. She will work with farmers to eliminate burdensome and costly regulations that hamper innovation, will spearhead animal disease prevention and mitigation, and will identify new export channels across the globe to support markets. Raised in rural Texas, Secretary Rollins knows the importance of strengthening our rural communities and making them a great place to live, work, and raise our families. We are thrilled with her bipartisan confirmation and welcome the opportunity to work with her to advance the agriculture industry,” said Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins.
• Michael Dykes, President and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), expressed confidence in Rollins’ capabilities.
  “IDFA congratulates Ms. Rollins on her confirmation to lead USDA as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. We’re confident she will be a strong voice for the U.S. food and agriculture industry across the federal government. As USDA navigates a dynamic trade environment, we need Secretary Rollins’ leadership to expand U.S. dairy exports, support a coordinated response to animal disease outbreaks, and preserve dairy’s critical place in federal nutrition programs, including SNAP milk and dairy nutrition incentives, WIC and school meals. IDFA looks forward to working with Secretary Rollins at USDA to strengthen Americans’ dietary health, support farmers and the entire dairy supply chain in the production of wholesome food, and build a regulatory environment that promotes innovation, growth and food safety. These efforts will enable our industry to continue leading the world in the production of high-quality, nutritious dairy foods,” Dykes stated.

Rollins and will now finish assembling her team at USDA. Here are the key appointments already made by President Trump:

• Stephen Vaden: Nominated for Deputy USDA Secretary

Undersecretary Nominees

• Richard Fordyce: Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation
• Dudley Hoskins: Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs
• Luke Lindberg: Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs
• Michael Boren: Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment
• Scott Hutchins: Undersecretary for Research, Education and Economics

Senior Staff Appointments:

• Kailee Tkacz Buller: Chief of Staff at USDA
• Preston Parry: Deputy Chief of Staff
• Jennifer Tiller: Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary and Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services
• Dominic Restuccia: White House Liaison for USDA
• Ralph Linden: Principal Deputy General Counsel
• Audra Weeks: Deputy Director of Communications

Natural Resources and Environment Appointments

• Kristin Sleeper: Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment
• Tom Schultz: Chief of Staff for Natural Resources and Environment

Other Notable Appointments

• Brooke Appleton: Deputy Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation
• Tyler Clarkson: USDA General Counsel