Trump’s choose for USDA secretary untested as an ag chief 

by Dave Dickey, Columnist, Examine Midwest
December 10, 2024

by Dave Dickey, Columnist, Examine Midwest
December 10, 2024

That president-elect Donald Trump’s ultimate cupboard nomination is for USDA secretary in all probability says one thing about his mindset regarding most issues agriculture.

Again burner.

In spite of everything, Trump named two candidates to function legal professional basic earlier than he bought round to tapping Glen Rose, Texas-native Brooke Rollins to guide the massively advanced United States Division of Agriculture.

Now that he’s bought round to it, Trump’s choose for USDA secretary is one thing of a head scratcher for Huge Ag and agricultural organizations alike.

Rollins has little management expertise with agriculture. In Trump’s first administration, she served as a home coverage advisor. At present, she is president and CEO of the American First Coverage Institute that promotes Trump’s views on border safety, power and overseas coverage.

In asserting her agricultural chops, a Trump press launch famous:

“From her upbringing within the small and Agriculture-centered city of Glen Rose, Texas, to her years of management involvement with Future Farmers of America and 4H, to her generational Household Farming background, to guiding her 4 children of their present cattle careers, Brooke has a practitioner’s expertise…”

Rollins additionally has an undergraduate diploma from Texas A&M in agricultural management and growth.

If we’re being trustworthy, nothing in her biography screams agriculture govt of a division with an annual price range that exceeds $209 billion and 100,000 staff accountable for overseeing the U.S.’s $1.5 trillion agriculture and meals business.

Rollins might want to study on the job quickly. She’ll be handed a dumpster hearth of agricultural points after Senate affirmation:

The Farm Invoice. With the GOP takeover of Congress and the White Home subsequent month, lawmakers are within the technique of extending the already delayed farm invoice, giving Republicans a possibility to pack the invoice with contentious calls for.

The slow-burn rising chook flu disaster. USDA is at the moment concerned in a mess of challenges relating to extremely pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza that has so far contaminated greater than 600 dairy herds throughout america and reveals no indicators of waning.

USDA’s relationship with Well being and Human Companies. HHS nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. guarantees to terminate many years of company farm practices in a battle towards corn, sugar and soybean industries that he claims are poisoning Individuals. None of that are straight below HHS purview. It will likely be as much as Rollins to make sure Kennedy stays in his personal lane.

Tariffs. Trump presumably hung out speaking on to Rollins previous to her nomination. And I am positive Trump requested if she would loyally again his plans to reignite a tariff battle with China and Mexico and, for good measure, toss Canada into the combo. Agricultural teams are relying on Rollins to in some way reasonable Trump’s pending tariff battle the place she would doubtless have assist within the Senate. I anticipate Senators will pull no punches in urgent tariff issues throughout Rollins’ affirmation listening to. For his or her half, farmers are already feeling the monetary pinch of file labor prices and decreased authorities assist. Throughout his first administration, Trump paid farmers for his or her losses because of his tariff battle on China. Would he be prepared to take action once more as a lame-duck president? And what sway may Rollins have in his pondering?

Consultations over the United States, Mexico, Canada Settlement. The deal requires a joint overview in 2026 the place the nations can supply adjustments or modifications. The commerce deal will sundown in 2036 — if the three nations fail to affirm renewal after the 2026 overview; renewal could be for one more 16-year time period. USMCA is way more than agriculture, however I would be shocked if there weren’t adjustments impacting ag commerce.

Immigration. Trump has promised to deport thousands and thousands of immigrants who’re within the U.S. illegally. Farm teams are hoping Trump will present an exemption for roughly 1 million farmworkers missing authorized standing.

As for agricultural points Rollins would personally like to deal with … who is aware of? America First Coverage Institute coverage issues have little to say about on a regular basis agricultural points. Neither is Rollins speaking. All in all, it guarantees to be a bumpy 2025 for all issues agriculture.

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