WASHINGTON, D.C. — Brooke Rollins, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), was confirmed for the post on February 12. Her confirmation came after a successful Jan. 23 confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. 

Rollins, 52, is familiar to Trump after serving as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council during the Republican president’s first term of office. She is the CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank founded in 2021 to promote Trump’s public policy agenda.

Rollins faced a series of tough questions from Senate lawmakers during her three-hour hearing on issues including trade, ad-hoc farmer aid and the president’s policy on illegal immigration. In addition to answering the panel’s queries, Rollins laid out her top four priorities for “day one” following her confirmation. First up: “a fast and furious effort” to distribute the $10 billion in economic aid Congress approved for farmers in December.

“First, we must ensure that the disaster and economic assistance authorized by Congress is deployed as quickly and as efficiently as possible,” Rollins said. She also promised to “immediately and comprehensively get a handle on the state of animal disease outbreaks,” though no specifics were provided. 

In addition, Rollins promised to “immediately begin to modernize, realign (and) rethink the United States Department of Agriculture,” while terminating remote work options for USDA employees — reflecting the campaign promises of the president. Her final commitment was to work to improve the lives and opportunities, in general, for farm and rural families and communities. 

“We understand that serving all American agriculture and all the American people means ensuring that our rural communities are equipped and supported to prosper, not just today, but tomorrow and the day after that in the many tomorrows to come,” Rollins testified.

The senate committee was especially interested in Rollins’ stance on tariffs. News sources reported that  USDA would be prepared to execute something similar to the ad-hoc payment programs offered to farmers during Trump’s first term. Rollins pledged to work with the White House “to ensure that we can close those holes for our farmers and ranchers moving forward under any sort of tariff execution in the next coming days, in the next few years.

“I think it probably comes as no surprise to anyone sitting in this room that he believes it is a very important tool in his tool kit to … bring America back to the forefront of the world and to ensure that we have a thriving economy. But just as he did and we did in the first administration, he also understands the potential devastating impact to our farmers and our ranchers.”

Twenty-eight state agriculture leaders, including agriculture department directors and secretaries from Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri, voiced their support for Rollins in a letter to John Boozman, chair of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, and Amy Klobuchar, ranking member of the committee. The state ag leaders noted that Rollins’ nomination required a swift confirmation due to the current economic state of the agriculture industry.

“Given the unexpected recent natural disasters, economic hardship, and disease threats faced by U.S. agriculture, it is imperative Secretary-designate Rollins is quickly able to get to work at USDA, so that our states may begin partnering with her on addressing these and other important issues. As such, we urge your Committee, and the entire U.S. Senate, to expeditiously confirm Secretary-designate Rollins as the next Secretary of Agriculture,” the officials wrote.

Rollins’ biography shows that she has been engaged in American agriculture since an early age in both Texas and Minnesota. A Texas A&M University graduate, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Development. In addition, Rollins participated in both 4-H and FFA as a youth.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as the nation’s 33rd Secretary of Agriculture — and a privilege beyond description to have the trust of President Donald J. Trump, and the opportunity to advance his agenda. I am thrilled to lead the United States Department of Agriculture and to serve the people of this country,” said Rollins, after her nomination. “Every day, I will fight for American farmers, ranchers, and the agriculture community. Together, we have an historic opportunity to revitalize rural America and to ensure that U.S. Agriculture remains the best in the world for generations to come.”

Upon nominating Brooke Rollins in November, President Donald J. Trump said, “Brooke’s commitment to support the American Farmer, defense of American Food Self-Sufficiency, and the restoration of Agriculture-dependent American Small Towns is second to none.”