Brooke L. Rollins, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for agriculture secretary, is expected to address deficiencies in the USDA’s data collection systems to keep closer track of foreign ownership of U.S. farmland.
Rollins, chief executive of the America First Policy Institute, a key player in the transition and vocal opponent of Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland, has a strong agriculture background as a graduate of Texas A&M University. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall greeted her selection with enthusiasm.
“We’re encouraged by her statement that she’d ‘fight for America’s farmers and our nation’s agricultural communities.’ Effective leadership at USDA is more important than ever as farmers and ranchers face a struggling agricultural economy,” Duvall said in a press release.
If confirmed by the Senate, Rollins would take control amid threats by Trump to impose stiffer tariffs on China.
During his first administration, Trump’s tariffs cost farmers billions and led the federal government to grant $32 billion in subsidies in 2020 alone.
At the end of 2022, 30 million acres of farm and forest land was foreign-owned, with 13.4 million additional acres under long-term lease. The USDA reported Canada accounted for 32% of the land followed by Netherlands at 12%. China had just 1%, 349,442 acres.
Roll Call noted Rollins is particularly concerned about foreign investment in U.S. agriculture land. The American First Policy Institute has called for restrictions on Chinese investment.
Rollins is expected to tighten regulations and may use the next five-year farm bill – the last was signed in 2018 – as a vehicle for bolstering USDA oversight.
On other issues, the next secretary of agriculture will need to decide whether to move forward on Biden administration initiatives to equalize compensation to black farmers, invest in regenerative farming practices and curb consolidation in the meatpacking sector.
Also on the table is whether to implement clean fuel tax credits for biofuels. Rollins worked to promote the use of fossil fuels as president of the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Rollins said on X: “It will be the honor of my life to fight for America’s farmers and our Nation’s agricultural communities.”
The sprawling USDA, with a budget of more than $437 billion and 100,000 employees, oversees not only agriculture, but administers food assistance programs that serve 42 million people, supports the electrification of rural areas, manages the nation’s forests and wildlife, and negotiates trade deals.
“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Politico reported conservative-leaning farm groups likely are buoyed by Rollins’ pick. Rollins, who grew up on a farm, attained a law degree from the University of Texas. During the first Trump administration, Rollins was director of the Office of American Innovation and acting director of the Domestic Policy Council.
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