A U.S. Department of Agriculture sign is seen on the USDA building in Washington, DC, on June 21, 2023. The US Department of Agriculture has approved the sale of cell-cultured chicken. (Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency, Getty Images)
Celal Gunes | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to nominate Brooke Rollins, president of the America First Policy Institute, to be secretary of agriculture, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.
If confirmed, Mr. Rollins would lead a 100,000-person agency with offices in every county in the country, and his responsibilities include agriculture and nutrition programs, forestry, housing and farm financing, and food and beverage services. These include security, rural development, agricultural research, and trade. The budget for 2024 was $437.2 billion.
President Trump’s transition team did not respond to requests for comment.
The candidates’ agendas will affect the eating habits and wallets of Americans in both urban and rural areas. USDA officials and staff negotiate trade deals, guide dietary recommendations, inspect meat, fight wildfires, support rural broadband, and more.
The America First Institute for Policy Studies is a right-wing think tank whose staff has worked closely with the Trump campaign to help shape the incoming administration’s policies. She served as chair of the Domestic Policy Council during President Trump’s first term.
If approved, Rollins will discuss how and whether to implement the Clean Fuels Tax Credit for biofuels at a time when the biofuels sector hopes to grow through the production of sustainable aviation fuels. will advise the government on this matter.
He will also lead next year’s renegotiation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement in the shadow of Mexico’s attempt to ban imports of genetically modified corn and a dispute over Canada’s dairy import quotas. .
President Trump reiterated his plans to impose significant tariffs that are likely to impact the agricultural sector.
CNN reported Friday that he was considering offering the role to former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, a staunch ally he chose to co-chair his inaugural committee.
