Robert F. Kennedy Jr: “We need to support the farmers.”

If confirmed, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says he wants to work with farmers and ranchers.

Robert F Kennedy Jr. spent more than four hours before a Senate panel and said farmers are a big part of his vision to “make America healthy again.”

“What we need to do is we need to support the farmers,” Kennedy said. “We need the farmers as partners if we’re going to make them work. I don’t want a single farmer to go out of business under our watch.”

Kennedy will appear before the Senate Health, Education, and Labor Committee today.

“If I’m privileged to be confirmed, I won’t regulate farms — that’s under USDA,” Kennedy stated. “But with all of my decisions, I want to partner with USDA and with the farm community, to make sure that we don’t lose more farmers in this country, but we also transition. We offer and incentivize transitions, regenerative agriculture, and no-till agriculture to be less chemically intensive. By the way, I’ve met with the chemical industry and the fertilizer and herbicide companies, and they want to do the same thing.”

Related Stories
The fun continues in Nashville next year at CattleCon 2027!
The phone call injected optimism into the soybean market, but actual Chinese buying and its timing will ultimately determine the extent of U.S. agricultural export benefits.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln President Dr. Jeffrey Gold talks about heart health and preventive care for viewers in rural communities.
The biggest development of 2025 in agricultural law and taxation was the signing into law on July 4 of the Trump Administration’s landmark legislation, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act (OBBBA)
University of Nebraska President Dr. Jeffrey Gold joined us with important insights on drug safety and rural health during the winter months.
Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, provides new updates on winter storm impacts and the outlook for rural power reliability.
Jessi Grote from the AgriSafe Network provides winter safety guidance for rural communities still recovering from the recent winter storm.
A rapidly intensifying winter storm is expected to develop into a bomb cyclone this weekend, affecting the Southeast, southern Virginia, and potentially parts of the mid‑Atlantic and New England.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

A booming butterfat market is good for some dairy products but threatens efficiency and margins for cheesemakers unless protein levels catch up
Duane Simpson, CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC), joined us in Monday’s Market Day Report to share his perspective on the USDA’s plan and potential impact on producers.
U.S. Farmers Navigate Harvest Pace, Costs, Policy Shifts
Land values are increasing faster than farm income, making it more challenging for young and beginning farmers to expand, but supporting equity for current landowners.
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers, Crop Insurance, and a Business Planning Complication