Sec. Brooke Rollins: “Significant trade agreement announcements” are coming down the pipeline soon

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins was in the hot seat twice in one week, this time before a House Appropriations Committee, defending USDA’s budget for next year.

When pressed on making up lost dollars from recent trade action, Rollins said the President’s team is already working on solutions.

“I have never been more encouraged about what is going to happen. The deals will begin to be announced very soon. It may be private, but we’ve got several of our Cabinet Secretaries heading out across the world, not just myself; in the UK, the President is heading to the Middle East, our Secretary of Treasury is headed out, our Secretary of Commerce is headed out. We are very, very close to significant trade agreement announcements. No one will benefit more than our farmers and our ranchers.”

Rollins tells lawmakers her vision moving forward is prioritizing food safety, weeding out wasteful spending, and allowing states to better serve their communities.

Related Stories
Secretary Rollins is signaling a possible reopening of the southern border to Mexican feeder cattle as officials work to manage the threat of the New World Screwworm.
Lower shipping costs alone will not restore export competitiveness.
Rising fuel costs will soon increase grain transportation expenses.
The USDA’s upcoming reports will drop on Tuesday afternoon, giving the trade real results on acreage shifts, drought concerns, and ongoing trade tensions, adding uncertainty for U.S. farmers.
South Texas farmers face worsening drought as Mexico falls short on water payments, leaving producers struggling for irrigation under the 1944 treaty.
Expanded access could boost demand for U.S. exports.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

California rancher and former NCBA President Kevin Kester joined House Republicans on Tuesday to tout provisions in the Big, Beautiful Bill that support family ranches.
The EPA proposal laid out two options: fully reallocate all exempted volumes to the 2026–2027 standards, or reallocate half.
The Fertilizer Research Act, reintroduced by Sens. Grassley, Ernst, and Baldwin, would direct the USDA to study and publish public reports on competition and pricing trends in the fertilizer market.
Allowing year-round sales of E15 nationally could deliver billions in economic gains, according to a new study from the Renewable Fuels Association and National Corn Growers Association.
U.S. aquaculture may gain competitive ground as harmful subsidies are phased out abroad, but producers should monitor shifts in import supply chains and trade enforcement closely.
Producers may need to prepare for margin pressure in livestock feeding, while dairy farmers could benefit from stronger product demand.