Brooke Rollins has made a significant impact in her initial days as the newly confirmed U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. On February 14, 2025, she delivered her opening remarks at the USDA headquarters, addressing over 400 employees, stakeholders, and congressional members. In her speech, Rollins emphasized the critical role of American agriculture, highlighting that farmers and ranchers are essential to the nation's well-being and the foundation of democratic civics.
Rollins outlined several key priorities for her tenure, including ensuring American agriculture competes fairly on the global stage, supporting rural communities, and managing land and forests effectively. She also stressed the importance of unity and meritocracy, announcing the end of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) programs within the USDA. Instead, the department will focus on celebrating American values such as merit, faith, and liberty[2][3].
On her first full day in office, Secretary Rollins took several bold actions. She issued a memorandum to rescind all DEIA programs and celebrations, and sent a letter to the nation's governors outlining her vision for the department and inviting them to participate in a new "laboratories for innovation" initiative. Additionally, she encouraged state leaders to participate in pilot programs to reform the food stamp program (SNAP), with a focus on establishing more robust work requirements[3].
Rollins also convened a briefing on avian flu and reviewed options for a comprehensive strategy to combat it and lower egg prices. She delivered a video message and a letter of gratitude to U.S. Forest Service firefighters for their heroic actions during recent wildfires in California. Furthermore, she implemented findings from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to optimize the USDA workforce and eliminate wasteful spending, resulting in the termination of 78 contracts totaling over $132 million and the cancellation of 948 employee trainings, many of which focused on DEI[3].
The new Secretary has also faced immediate challenges, including budget cuts proposed by the House Budget Committee that could impact food-aid recipients in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Despite these challenges, Rollins has received praise from various agricultural groups, with leaders such as Chuck Conner of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives and Zippy Duvall of the American Farm Bureau Federation expressing their support and looking forward to working with her on key agricultural issues[5].
Rollins' confirmation has provided some clarity for farmers and organizations whose conservation payments and other programs were frozen under the Trump administration. Her leadership is expected to be crucial in addressing the economic and labor challenges faced by American farmers and ranchers, as well as in passing a new, bipartisan farm bill[5].
In summary, Secretary Rollins has hit the ground running, making significant decisions and setting clear priorities for her tenure at the USDA. Her focus on supporting American agriculture, promoting unity and meritocracy, and addressing immediate challenges reflects her commitment to serving the nation's agricultural community and the broader public.
