Secretary of Agriculture Addresses Farm Bureau, Water, Labor, and State Overreach
USDA Official Portrait
Speaking at the 107th American Farm Bureau Convention in California, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins delivered a forceful message: agriculture in California—and across the nation—faces existential threats driven by regulatory overreach, rising costs, and state-level policies that put ideology ahead of food security.
In her opening remarks, Rollins said she was grateful to be in California for her first visit since being sworn in as the 33rd Secretary of Agriculture. She emphasized that while the convention celebrated American agriculture, it also highlighted urgent challenges confronting farmers and ranchers, particularly in states like California.
Before turning to policy, Rollins acknowledged the recent passing of Congressman Doug LaMalfa, calling it a major loss for rural America and agricultural leadership. She then described a roundtable discussion she had just completed with farmers, ranchers, business leaders, and local officials from Potter Valley, California—many of whom traveled long distances to attend.
Potter Valley Dams and Food Security
Rollins centered her opening comments on the Scott and Cape Horn dams in Potter Valley, which have provided reliable water to the region for more than a century. She sharply criticized California’s efforts to remove the dams, describing the push as reckless and driven by environmental extremism.
According to Rollins, tearing down the dams would put fish over people, devastate local farming and ranching communities, and directly threaten U.S. food security. She explained that she intervened in the case before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on December 19, signaling that USDA views the issue as far more than a local dispute.
“This represents one of the existential battles of our time,” Rollins said, framing the conflict as part of a broader fight to put agriculture and rural Americans first. She argued that rural America has spent too long in survival mode and that the federal government must help create conditions where it can truly thrive.
Ag Meter Question: What Can Be Done for California Farmers?
When asked by the “Ag Meter”, Nick Papagni of AgNet West, what the Trump administration can do in 2026 to help California farmers facing water shortages, labor costs, and heavy regulation, Rollins delivered one of her most pointed responses.
She said California should be the best example of American agriculture, given its climate and resources, yet farmers and ranchers are “fighting to survive.” Citing the Potter Valley case, Rollins said the situation should alarm any reasonable American and underscored President Trump’s directive for her to fight these battles aggressively.
Rollins acknowledged that federal authority has limits but said USDA can still make a major impact by lowering input costs and opening markets. She highlighted changes to the H-2A labor program that she said will reduce labor costs by nearly 23 percent overnight—critical relief in a state where labor costs rose 47 percent under the previous administration and remain among the highest in the nation.
She also pointed to falling costs in fuel, fertilizer, and interest rates, combined with an aggressive trade agenda that produced more than a dozen new trade deals in one year. Rollins contrasted that with what she described as a $50 billion trade deficit inherited from the prior administration, saying California producers—from blueberries and tree nuts to citrus and dairy—lost real income as a result.
A Path Forward for Farmers
While highlighting bridge payments, specialty crop assistance, and expanded base acres as important safety nets, Rollins stressed that her ultimate goal is not to make farmers dependent on government checks. “Farmers want to farm to support their families and pass it on to the next generation,” she said. “That’s the goal—and that’s what we’re working toward every day.”