Author: Gage Skidmore, Surprise, AZ, USA/Wikipedia image
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, he has nominated Brooke Rollins, a former White House aide, to serve as the Secretary of Agriculture. Rollins’ nomination marks a significant choice for the leadership of the federal Agriculture Department in Trump’s second term.
The announcement has drawn a mix of reactions from the agricultural community, with some expressing cautious optimism. Mark Eisele, President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and a Wyoming rancher, highlighted both challenges and opportunities presented by Rollins’ nomination.
“She’s not a deep-seated producer in that sense, but she is sensitive,” Eisele remarked, referencing Rollins’ connection to agriculture through her children, who participate in livestock shows. “The traceability rule will actually affect her kids. But more importantly, we think she’s, for lack of a better term, trainable. We can actually show her a direct course and back it up with science and numbers and facts so that she can make good decisions.”
Eisele added that cattle producers anticipate improved communication and accessibility compared to the outgoing Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack. “We were limited in our access to Secretary Vilsack. This will be a refreshing, open book for us. We feel very positive about it at this point,” he said.
Eisele also expressed confidence in the direction of agricultural policy under Trump’s renewed leadership. Reflecting on lessons learned during Trump’s first term, Eisele noted that the President-elect’s familiarity with Washington, D.C., and his network of appointees could lead to smoother governance in the coming years.
“It took him a while to learn how to operate in D.C. the last time. Now he knows who the players are, and we also have a better feel for who he’s going to have for appointees and Cabinet picks,” Eisele said. “We’ve already been working with them. We started working with their Chief of Staff quite a while ago. And so, we’re making sure we have a voice at the table on that.”
If confirmed, Rollins will face a range of pressing issues, including livestock traceability, environmental regulations, and trade policies impacting American farmers and ranchers. Her ability to address these challenges and collaborate with stakeholders will be key to shaping the agriculture sector during Trump’s second term.
Rollins’ nomination is set to undergo Senate confirmation in the weeks ahead, with stakeholders from across the agricultural industry closely watching the process and its implications for the nation’s farmers and ranchers.