U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has been actively advancing the Trump administration's agricultural agenda with several significant announcements and international initiatives in recent days.
On May 30, 2025, Secretary Rollins announced she will lead a trade delegation to Rome, Italy on June 2-3, continuing her aggressive international travel agenda to promote American agriculture. During this visit, she plans to meet with senior Italian government officials, including Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, to address market access barriers facing U.S. agricultural products. Rollins expressed concern about "high tariffs and numerous non-tariff barriers" that have unfairly impacted U.S. agricultural stakeholders in European markets.
Just days earlier, on May 27, Rollins announced a new slate of presidential appointments to key USDA positions, including Patrick Penn as Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. Penn, a former Kansas State Representative and Army Signal Officer, brings experience in reforming social welfare programs and reducing regulatory burdens.
These appointments align with Rollins' "Farmers First" agenda, which she has been implementing since her confirmation as the 33rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture on February 13, 2025. The agenda was formalized on May 19 when she unveiled the "Small Family Farms Policy Agenda" as part of her Make Agriculture Great Again Initiative. This comprehensive set of policies aims to improve the viability of small-scale family operations, which constitute approximately 86% of all U.S. farms.
The policy framework addresses multiple challenges facing small family farmers, including streamlining application processes, improving access to credit and markets, enhancing risk management tools, and ensuring farmland can be passed down to future generations.
Rollins has maintained an active travel schedule since taking office, visiting 15 states in her first 100 days. Earlier this month, she also announced plans to visit India, Japan, and Vietnam in the coming weeks as part of ongoing tariff discussions.
Her appointment has received broad support from agricultural organizations including the National Corn Growers Association, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, and The Fertilizer Institute, with industry leaders praising her understanding of agricultural issues and policy expertise.
However, Rollins has also initiated controversial workforce changes at USDA. Shortly after taking office, she referenced an "aggressive plan to optimize its workforce by eliminating positions that are no longer necessary," which led to the dismissal of probationary employees in several research-focused USDA agencies.
As she continues to implement the administration's agricultural priorities, Rollins remains focused on expanding market opportunities for American farmers and ranchers while reshaping USDA's approach to agricultural policy and programs.
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