SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING WITH USDA SECRETARY ROLLINS
For questions on the note below, please contact the Delta Strategy Group team.
On April 22, the Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration held a hearing to examine the budget proposal for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The witness in the hearing was Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, with her testimony available here.
Below is a summary of the hearing prepared by Delta Strategy Group. It includes several high-level takeaways, followed by summaries of opening statements and discussion.
Key Takeaways
- Discussions raised America First trade policies, reciprocal trade and framework deals, improving foreign market access for producers, and reducing the agricultural trade deficit. Comments also highlighted export market uncertainty, tariff policies and trade wars, alongside higher fertilizer, farm machinery, and fuel input costs.
- Domestic markets and consumption were highlighted as an important opportunity for agriculture, with Secretary Rollins voicing support for the Buy American Cotton Act (BACA) as an opportunity to reinvigorate the U.S. cotton industry. She emphasized that domestic market access, paired with foreign market access and additional trade deals, is critically important. She cited year-round E15, Clean Fuel Production Credit, and the historically large Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) as major steps to expand domestic markets.
- Subcommittee Chairman Hoeven (R-ND) and Secretary Rollins outlined how the Working Families Tax Cuts Act included higher reference prices, paired with enhancements to Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), Price Loss Coverage (PLC), and crop insurance, to support producers. Secretary Rollins also highlighted the launch of One Farmer, One File allowing for faster applications and improved service delivery for producers.
- Food security was repeatedly framed as a matter of national security, with references to the National Farm Security Action Plan’s integration of agriculture into the federal national security strategy, with focus on farmland ownership, food supply chains, industry consolidation, and the purchase of agricultural assets by foreign interests.
- Comments outlined areas for near-term producer support and longer-term competitiveness, including the Farm Bridge Assistance program, targeted relief tied to rising input costs, affordability and availability of fertilizer, strengthening domestic supply chains, and support for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), alongside Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) staffing and service capacity.
SUMMARY OF OPENING STATEMENTS & DISCUSSION
- Secretary Rollins discussed how the administration inherited a farm economy marked by higher costs of doing business, lower commodity prices from prior highs, historic declines in farm income, no new trade deals in four years, and a forecasted $50 billion U.S. agricultural trade deficit. She praised how substantial progress has already been made in reversing that trajectory but emphasized that such a seismic reroute cannot happen overnight. She highlighted short-term support through the Farmer Bridge Assistance program and other USDA efforts to deliver targeted direct relief to farmers facing rising input costs, storms, and temporary market disruptions. She also pointed to the Working Families Tax Cuts Act’s inclusion of higher reference prices, improvements to crop insurance through enhanced coverage and lower premiums, a permanent death tax exemption, and permanent doubling of small business expensing under Section 179.
- Secretary Rollins highlighted how America First trade policies are helping farmers compete in global markets, citing eighteen reciprocal trade deals and frameworks that she said level the playing field and support long-term prosperity. She cited how the agricultural trade deficit is projected to be reduced by 42 percent, alongside the work to expand domestic markets for biofuels producers. She emphasized that the administration will continue to build on this momentum, improving foreign market access for U.S. producers and addressing the remaining agricultural trade deficit.
- Subcommittee Chairman Hoeven (R-ND) and Secretary Rollins reiterated that focusing on agriculture is a matter of national security. Secretary Rollins referenced USDA’s launch of the National Farm Security Action Plan, integrating agriculture into the federal government’s national security strategy for the first time. She outlined how it treats farmland ownership and food supply chains as major national security issues, adding that USDA continues to work with congressional and state partners on those matters. She also cited consolidation across industries and the purchase of agricultural assets by foreign interests.
- Senator Hyde-Smith (R-MS) asked about the potential benefits of the Buy American Cotton Act and the importance of supporting American cotton, referencing how BACA could serve as a game changer for many cotton farmers. Secretary Rollins responded that she is absolutely supportive of BACA and that she will do whatever she can to support it, framing BACA as an opportunity for reinvigoration of the cotton industry and how cotton is an important issue for agriculture. She described how cotton states and farmers have been devastated, and at times, left out of broader agricultural discussions focused on crops such as corn and soybeans. She connected cotton to the Make America Healthy Again movement and that the discussion should extend beyond food to what Americans wear as well, with Senator Hoeven adding that he has seen strong advertising supporting the purchase of domestic cotton.
- Senator Rounds (R-SD) asked whether USDA would support getting E15 available year-round across the finish line, stating that it is critical to reducing gas prices and emphasizing that it would benefit farmers producing additional American energy. Secretary Rollins responded that she has been unequivocal in her support for E15. She noted that President Trump mentioned E15 during a visit to Iowa and has since posted about it on Truth Social, adding that the administration is highly aligned and supportive and will continue to be so.
- During the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee hearing, Secretary Rollins stated that based on this year’s numbers, corn exports are expected to be up 25 percent, and ethanol exports up twenty percent, describing those increases as important progress for farmers and ranchers. She added that additional trade deals are expected, while emphasizing that domestic market access is also critically important. She flagged year-round E15, 45Z, and the largest RVOs in American history as major steps to expand domestic markets.
- Subcommittee Chairman Hoeven commended USDA for recognizing the need for the $12 billion Farm Bridge Assistance program and for working with Congress and the administration to help producers through a period of high input costs and low commodity prices. He cited how the Working Families Tax Cuts Act included enhancements to ARC, PLC, and crop insurance that producers will see this year, while noting that enhanced ARC and PLC benefits will not be realized until the agricultural marketing year ends in October. He praised USDA’s support for precision agriculture, agricultural technology, and developing proving grounds to help producers become more profitable and remain viable.
- Subcommittee Chairman Hoeven emphasized the importance of value-added agriculture, ag tech, precision agriculture, and market access to the long-term strength of farmers and ranchers, highlighting a market-based approach. He commended USDA for the Farm Bridge Assistance Program funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and raised what more should be done, including whether a supplemental package should contain an agriculture component. He also emphasized the importance of the CCC as a bipartisan tool, advocating for increasing and updating its borrowing authority. He noted that while priorities may differ between administrations, the CCC has long been used by both parties.
- Secretary Rollins responded that moving the assistance out and carving out the additional $12 billion released on December 6 of last year was helpful, and agreed that there is more to do. She stated that, while not speaking on behalf of the administration, she would appreciate the opportunity to ensure that additional funds are available, especially as agriculture faces unforeseen consequences from the conflict overseas and pressure from input prices. She also stated that new agriculture commitments have left the CCC heavily committed, and said it is time to revisit the CCC limit, noting it has not been increased in 30 years.
- Senator Moran (R-KS) raised fertilizer affordability as a major concern and noted that some imported components used by American producers are subject to tariffs that raise costs. He asked for further details on USDA’s work in the fertilizer space and opportunities to strengthen domestic production while lowering input prices. Senator Baldwin added that rising fertilizer costs are top of mind for farmers, with the war in Iran driving up fertilizer and fuel costs. She called for, as farmers head into the spring planting season under significant financial strain, assurances that the administration is treating the issue seriously.
- On fertilizer costs, Secretary Rollins stated that there is an ongoing all-of-government approach to make fertilizer more affordable and available, including accelerating private investment, lifting permitting slowdowns, addressing transportation challenges, lifting the Jones Act, opening lines from Venezuela, and other actions still to be announced. She said short-term issues are acute and require significant effort to bring prices down, while long-term issues cannot be overlooked given that much fertilizer production has been offshored over the last decade. She also raised how fertilizer dependence on Russia and China is a national security issue and said upcoming announcements would address both short-term and long-term needs, including structural improvements and potential funding targeted on reshoring fertilizer production and strengthening domestic supply chains. She added that she has also been speaking with the heads of major fertilizer companies.
- Senator Hyde-Smith asked about delays caused by the lack of an NRCS cultural resource specialist for voluntary conservation programs, the progress being made, and whether USDA would continue working with Congress to resolve the issue and improve program delivery. Senator Fischer (R-NE) asked how programs and FSA processes can be improved so assistance can be delivered more quickly, and whether Congress can be more helpful in that effort. Secretary Rollins noted that USDA has updated training manuals to avoid situations where stacks of applications cannot be approved and that USDA is amending those processes now. She outlined how USDA is recalibrating hiring processes and trying to bring more people into field offices quickly, while also convening top state executive directors from NRCS and FSA to improve service for farmers.
- Secretary Rollins highlighted the January launch of One Farmer One File, stating that USDA redirected the DOGE team to address outdated IT systems involving more than 1,000 contractors and hundreds of overlapping systems. She contrasted 52,000 Farm Bridge payment applications submitted in four days with 5,000 applications over five months under earlier programs, and said improved technology, while maintaining face-to-face service, can help solve many of service delivery challenges.
- Senator Moran raised impediments to the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) coming online, with the absence of the required USDA and DHS joint briefing, as he asked for a direct conversation on the path forward for NBAF, interagency coordination, and ensuring the facility becomes fully operational as quickly as possible. Secretary Rollins responded that she would welcome that discussion, she has touched base with the new Secretary Mullins on the issue, and that the joint briefing will be scheduled once the Department of Homeland Security is back up and running.
- Subcommittee Ranking Member Shaheen (D-NH) outlined how producers are dealing with rising input costs, stubborn commodity prices, export market uncertainty, and a rapidly changing climate, including new pests and diseases. She emphasized concerns that the administration is injecting chaos into the system rather than focusing on current challenges and providing certainty for producers. She and Senator Baldwin (D-WI) criticized the administration’s tariff regime, referencing how farmers and the agricultural industry are facing struggles tied to tariff policies and trade wars, as well as input costs for fertilizer, farm machinery, and fuel.
- Subcommittee Ranking Member Shaheen discussed her continued concerns about USDA staffing capacity, noting reports of producers walking into empty or near-empty offices previously occupied by USDA staff. She criticized the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request for doubling down on cuts proposed last year that Congress later restored instead of addressing challenges, calling for Congress to reject this year’s proposal on a bipartisan basis. She stated that the proposed budget misses the mark on advancing critical research, including agricultural station funding at land-grant universities, and restoring key staffing capacity and institutional knowledge in field offices.
- Senator Collins (R-ME) asked whether USDA would continue supporting partnerships with the Agricultural Research Service on Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) solutions due to PFAS’s harmful impact on agricultural producers. Secretary Rollins responded that she is fully supportive and will do whatever she can to make sure producers have what they need on that issue.
- Senator Hoeven asked for an update on the $55 million USDA restructuring effort, particularly plans to move some personnel out of Washington and into rural areas. Secretary Rollins said that USDA would announce the next phase of the reorganization by the end of the week, noting that details were being finalized and that the update would be positive. She referenced that the next round would include research operations, with plans to move researchers closer to land-grant institutions where research is taking place and where it most directly affects people. She described the effort as a change from the status quo, with the USDA team having been intentional and strategic in working on the reorganization over the last year.
- Senator Peters (D-MI) questioned why the USDA’s budget request eliminates Hatch formula research funding and cuts cooperative extension funding in half, highlighting the critical role land-grant universities play in supporting producers and serving as long-standing resources. Rollins asserted that formula funding is not the best or most responsible way to use taxpayer dollars, with specific funding as a better approach. She discussed how the budget proposal is intended to reset funding priorities, encourage discussion, and ensure funding is deployed to its highest and best use.