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Brooke Rollins (Wikipedia photo) |
During questioning, committee members zeroed in on U.S. agricultural trade and Trump's promised tariffs on major U.S. commodity partner products. Rollins responded, "I think it probably comes as no surprise to anyone sitting in this room that he believes it is a very important tool in his toolkit to continue or bring America back to the forefront of the world and to ensure that we have a thriving economy. . . . But just as he did and we did in the first administration, he also understands the potential devastating impact to our farmers and our ranchers."
Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet "told Rollins that he is 'sympathetic to some of the trade policies that President Trump is trying to advocate for . . . But agriculture’s already in a tough spot,'" Shutt writes. When asked how she would embrace her role, Rollins replied, "To defend, to honor, to elevate our entire agriculture community in the Oval Office, around the table, through the interagency process."
When questioned about U.S. poultry and egg production in the wake of the worst egg-laying avian bird flu outbreak in history, Rollins told senators, "'There is a lot that I have to learn on this. And if confirmed, this will be, as I mentioned in my opening statement, one of the very top priorities,'" Shutt reports.
Senators asked Rollins "about how sweeping deportations might impact the agriculture industry and food supplies throughout the country," Shutt writes. "Senators also asked how she planned to keep the pipeline that moves food from farms to people’s tables from collapsing if mass deportations are carried out. . . . Rollins said she wants to make changes to the H2A visa for temporary agricultural workers, though she didn’t detail what those changes might entail."
Minnesota Democratic Sen. Tina Smith asked "about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, saying that nutrition programs, many of which are administered by USDA, are 'foundational for healthy Americans,'" Shutt reports. "Rollins testified that she does believe in work requirements, though she conceded she didn’t have extensive knowledge of the SNAP."
Rollins looks poised to secure her Senate confirmation, but a vote date has not been set.
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