President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Brooke Rollins, president of the America First Policy Institute, to be secretary of agriculture. She is his close colleague for many years. If her candidacy is approved by the Republican-controlled Senate, the 52-year-old will head a department employing 100,000 people across the country.
“As our next Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke will lead the effort to protect America's farmers, who are the true backbone of our country,” Trump said in a statement Saturday.
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) has an office in each county. He deals with, among others: agriculture and nutrition programs, forestry, farm extension loans, food security and rural development. In 2024, it has a budget of USD 437.2 billion.
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USDA employees also negotiate trade agreements, issue dietary recommendations, control meat quality, fight forest fires, and support Internet access in rural areas.
“Brooke's commitment to supporting American agriculture, defending American food self-sufficiency and rebuilding America's agriculture-dependent small towns is unparalleled,” Trump said.
Brooke RollinsReuters
Who is Brooke Rollins
Rollins, 52, is a graduate of Texas A&M University. She earned a bachelor's degree in science and agricultural development and later earned a law degree.
He has been working with for many years Donald Trump. During his first term, she headed the White House Domestic Policy Council.
Rollins currently heads the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank that supported Trump's bid for a second term as president. USA.
Main photo source: Reuters