(LOUISVILLE, KY) — On Friday, newly sworn in Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins made her first official visit by attending the National Farm Machinery Show and speaking to some 15,000 attendees at Freedom Hall during the Championship Truck Pull.
Secretary Rollins also met with reporters during her visit and the topic of egg prices/bird flu, the Farm Bill and more were some of the key items discussed. When it comes to egg prices, reports over the weekend have said that Rollins and the Trump Administration will be announcing a plan this week to combat the spread of avian flu and high egg prices.
“The avian bird flu is a big issue,” said Rollins. “It is one that, yesterday evening, I went to the office for the first time after getting confirmed. The very first briefing I had was on this issue. We currently are mapping out multiple different potential solutions. Clearly, it’s very tied to egg prices, which America is, especially the moms, are really dealing with right now. And so next week we’ll be talking a little bit more about it with some solutions. But for now, just know, and all of your viewers and anyone listening to this, that we are acutely aware of the challenges to our ag community with avian flu, and we are on it.”
On the topic of the Farm Bill, Secretary Rollins said she has talked with Senate Ag Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and moving the bill forward is a priority.
“The Farm Bill is at the front of everyone’s mind and how we get it across the finish line. We’re a couple years behind, as we know,” said Rollins. “We understand that the entire agriculture community is depending on that. We know that there’s a lot of hurting farmers and ranchers out there. And so a big part of my thinking right now is how do we bring together all of the important stakeholders and people that need to be part of that conversation, so that as we move toward a Farm Bill, we are ready to move it in hopefully a more smooth and seamless way than ever before. And President Trump will be leading the way.”
Secretary Rollins was also asked about the funding freezes hitting some farmers with climate-smart contracts. She says those are currently under review.
“Currently we are reviewing all of the contracts at USDA, including the climate-smart contracts,” said Rollins. “I, of course, have only been on the job for 24 hours. President Trump was elected with a vision to completely realign, reorient, reform all of our agencies and ensure that everything we are doing is aligned with the American people, with the vision of less government and returning power to the people. And I think the climate-smart projects are part of that. Now, if there have been previous commitments made, then, of course, we will honor those previous commitments. But looking forward, everything is evaluated right now.”
***Credit to Alan Watts, Your Ag Edge (WKDZ, Cadiz) for the audio from the media briefing with Secretary Rollins.***
