Brooke Rollins Tapped for Agriculture Secretary Role

Donald Trump plans to nominate Brooke Rollins, president of the America First Policy Institute, as agriculture secretary. Rollins would manage a large agency involved in nutrition, trade, and rural development with a budget of $437.2 billion. Her policies could impact diets, trade, and biofuel growth.

Donald Trump is poised to nominate Brooke Rollins, the current president of the America First Policy Institute, as secretary of agriculture. The announcement, reported by the Wall Street Journal, places Rollins at the helm of an expansive agency that impacts American agriculture, nutrition, and rural development with a budget of $437.2 billion.

If confirmed, Rollins would influence key facets of American life, from diet and trade to biofuel strategies and rural broadband. The agriculture department handles a variety of tasks including negotiating trade agreements and setting dietary guidelines, while also managing forestry, food safety, and agricultural research.

Her appointment could strengthen policies around clean fuel tax credits for biofuels, and guide trade negotiations, notably with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. This comes as Trump contemplates re-imposing broad tariffs impacting the farming sector. The nominee would follow Kelly Loeffler, another ally, who was also considered for the role.

(With inputs from agencies.)