International
-Sathish Raman
Donald
Trump,
the
President-elect,
announced
on
Saturday
his
intention
to
nominate
Brooke
Rollins
as
agriculture
secretary.
This
marks
the
final
selection
for
executive
agency
leadership
roles,
drawing
from
his
trusted
circle
of
advisers.
The
Senate,
under
Republican
control
from
January
20,
2025,
will
need
to
confirm
this
nomination.
image
Rollins
is
set
to
replace
Tom
Vilsack,
who
served
as
agriculture
secretary
under
President
Joe
Biden.
The
department
she
would
lead
manages
policies
and
aid
related
to
farming,
forestry,
and
nutrition.
Rollins
has
a
background
in
agricultural
development
from
Texas
A&M
University
and
served
as
Trump’s
domestic
policy
chief
during
his
first
term.
Brooke
Rollins’
Background
and
Experience
At
52,
Rollins
is
the
president
and
CEO
of
the
America
First
Policy
Institute.
This
organisation
supports
preparations
for
a
potential
second
Trump
administration.
Her
previous
roles
include
working
as
an
aide
to
former
Texas
Governor
Rick
Perry
and
leading
the
Texas
Public
Policy
Foundation.
She
also
practiced
law
in
Dallas
and
clerked
for
a
federal
judge
in
Texas
after
earning
her
law
degree
from
the
University
of
Texas.
Rollins’
appointment
completes
Trump’s
selection
of
executive
branch
department
heads
shortly
after
his
recent
electoral
victory.
However,
some
traditionally
Cabinet-level
positions
remain
unfilled,
such
as
the
US
Trade
Representative
and
head
of
the
small
business
administration.
Trump’s
Agriculture
Policies
and
Historical
Context
During
Trump’s
first
presidency,
he
imposed
tariffs
that
led
to
retaliatory
measures
from
countries
like
China.
These
affected
US
agricultural
exports
such
as
corn
and
soybeans.
In
response,
Trump
provided
substantial
financial
aid
to
farmers
to
mitigate
trade
war
impacts.
Although
he
hasn’t
detailed
his
agriculture
policies
for
this
term,
similar
strategies
might
be
expected.
The
USDA
was
established
by
President
Abraham
Lincoln
in
1862
when
half
of
Americans
lived
on
farms.
It
manages
support
programs
for
farmers,
ensures
food
safety,
and
oversees
federal
nutrition
initiatives
for
low-income
individuals
and
children.
The
agency
also
sets
standards
for
school
meals.
Future
Dietary
Guidelines
and
Nutrition
Policies
Robert
F.
Kennedy
Jr.,
nominated
by
Trump
to
lead
the
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services
(HHS),
aims
to
remove
ultraprocessed
foods
from
school
lunches.
He
also
plans
to
restrict
Supplemental
Nutrition
Assistance
Programme
beneficiaries
from
purchasing
junk
foods
with
food
stamps.
However,
implementing
these
changes
falls
under
the
USDA’s
jurisdiction.
The
HHS
and
USDA
are
collaborating
on
the
2025-2030
Dietary
Guidelines
for
Americans.
These
guidelines
will
offer
advice
on
healthy
diets
and
set
standards
for
federal
nutrition
programs.
They
are
expected
to
be
released
late
next
year.
Rollins
shared
her
initial
scepticism
about
Trump’s
candidacy
during
a
Christian
talk
show
earlier
this
year.
She
remarked,
“I
was
the
person
that
said,
Oh,
Donald
Trump
is
not
going
to
go
more
than
two
or
three
weeks
in
the
Republican
primary.” She
added
that
she
thought
his
campaign
was
merely
a
strategy
to
boost
TV
ratings
but
later
found
herself
managing
his
domestic
policy
agenda.
This
nomination
signifies
Trump’s
continued
reliance
on
familiar
allies
as
he
prepares
for
another
term
in
office.
The
upcoming
Senate
confirmation
will
determine
if
Rollins
assumes
her
new
role
in
shaping
US
agricultural
policy.
