▶ 0:18:17Chair Boozman: Good morning and welcome. It is privilege -- my privilege to call this hearing to order as we examine the U.S. department of agriculture and how we can best support farmers, ranchers, and foresters, as well as strengthen rural. I welcome the honorable brooke rollins, our 33rd secretary of agriculture. Thank you for being here today and for your steadfast commitment to america's agricultural community.
▶ 0:18:44Chair Boozman: We appreciate your willingness to serve an active engagement with farmers, ranchers, foresters, and rural stakeholders where they live and work. Those conversations provide valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities facing the men and women who grow our nation's food, fuel, and fiber. They are impacted by usda policies and impacted by state programs daily.
▶ 0:19:09Chair Boozman: When I hear from stakeholders from across the country, I hear that the farm economy is struggling. Producers continue to face high input costs, rising labor expenses, elevated interest rates, and market uncertainty. It is necessary that we work together to create an environment where agriculture can thrive in the next generation sees farming, ranching, and forestry as viable and a rewarding career.
▶ 0:19:38Chair Boozman: One way we deliver on our commitment to producers is the working families tax cuts the president signed into law, historic investments to farm country one year ago, providing long-overdue updates to agriculture policies that better reflect today's realities producers in arkansas and across the nation experience.
▶ 0:19:59Chair Boozman: These improvements respond directly to concerns farmers have raised for years, and provides meaningful support and predictability to help them continue operating for years to come. We appreciate usda's urgency implementing these so farmers can realize the benefits this fall. I look forward to hearing further updates on usda's implementation of these programs.
▶ 0:20:25Chair Boozman: This landmark law also includes investments in animal health programs to help mitigate threats such as the new world screw worm. We know how critical these investments are, particularly as six domestic cases have been confirmed in just the last week. Madam secretary, we appreciate the aggressive approach you and your team have taken to slow down the advancement of this past toward our border and to implement measures that protect america's livestock industry.
▶ 0:20:55Chair Boozman: We have successfully eradicated new world screw worm before, and I am confident we can do so again. We are looking forward to you and your team at usda to continue leading this effort and safeguarding the health and security of americans. We must continue supporting the agriculture sector's vital role in our rural communities. Cotton producers have faced significant economic headwinds in recent years.
▶ 0:21:21Chair Boozman: Cotton remains a cornerstone crop for arkansas and states across the cotton belt, supporting farm families, rural communities, and manufacturers. This is why I strongly support the buying american cotton act, and was pleased to see the recent announcement promoting the domestic cotton industry. We appreciate that very much.
▶ 0:21:42Chair Boozman: At a time when our producers are competing in a challenging global marketplace, we should be doing everything we can to support american-grown products and the hard-working men and women who produce them. Similarly, I know many of our community members on both sides of the aisle support year-round, and we are working hard to get that done.
▶ 0:22:07Chair Boozman: We also need to protect energy security for local and regional communities and protect those jobs in rural america. I support the proposal by senators fisher and o and hope the senate moves quickly on that bill. Just as importantly, our producers have access to the reese -- resources they need to succeed.
▶ 0:22:29Chair Boozman: Fertilizer remains one of the most significant input costs facing farmers, and they are seeing dramatic rises in cost and are concerned about future availability. The results of the american farm bill federation survey this year underscores the concerns continuing from producers in arkansas and across the country. Arkansas farmers responded.
▶ 0:22:53Chair Boozman: Only 12% reported pre-ordering fertilizer, highlighting the uncertainty and financial pressures producers are experiencing. I appreciate usda's attention as well as the opportunity to join you to discuss long-term strategies. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance policies, to provide relief in the future. We have a tremendous opportunity before us to update farm policies in farm bill 2.0.
▶ 0:23:24Chair Boozman: I look forward to incorporating many bipartisan measures, and just as importantly, the priorities of farmers, ranchers, and foresters, so they have updated processes to meet their needs. I am hopeful we can deliver a farm bill that farmers, ranchers, foresters, rural communities deserve. Lastly, I remain committing to advancing the farm assistance package senator hogan and I proposed in january. Additional challenges have risen since then.
▶ 0:23:54Chair Boozman: They demonstrate the urgency to provide our producers, including specialty crop producers, with more support. Thank you very much for being here. I look forward to your testimony. I now turn to the ranking member. I think she is more than that, but senator klobuchar.
▶ 0:24:12Sen. Klobuchar: Thank you very much, Mr. chair, and thank you for being here, secretary rawlins. And thank you, Mr. chair, for leading with the hope that we can move forward on a bipartisan farm bill. I appreciate you wanting to ramp up a number of the bipartisan proposals that we have, to include. We had a very good meeting with you with our members.
▶ 0:24:39Sen. Klobuchar: I think people made it clear they are concerned about the inequity of the snap shifts to the states with the ■big error rate states being offered two years and the entire midwest not. We are hoping that once we get the numbers at the end of june from the usda, the final numbers, we might be able to make some changes there which unite our members, as well as many other issues.
▶ 0:25:06Sen. Klobuchar: I also appreciate you raising the e 15 issue and your support for it, secretary. The house, we know, past this. I am also supportive of the bill you mentioned. I have been one of the leads on this. This is something that could be voted on separately because of the committee jurisdiction. We could do it sooner rather than later.
▶ 0:25:28Sen. Klobuchar: I think it would be a really smart move to get this done very near, and I hope you will bring that not only back to the usda, but to the administration, to push so that we can get a vote on that very soon. I want to thank you for the usda's expedited disaster assistance for farmers, secretary rollins, for the losses in 2023 and 2024, and the payments in april which senator slotkin and I had urged, getting
▶ 0:25:59Sen. Klobuchar: The second payment. It put over 700 million in minnesota farmers pockets this spring. I also want to address the recently concerned cases of new world screw worm within the U.S. , in texas, and mexico. And I recognize the administration's ongoing response, working with animal health officials as well as livestock stakeholders. Clearly, we need a long-term response.
▶ 0:26:25Sen. Klobuchar: I continue to be concerned about some of the organization cuts to usda, how cap -- how that could affect our long-term response. Senator lujan and I will be doing a letter on that immediately after this hearing has concluded. I'm sure he will ask some questions, as will I.
▶ 0:26:46Sen. Klobuchar: Secretary rollins, since her last appearance before the committee, it had been a turbulent time for farmers, ranchers, and all of rural america. Unfortunately, I believe that much of this turbulence would have been, could have been, entirely preventable. I have been clear that the administration's across tariffs have been terrible for farmers.
▶ 0:27:10Sen. Klobuchar: The iepa terrace added costs to fertilizer, seed, machinery, and chemicals, from february through october of last year. These tariffs, rightfully struck down by the supreme court, were so unnecessary, given that the legality, the constitutionality of them, were in question from the very beginning, and they added so much uncertainty and cost.
▶ 0:27:41Sen. Klobuchar: Now, unfortunately and unnecessarily, the president has chosen to bulldoze ahead with more terrorists, at great cost to the economy and more uncertainty. In addition to the chaos from the tariffs, the unilateral decision to start a conflict in the middle east is causing real and direct harm to farmers and consumers in minnesota. One year ago, the average price for a gallon of diesel in my state was 3.40.
▶ 0:28:09Sen. Klobuchar: Today, the average is 5.13, a 51% increase in a single year. Just this morning, we got the consumer price index numbers for the country, up 4.2 percent. That is up from the exact in verse 2.4 percent that we were seeing before the conflict began.
▶ 0:28:31Sen. Klobuchar: I am also concerned of the edge this war has given russia and china and other countries that are not friends of the U.S., in the global battle for competitiveness, because of the fact that we are so reliant. I met with producers on the tate farmer family farm in cannon falls, minnesota, where I heard from producers that the skyrocketing cost of fertilizer is threatening their operations.
▶ 0:29:01Sen. Klobuchar: As we all know, nearly half of the global urea and 30% of global ammonia exports used in nitrogen fertilizer support chains move through the straits of hormuz. Earlier this spring, the farm bureau highlighted the financial strain farmers are experiencing, estimating that 70% of farmers could not afford all the fertilizer they needed.
▶ 0:29:25Sen. Klobuchar: The farmers they surveyed, 90 4% said their financial situation has worsened or flatlined in the past year. This morning, a number of us met with expert economists about the long-term here.
▶ 0:29:41Sen. Klobuchar: What they told us -- this was not really a political-based meeting -- was that even if the straits of hormuz were opened immediately, the long-term effect of going through our reserves, as we have done, globally, is going to keep these prices high. As I have said before, this is a perfect storm of ugly, to quote one of my soybean farmers.
▶ 0:30:06Sen. Klobuchar: From the fuel and fertilizer costs to the tariffs, it has made it really hard for our growers, especially our small growers, who do not have the reserves to make long-term business decisions with any confidence. Secretary rollins, many of us believe that you could be a voice of reason when it comes to these issues, with the administration.
▶ 0:30:28Sen. Klobuchar: We know that you have expressed views in the past about the effect this is having on the farm economy. But right now, I fear, and many of us fear, and many farmers fear, that these voices of reason are falling on deaf ears because on top of the decisions to go into this unilateral war, and just to continue these tariffs, we have just seen such pandemonium when it comes to the
▶ 0:30:59Sen. Klobuchar: Response, and so many bad effects on rural america from the decision not to extend the affordable care act tax credits, which are, percentagewise, more relied on in rural america, too many of the decisions made to reduce staffing, whether it is social security or usda. The people in rural america rely on these.
▶ 0:31:24Sen. Klobuchar: My concerns with the usda right now is this pushing forward of a reorg plan right in the middle of all of this mess. The department has already lost around 20% of its employees, meaning fewer fsa staff to process farm loan and disaster aid applications, just at a time when farmers are facing more problems than they were the year before, the year before, the year before.
▶ 0:31:53Sen. Klobuchar: Fewer conservationists to help farmers adopt popular conservation practices -- and this really does mean something in the midwest, where many of them rely on these programs -- and fewer researchers developing solutions for the challenges our farmers faced today, including, as discussed earlier, the new world screw worm.
▶ 0:32:14Sen. Klobuchar: These staff losses come before a series of announcements from the department, moving multiple agencies across the country, which we know results in even more disruption to staff. Farmers in minnesota won't be better served by fewer experienced employees being relocated to indianapolis, kansas city, or, yes, salt lake city. Not exactly an ag-focused state.
▶ 0:32:45Sen. Klobuchar: Instead, I encourage the usda to prioritize staffing local county offices and ars labs, to help farmers access services and tackle issues they are facing right now. The department's reorganization proposal will significantly affect the ability to provide services to usda stakeholders and the lives of the employees.
▶ 0:33:09Sen. Klobuchar: We are asking for transparency and an open dialogue with the shared goal of ensuring the usda is efficient and effective in its mission. Our concern is doing this right now, in the middle of what is clearly some of the biggest headwinds we have seen coming at agriculture and at rural america. It is a huge mistake because it will mean, of course, less staff to deal with it, less experienced staff to deal with it.
▶ 0:33:40Sen. Klobuchar: And unnecessary disruption to serving our farmers. So I look forward to hearing from you today, and I appreciate the members that are here and their input as well. Thank you.
▶ 0:33:52Chair Boozman: Thank you. It is my pleasure to introduce brooke rollins, the 30 third secretary of the united states department of agriculture. Secretary rollins is originally from glens rose, texas.
▶ 0:34:09Chair Boozman: Most recently, secretary rollins served as the founder and chief executive officer of the america first policy institute, during president trump's first administration she was the director of the domestic policy council and assistant to the president for strategic initiatives in the white house. She also served as director of the office of american innovation.
▶ 0:34:32Chair Boozman: In these roles, she developed and managed the transformation of the domestic policy agenda of the trump administration, leading to historic achievements for the american people. Rollins graduated with honors from texas and them you with a degree in agriculture and development, and was the first female to be elected student body president.
▶ 0:34:53Chair Boozman: After earning her juris doctor with honors at the university of texas school of law, she served as governor rick perry's policy director for running the texas public policy foundation for 15 years. At the foundation, rollins elevated a small policy organization to a national force, and redefined the possibilities for a state-based think tank, I think model and aspiration.
▶ 0:35:22Chair Boozman: Rollins and her husband mark call fort worth, texas home and spend their free time taxiing their active children to baseball games and cattle shows and piano lessons and aggie football games. We appreciate you being here. I think the only thing I left out where your formal -- former barrel racing days. Thank you for being here and we look forward to your opening statement.
▶ 0:35:49Sec. Rollins: Thank you so much, chairman, ranking member, and distinguished members of this committee. In less than one month, we will celebrate the 200 50th anniversary of the adoption of the declaration of independence, and its principal author, thomas jefferson, once noted that agriculture is truly our wisest pursuit. If we are to secure land and liberty for future generations, we must fight for american agriculture together with every fiber of our being, and we are.
▶ 0:36:21Sec. Rollins: Our efforts over the past 17 months reflect the trump administration's commitment to ensuring that america's food supply remains the best in the world. It is safe, reliable, healthy, and affordable. Last friday's jobs report beat every economist forecast, when 172,000 jobs were added in may, cementing the record of delivering for american workers come up month after month. More people are working today than ever before in american history.
▶ 0:36:50Sec. Rollins: 30 year fixed mortgage rates are down, and our deregulatory efforts are projected to save americans a collective 212 billion dollars, a roughly $2500 per family of four. For farmers, that is a big number. In the previous administration, average home prices rose 25%. 30 year fixed-rate mortgage rates were of 190 4%. National average gas prices peaked 124% up.
▶ 0:37:19Sec. Rollins: Notably, for this committee, farm incomes saw the largest dollar value loss in the history of our country, as it fell over $90 billion from 2023 to 2024. Further, commodity prices plummeted from 30 year highs in the last administration, and of course we saw at zero new trade deals while inheriting a $50 billion agricultural trade deficit, after leaving with an $8 billion agricultural trade
▶ 0:37:50Sec. Rollins: Surplus just four years earlier. While we cannot reverse this trajectory for ag overnight, we can and will continue building upon the progress that has already been made. Last year, president trump and congressional republicans delivered the working families tax cut act, a historic piece of legislation and a victory for U.S.
▶ 0:38:10Sec. Rollins: Agriculture, which increased reference prices for the first time in more than a decade, and saved 2 million family farms from the death tax, amidst so many other wins. President trump is already secured 19 new trade deals in just over one year, helping us/the $50 billion agricultural trade deficit by almost 50% from just one year ago. So think about what that means for our producers.
▶ 0:38:39Sec. Rollins: As we expand opportunity over the long term, we are also providing farmers with short-term support today through the farm bridge assistance program, the assistance for specialty crop farmers program, and others. Usda has delivered tens of billions of dollars in targeted direct relief to help our farmers manage natural disasters and temporary market disruptions. We are also helping our farmers manage the input prices, the cost of which we know exploded under the last administration.
▶ 0:39:07Sec. Rollins: Under biden, fertilizer prices surged more than 50% on average, reaching 99% at their highest peak. I know we are going to talk a lot about fertilizer today. Even after the iranian conflict and the closure of the strait of hormuz, fertilizer today is still less than what it was in the peak of the biden years. President trump has activated our entire cabinet on this particular issue, and we can talk more about that today.
▶ 0:39:36Sec. Rollins: Truly affordable domestic inputs are a matter of national security. Our ability to feed ourselves is fundamental to our freedom in this country. That is why we launched, for the first time ever, our farm security action plan last year, integrating agriculture into america's national security strategy for the first time ever. We are determined to protect the security and integrity of everything we are responsible for at the usda, including the federal nutrition programs that constitute our largest expenditure.
▶ 0:40:06Sec. Rollins: When it comes to rooting out snap fraud, and just over one year, we have already made 900 arrests through usda, pursued over 120 convictions, and have 132 million dollars in restitution, and we are literally just getting started. We are also working to protect our producers from diseases and pests that threaten their livelihoods. Before I get into screw worm, let's talk about avian influenza with our chickens.
▶ 0:40:34Sec. Rollins: Since last year, when we launch that plan, we have seen a 41% decrease and a 51% decrease in total birds affected. We still have a ways to go, but we are making progress. This year is no different. I will talk about the new world screw worm at the outset and I'm sure we will dive into it more. We continue to prioritize defeating the new world screw worm.
▶ 0:40:59Sec. Rollins: Over the past week and a half, usda has confirmed six cases of the new world screw worm within the U.S.. All but one in the south of texas. I was just in texas two days ago to inspect a usda research facility that we just opened two weeks ago, developing new technologies to combat this past. I will be tomorrow on site in south texas to visit that ranch and talk more about what we are doing.
▶ 0:41:29Sec. Rollins: The biden administration's open border policies combined with the mexican cartels' refusal to crack down on that through south and central america allowed the screw worm to move north for the first time in 50 years. Beginning in 2022 when the darien gap was breached, into 2023 when the screw worm began moving at rapid pace through central america, hitting mexico in 2024 under the last administration.
▶ 0:41:55Sec. Rollins: We know this development is a serious threat, but it did not catch us off guard. We have established a 20 kilometer movement zone, expedited targeted release of sterile flies in the affected area. We have increased trapping for flies along the border and are ramping up surveillance. More importantly I think for this committee is, very quickly, I want to talk about over the last year what we have deployed.
▶ 0:42:21Sec. Rollins: Over $1 billion, $1.3 billion, since we walked into the door last january, 2020 five, has been invested and deployed to battle just the new world screw worm. We have been forward-leaning. Epa just approved new flight technologies we have announced the last few days, which will significantly increase our ability to battle this through sterile flies.
▶ 0:42:44Sec. Rollins: We also broke ground on our air based sterile fly facility in texas about six months ago, a 700 $50 million project. Also opening up a dispersal facility early this year, for the first time, and outfitting a facility in the top of mexico that will open this month that will increase our sterile fly production by 100 million flies. That all happened because of what we implemented over a year ago in preparation for this moment.
▶ 0:43:14Sec. Rollins: Since january 2020 5 -- this is a really important point for those who are saying that we were caught unprepared. When we walked in the door in january 2020 five, the last usda had an equivalent of 10 full-time employees working on the new world screw worm, so about 17 months ago.
▶ 0:43:32Sec. Rollins: A week ago, before it was even confirmed, we had 110 full-time staff that we had staffed up over the last 15 months in preparation, almost a 1000% increase in over a year in preparation. In short, we are using every single tool at our disposal, working closely with governor greg abbott and all the teams on the ground in texas, new mexico, and across this country.
▶ 0:43:58Sec. Rollins: Thank you again for the opportunity to be here, senator and ranking member, and as we celebrate our 250 years of freedom, I know we will continue to work together for the men and women who fueled this great country in the world. I look forward to your questions.
▶ 0:44:14Chair Boozman: Thank you for being here again. We are going to start a round of questioning. We will have seven minutes to ask our questions, which is longer than normal. But I would ask you to be sure to adhere to the time because a lot of people are going to want to ask questions and there is an incredible amount of stuff going on as we speak right now. So we do appreciate the hard work that you have done in the preparation.
▶ 0:44:44Chair Boozman: Slowing things down so that we would have additional time to get ready for this concern with screw worm. I guess the only question I would have -- is there any more authorities we need to give you or any more resources that would be helpful as we fight this battle?
▶ 0:45:02Sec. Rollins: I appreciate that question and I know we are -- I am on multiple calls every day since we have moved now into the next phase of the battle. You all know we close the ports a year ago, which was a very difficult decision, especially for our feeders in texas. Every model showed screw worm hitting our side of the border last summer, so that would have been about eight or 12 weeks after we came into office.
▶ 0:45:33Sec. Rollins: I looked at all the facts and said we have got to slow this down and do whatever we can to be better prepared when it gets here. That is what we were able to do. Right now, there are no additional authorities, but I really appreciate the question. I want to give a big shout out to my boss, president trump. Last spring, we were deep into the department of government for with Mr.
▶ 0:45:57Sec. Rollins: Musk and we were working to try to return the footprint of government back to something that was reasonable for our taxpayers and our country. I walked in the oval office and said, sir, there is a pretty serious threat to our livestock that is headed our way. When we need 500 million sterile flies a week, we are only producing 100 million out of panama because everyone took their eye off the ball years ago. Unfortunately, because of the border policies, it is coming our way. What do you need?
▶ 0:46:26Sec. Rollins: I need a billion dollars to build a significant facility to surge staff. This was 14 or 15 months ago. With a couple of questions but without hesitation, he said go. Because of that green light, we were able to move quickly to prepare for today. We will stay in very close touch on that, Mr. chairman. Thank you.
▶ 0:46:48Chair Boozman: The committee, we are all committed to helping any -- in any way we can. Farmers across the country are struggling in this economic environment. I was pleased that we were able to secure $10 million in economic assistance at the end of 2024, which are department implemented very quickly.
▶ 0:47:10Chair Boozman: And I appreciate the administration developing additional programs late last year that provide further assistance to our row crop and specialty crop producers. I think that we all realize this is still not enough to stop the bleeding in farm country, which is why we are working with senator hoeven on the farm bridge assistance program and the assistance for specialty crop farmers program.
▶ 0:47:37Chair Boozman: I was pleased to hear the president mentioned additional assistance in wisconsin last week. Can you confirm that this is -- hopefully, we will have supplemental appropriations in the future. And if this is something that we can get included as we go forward.
▶ 0:48:00Sec. Rollins: I will confirm this president on the trip to wisconsin, while we were in wisconsin, on the trip back, his commitment and love for rural america and our farmers is real. I am not getting ahead of him. I am always a little bit concerned of getting ahead of him. He said at the event on friday that he wanted to do more.
▶ 0:48:22Sec. Rollins: I think we can work arm in arm and hand in hand across hopefully both sides of the aisle, and get to another point where that is possible and feasible for our farmers.
▶ 0:48:33Chair Boozman: I certainly don't speak for him either, but when we were able to sign and able to come up withpreviously, we mentd come up withpreviously, we mentn that this was great, and that everybody was very grateful for his support not only in this administration but in the past one, for our farmers, but that we might have to come back.
▶ 0:49:06Chair Boozman: I am very pleased that the administration has been aggressive in negotiating new trade agreements and putting a high priority on opening markets for and products in these negotiations. I commend the administration for completing 19 agreements since the time president trump took office. I firmly believe that in addition to strengthening our expert -- exports, we must strengthen the domestic economy.
▶ 0:49:36Chair Boozman: Increasing domestic demand for egg products like the buy american cotton act, the year-round a 15 bill, and other actions -- what other actions is the administration taking to increase domestic demand for our american agate products that the senate and the administration can work together on?
▶ 0:50:01Sec. Rollins: I think the trade piece is important. I recognize senator klobuchar, senator booker, and friends on the other side of the aisle have serious questions about that, and I really look forward to having that discussion with them.
▶ 0:50:15Sec. Rollins: What I will note is when the president had the liberation day, when he announced that instead of going country by country, we are going to have in all of the world approach on renegotiating our trade -- to date, the fact that our great producers in america, when we send their goods out, on average, it is about a 15% tariff into other countries. When goods come into america, it is an average of 5%.
▶ 0:50:40Sec. Rollins: Our farmers and producers have been compromised year after year under these trade and tariff regimes. In just over a year, 19 new trade deals is remarkable. It is historical. It is unprecedented. It is already paying dividends. We cut the agricultural trade deficit in half in one year. We expect it to come down another 30% this year. Corn experts -- exports are going to be record-breaking.
▶ 0:51:07Sec. Rollins: We expect a 35% increase in volume in corn exports. Sorghum is going to be up almost 100%. Tree nuts up 11%. Ethanol up at least 11%, probably more. Soybean oil up 100 29%. To your point, Mr. chairman, this opportunity -- this is what farmers want. They don't want to farm for a check to the government -- from the government. They want to sell their goods in an open market that is fair.
▶ 0:51:38Sec. Rollins: To your point about the local domestic markets, opening that up as well, all of the work that this administration has done -- again, unprecedented, the moves we have made for our biofuels community, and then the next step down. I know you mentioned cotton. Senator hyde-smith of talk -- and I have talked around and around. I give her a lot of credit for bringing the cotton to my attention. I have been to almost every state.
▶ 0:52:08Sec. Rollins: I visited with thousands of farmers. I kept hearing cotton and rice coming up again and again as really struggling. The moment that captured in my mind, especially with cotton, is for make america healthy again, how we have basically offshore at all of our clothing production. 97% of our clothes today are made with the net the synthetic fiber from a foreign adversary. That is about enough.
▶ 0:52:34Sec. Rollins: Then you look at the health impact of the sheets we sleep in, the close would put on our bodies. The cotton renaissance is coming, and I am proud to be part of that with y'all.
▶ 0:52:43Sec. Rollins: Thank -- Sen.
▶ 0:52:48Klobuchar: Thank you, Mr. chair. Secretary rollins, the number -- the numbers for me that matter are bankruptcy numbers. In the first quarter, we have had a number of farm bankruptcies in our state, with calls to the minnesota farm and rural help line up 200%. Nationwide, and chapter 12 farm bankruptcies increased for the second year in a row, reaching 300 15 filings in 2025.
▶ 0:53:17Klobuchar: This is a 46% increase from 2024. I just think those numbers don't lie. Farmer-lender mediation notices are the highest they have been since 2019. What actions is the usda considering to assist producers facing bankruptcy and prevent the loss of more family farms, and why did the usda budget proposed eliminating the certified mediation program?
▶ 0:53:44Sec. Rollins: A couple of points on that. Obviously, even when bankruptcy is heartbreaking. There are 1.07 7 million -- one poin -- 1.077 million farms. I don't want to say it is nothing to worry about. Every farm is something we should be fighting to save.
▶ 0:54:14Sec. Rollins: We have a concierge effort going for the 300 farms that are in chapter 12. Chapter 12 does not mean they are going out of business. It means they are reorganizing. With the loss of markets, the cost of inputs, there is no doubt that the firm economy is facing serious headwinds, and that is what we are all working together to solve. On the mitigation program, I want to make sure I fully understand what it was that we pulled back, and what the utilization was, and perhaps work together to think about how to solve for that.
▶ 0:54:46Sen. Klobuchar: I appreciate you getting back to me. Our concern is the trend, especially when you look at the fact that the diesel and gas prices are not going to go down anytime soon because we have gone through our reserves as well as fertilizer. We discussed fertilizer. Senator marshall and I have introduced the homegrown fertilizer act to make this program permanent. In the meantime, do you intend to use new ccc funds to support the development of domestic fertilizer?
▶ 0:55:19Sec. Rollins: Let me answer that because it is an important question. If we have time, we will talk about the diesel prices. We realized, as fertilizer was coming down, before the iranian conflict, fertilizer was down about 50% on average. So we were headed in the right direction. Gas was way down. Diesel was way down. This conflict has certainly bumped prices up.
▶ 0:55:45Sec. Rollins: I want to say that even though fertilizer prices are significantly higher since the iranian conflict, they are still lower than the peak during the bite years. Having said that, senator, what this conversation has allowed is a light to be shined on the fact that we have off shored her fertilizer production to almost 50% of total fertilizer in the last couple of decades. This did not happen under any one administration.
▶ 0:56:12Sec. Rollins: As we have seen that off shoring that happened, it is a national security issue. It is a cost issue for our farmers as well. Immediately, I called chris wright, our secretary of energy, who has a big pot of money for energy investment. I made the case that fertilizer is perhaps the most important energy to invest in it. His number two largest project he is investing in is a fertilizer plan.
▶ 0:56:37Sec. Rollins: We called harold lutnick, who has the investment funds from the sheriff's, and he is now prioritizing that. And we have the largest ammonia plant in the world that I am breaking ground on in two weeks in louisiana. About a month after that, we are going to break ground on one of the largest phosphate plants in the world. So we are beginning to onshore that fertilizer back to america. But just as important -- I think one of them is in minnesota.
▶ 0:57:08Sec. Rollins: There are about 80 more midsized smaller fertilizer projects going on that we are funding and prioritizing. A good one in minnesota, a big one in washington state, and others. We put those on warp speed.
▶ 0:57:21Sen. Klobuchar: I'm going to run out of my time for questions. $4.3 billion in emergency funding -- I would encourage you to use some of that for the domestic fertilizer.
▶ 0:57:31Sec. Rollins: Can I talk to that? The problem with the ccc, the loan rate has not been increased for 80 years. What is left right now, we are going to need to meet the obligations of the working families tax cut act. If we could all work together, I know we have been talking about that to try to open that up. But we will be looking at that.
▶ 0:57:55Sen. Klobuchar: We discussed early on new world screw worm in the animal and plant health inspection service had lost 25% of its staff, including more than 300 employees in veterinary services alone, since the administration came in it. How do you plan on ensuring that critical threats such as new world screw worm receives individualized resources? We are very concerned about this? -- concerned about this.
▶ 0:58:22Sec. Rollins: There were 10 employees working full-time on this. Now, we have over 120. So we have increased the amount of employees working on new world screw worm by 1000% in the last 14 months. We are prioritizing where the big threats are as we are working to ensure that we are meeting all of the needs across the country.
▶ 0:58:45Sen. Klobuchar: Different subject. Last november, you announced a far-reaching final rule implement and crop insurance provisions from the budget bill enacted last summer that I did not support. Buried within that rule was a provision that removed an important risk management option for farmers in my state and several others. Prevent plant coverage has been a critical tool farmers use to express against -- protect against extreme weather.
▶ 0:59:16Sen. Klobuchar: Senator boozman, senator hoeven, and I led 16 of our colleagues asking the usda to reverse this decision, and under secretary fordyce replied in april indicating that concerns are being evaluated. What is the status of our request?
▶ 0:59:31Sec. Rollins: I've talked to the undersecretary but don't have an immediate response. I will check on that today and we will get back to you, senator.
▶ 0:59:41Sen. Klobuchar: Thank you very much, and I will have questions later. Thank you.
▶ 0:59:44Chair Boozman: Senator marshall?
▶ 0:59:49Sen. Marshall: Welcome, secretary. E 15. 815. E-15. Those are my top three priorities. Why is e 15 important? It would mean another 2 billion bushels of corn consumption per year. Prior to president trump, we were exporting 2.3 billion. It is like doubling our export market. That is why it is important.
▶ 1:00:18Sen. Marshall: But I want to talk about 45 z, which has a 10 x opportunity compared to ethanol. We need to get this across the finish line as far as the rules. I know it is out in different agencies. Any update on those rules?
▶ 1:00:34Sec. Rollins: Obviously, there are multiple hands in the proverbial pot in the administration, but it is a top priority for me personally, and certainly my partners around the cabinet understand that. It is imminent, forthcoming. I don't want to give you an exact date, but it is coming, hopefully very quickly. And it is really, really important. There are so many wins.
▶ 1:01:03Sec. Rollins: There are so many of our americans in that.
▶ 1:01:07Sen. Marshall: The ethanol companies making the ethanol then pass on $.58 a bushel. They are doing this regenerative agriculture which is good for the soil, which is better for the nutrient health. I do appreciate this all of government approach on that. If we address fertilizer, that would be my third biggest issue. On trade, I want to emphasize value add is when the american farmer makes money.
▶ 1:01:33Sen. Marshall: When we turn corn into beef, soy beans into diesel, that is when the american farmer makes money. I'm sure you are constantly communicating that to ustr. What are the opportunities going forward of these 19 trade deals on the value add part of this?
▶ 1:01:50Sec. Rollins: I think they are unlimited. As I traveled a little bit of the world last year and talked to some of these other countries -- I was sat down with some ethanol buyers in england. So many of these countries, whether we agree with them or not, they have put themselves into a certain category of reaching certain numbers of carbon. It is our farmers in america that will be, I believe, the most benefited from those rules around the world.
▶ 1:02:18Sec. Rollins: My job at usda and our other wonderful trade negotiators, lutnick and grier, and bessent, have this at the top of their list wherever we go. We are going to break records this year on corn exports, ethanol exports. But I think it is just the beginning.
▶ 1:02:36Sen. Marshall: I want to give you an opportunity to talk more about the ccc needs. No one has done more for the american farmer and rural america than president trump has done these last two years. We added 65 billion dollars to crop insurance, crop protection. He signed 40 some billion dollars of farm aid, a $50 billion rural health transformation fund. We doubled the death tax exemption.
▶ 1:03:05Sen. Marshall: The permanent pass-through was so important to american farmers. Bonus depreciation, interest deductibility. We doubled the death tax exemptions. We did a lot, and we are increasing trade. And yet we are struggling, I think mainly due to input costs. We do need more help, I'm afraid. We need to help more.
▶ 1:03:31Sen. Marshall: What does that look like to you, whether it is more fertilizer, like senator klobuchar pointed out, money toward those projects. Tell me more about what you feel the need is and what we need to do.
▶ 1:03:45Sec. Rollins: I need to be careful because I don't want to get ahead of our entire team -- omb, etc. Just know that those conversations are absolutely ongoing. That $30 billion limit is six or seven decades ago, not tied to inflation.
▶ 1:04:05Sec. Rollins: If it had just been tied to inflation when it was first enacted, we would be at $90 billion for this loan authority that allows us to move into important, urgent issues. I look forward to working with you all. I know across the aisle, everyone is focused on this, at least in this room. But let's keep working together on that and see what we can get done.
▶ 1:04:30Sen. Marshall: On the screw worm, I hope americans realize there is no threat to the food supply. Trying to explain this to people is a little tough. But you and I grew up on ranches. First of all, no rancher would take an animal with this big, ugly, fleshy wound to the plant. Second of all, even if a human 8 -- let's say you shot a deer and you are eating this, and it happened to have this screw worm.
▶ 1:05:00Sen. Marshall: Our own digestive system would destroy that. I think that is important to point out. I think it is important to point out that we saw this coming under the previous administration and they refused to respond. When you let millions of people migrate through central america this way, we saw the screw worm come with them, whether it was on their pets or maybe they were bringing livestock. Unfortunately, I saw so many people with open flesh wounds themselves. That could have been one way to get it across the border.
▶ 1:05:30Sen. Marshall: We saw it happening, and we were down basically a male mosquito screw worm fly being sterilized in panama. So we prayed about it. We tried to monitor it. But you also invested money in a laboratory in mexico, I mean within days after you took office we talked about this. Take us through that process of what we have done in mexico.
▶ 1:05:58Sen. Marshall: You have the time to touch on it. The second you get into office, you are on this. Run us through that again.
▶ 1:06:04Sec. Rollins: We saw it coming, the fact that it had been out of america since 1966, had been out of central america and down past the darien gap for more than 30, 40 years. I think that as it began to make its way north in 2021, 2022, it gets into central america. 2023, it gets into south mexico. 2024 begins to make its way through mexico.
▶ 1:06:33Sec. Rollins: You need about 500 million sterile flies to eradicate. Once it was pushed past the darien gap in the 1960's and 1970's, we stopped making the sterile flies. Within a matter of days, we got approval from the president. I was shocked that the last usda really had not done anything. We got to build our own facility in america that will produce between 300 and hundred million flies per week so that we never let this happen again.
▶ 1:07:05Sec. Rollins: That is an irradiated facility. It normally takes a couple of years for permitting. Pete hegseth and our army corps of engineers permitted that facility in just 60 days and we broke ground contracting within another month or so. We shaved years off of that timeline. In the meantime, the fruit fly facility in mexico -- mexico agreed to let us outfitted. We started that last summer, and it is ready this month. That will be another 100 million flies coming online.
▶ 1:07:37Sec. Rollins: There is a lot of movement and a lot of money that has been invested to prepare for this moment.
▶ 1:07:44Sen. Marshall: Thank you, and I would love to talk about the lifecycle of the screw worm. The poor females only get to meet one time, and then they die. That is why these sterile males are so important, and why it works. The sciences there. We don't need to study it. We have got cures. We have got this.
▶ 1:08:03Sec. Rollins: Thank you, and the food supply is 100% safe. This is not a virus. It is a fly.
▶ 1:08:14Chair Boozman: It is good to have an expert on the committee. Senator booker. I'm sorry, hold up. Senator welch.
▶ 1:08:25Sec. Rollins: Good morning.
▶ 1:08:30Sen. Welch: I'm going to deny this if anybody quotes me, but secretary, you are doing a pretty good job.
▶ 1:08:35Sec. Rollins: Thank you. I'm not sure your microphone is on, so I don't know anybody heard that but me, but I will take that. Supple welsh you have been responsive. In vermont, we had problems in 2023 and 2024. Let me ask you if you can tell us vermonters what the status is of the disaster assistance block grant, and also the U.S.
▶ 1:09:00Sec. Rollins: -- usda world -- rural development disaster assistance fund. Both of those have $31 million. We have been going through the process, and hopefully the money will be delivered. That will make a huge difference to us in vermont.
▶ 1:09:16Sec. Rollins: That is right. I really appreciate it. Obviously I am from texas. Cotton and cattle. I grew up in the summers on my grandparents row crop farm in minnesota, so I knew row crops, cotton and cattle coming into this job. I did not know specialty crops as much.
▶ 1:09:37Sec. Rollins: And you and others, working across the aisle, some of your colleagues from the northeast and california, have just been really, really good at making sure that I fully understand the challenges facing our specialty crop producers. The block grant you are speaking of -- most of the northeast is in that paperwork process. Some of them are complete. I should have had vermont front of center, I will follow up on you with that. If it has not been deployed yet, it will be imminently.
▶ 1:10:08Sec. Rollins: That was a little more challenging for us than the typical row crop or cattle application because there are so many specialty crops and every one of them are different, and they are the smaller farmer in this country. They don't have the armies of paperwork doers.
▶ 1:10:24Sen. Welch: We are talking about the disaster assistance and the usda disaster assistance fund. Your office has been responsive to me. What I understand is that both of those are on track for deployment quite soon.
▶ 1:10:44Sec. Rollins: The crack staff behind me said that we signed the block grant yesterday and it will be moving out soon.
▶ 1:10:53Sen. Welch: I like that kind of service. The other thing -- the usda is extremely helpful to us, really helpful to us in vermont. There have been some staffing cuts, and loss of staff by attrition, and there has not been replacement. It really is a governmental agency that has made a significant difference for vermont. Can you tell me about the prospects of re-staffing, so that we get the help that we need?
▶ 1:11:24Sec. Rollins: Absolutely. My ask for you, and you can pass me to anyone who has better information if you don't have it -- if we could just get a list of whether it is nrcs, fsa -- wherever you are really compromised, where you don't have enough staff, we will prioritize that.
▶ 1:11:43Sen. Welch: We will do that.
▶ 1:11:44Sec. Rollins: Great. We will get a good look on that.
▶ 1:11:51Sen. Welch: There is an access program that is really helpful for us and our maple producers in vermont. Vermont produces the most maple syrup, the best maple syrup, in the united states.
▶ 1:12:03Sec. Rollins: In the world?
▶ 1:12:07Sen. Welch: Yes, thank you for that. There is a 30 day requirement window that is far shorter than the previous nine years, and it is making it somewhat difficult to meet internal organizational deadlines. Can we work with you about extending that period of application to give our institutions more time to get the benefit of this?
▶ 1:12:28Sec. Rollins: Absolutely. I know we adjusted that particular program. If we need more time, let's make sure that happens.
▶ 1:12:41Sen. Welch: I want to talk a little bit about food for peace. That has been such a contribution the united states has made to hunger across the world. There is a memorandum of understanding in the state department that we give usda temporary authority to administer this incredibly important program.
▶ 1:13:01Sen. Welch: Can you just described this and the steps that you would take to make certain that the goals of the food for peace program continue to be met with this organizational restructuring?
▶ 1:13:13Sec. Rollins: It is my understanding the undersecretary for trade has driven that, and I think it has been a successful transition. We talked about this in my confirmation hearing a year ago and it actually happened, and we are really happy to take the program and do with it what we could. If you have heard differently, please let us know how we can improve. Really glad to have it.
▶ 1:13:35Sec. Rollins: I think it needs to be codified at some point because it is just under an mou, but we are fully under support of moving it to usda.
▶ 1:13:45Sen. Welch: You were mentioning organics and vegetables. The certification program that farmers have to go through in order to get organic status -- there has been a cost share, but what I understand is there is a move to increase the burden or the share of costs that the farmer has to bear. And I want your cooperation on that, because I think that increasing that cost to our farmers is going to diminish the ability of farmers who do want to make the choice to go to organic to do so.
▶ 1:14:15Sen. Welch: Can we work with you on that?
▶ 1:14:17Sec. Rollins: Of course. I know the working families tax cut included extra money for that program. We will look forward to building that out.
▶ 1:14:27Sen. Welch: Finally, this is not anything that you have control over, but I am so alarmed and concerned about the well-being of agriculture, not just in vermont, but across the country. A graph that your office provided shows that in all the big commodity crops, it is costing the farmers more to produce than they are getting paid. That is just not a sustainable situation. Not a sustainable situation.
▶ 1:14:53Sen. Welch: Some of the costs related to tariffs affect our policy and is having a big impact on the input costs of fertilizer. Tariffs have also had a big impact on losing markets for a lot of our agriculture community especially in the midwest.
▶ 1:15:12Sen. Welch: I'm not going to ask you to defend those, that is not your decision or choice, but I just want to express to you, I am really concerned about the well-being of agriculture in this country, where farmers have to pay more than they are getting paid for the crop they make. Also, I think this committee has to address this, Mr. chairman. Our firm created an immense amount of wealth. They just don't get any of it.
▶ 1:15:37Sen. Welch: That's right -- sec.
▶ 1:15:42Rollins: That's right.
▶ 1:15:44Sen. Welch: I think you agree with me on that but I just want to make that statement.
▶ 1:15:48Sec. Rollins: If I may quickly, I know that you and I can disagree on this, but from my perspective, having watched the tariff and trade negotiations around the world, it has opened up the highest corn experts on record, tree nuts on record, we have cut the agricultural trade deficit that we inherited from a $50 billion, in half come in one year. I understand it's been an imperfect progress but we have made a lot of strides for our farmers. Thank you.
▶ 1:16:19Chair Boozman: Senator tuberville.
▶ 1:16:24Sen. Tuberville: Thank you, Mr. german. Thank you, secretary, for being here. It's a disaster, we all know. We don't like to go back in time but in the previous generation, we lost 25,000 farms, a disaster. We are still losing.
▶ 1:16:43Sen. Tuberville: When you have all of those high input costs up to this point, the farmers, producers in my state of alabama, when you have a four or five-year losing streak, in coaching you get fired. In farming, you go broke. That is what is happening. Just one question about the screw worm. How we open up the border to mexico from east coast?
▶ 1:17:12Sec. Rollins: The ports have been close for a year. That allowed us to keep it out. If we had opened up those ports, we would have had it on our side, 6, 10 months ago.
▶ 1:17:21Sen. Tuberville: Are you putting fly traps all along the border, where are they?
▶ 1:17:25Sec. Rollins: They are all along the border. We have a polygon that gets adjusted every day. With the first confirmed case, a three week old calf in texas was confirmed, within four hours, we are dropping 8 million sterile flies on top of that ranch and they have had no other cases. This just proves the efficacy of the technology. We are constantly moving basin where the cases are popping up. This month we have more coming online so we can expand that.
▶ 1:17:56Sec. Rollins: Hopefully we can even exponentially expand by the end of the year, and then moving up a time like to get that big production facility ready to go hopefully before next month.
▶ 1:18:04Sen. Tuberville: Can our packers and producers make it without mexican beef?
▶ 1:18:08Sec. Rollins: I think the larger question is a good one, and that is that our packers are losing a lot of money right now. It is the lowest cattle herd in history of our country. What's important to realize is that it a worldwide phenomenon. There's a lot of reasons for that. In america, there is no question, the previous four years to us, ranchers were not number one on the policy list.
▶ 1:18:35Sec. Rollins: There were grazing lands taken away, usda money was shifted to more climate focused projects, etc., a lot of issues with pushback on that. Combine that with the make america healthy again movement. We have a higher demand for beef today than we've ever had before. The carcass weights are bigger now because of genetics, so we don't have less beef on the shelves, we have about the same amount on the shelves. What is happening is more people are eating it and what it.
▶ 1:19:04Sec. Rollins: As the price goes up, demand continues to increase, too. We just need to get more cattle here as soon as possible and it our interest to retain. It is hard to do with the prices are good for the cattle. The average heard in america is 45 head. That tells you pretty much every producer has a herd of cattle and that is keeping them afloat.
▶ 1:19:25Sen. Tuberville: My foresters are getting killed. Sawmills are closing down, we are getting beat up by canada. We have a 25 percent tariff on canada. They are flooding our country with lumbar. Our sawmills are going up, we are losing paper mills. We have no place for our wood residuals to go. It is becoming a disaster.
▶ 1:19:55Sen. Tuberville: Our crop farmers are having problems, foresters are having problems. What is your thought on the problem we are having with the forestry?
▶ 1:20:03Sec. Rollins: Cotton, rice, and we should put timber on there, too. Similar with cotton and rice, we have released, but timber is next. There is a lot we can do on the international front with a tray team to continue to push this and prioritize it, because you are right. This is one of the fundamental original agriculture producers in the country, our timber guys, timber mills.
▶ 1:20:31Sec. Rollins: There is a lot of opportunity there, just as we have done in biofuels. There is a lot of we can do in biomass. Let's stick on that and work with your office.
▶ 1:20:39Sen. Tuberville: China can come in and by our trees, cut our trees, ship them back, mill them, make cabinets,, and then they undercut our prices. We need to tariff the hell out of china. I don't understand why we cannot protect the people in our country. I know it's about diplomacy, but at the end of the day, we have to say people that make things in this country.
▶ 1:21:10Sen. Tuberville: That is what president trump wanted. Let's make things here. One other thing before my time runs out. Gulf coast shrimpers continue to face pressure from imported seafood often sold at unfair price due to foreign subsidies and dumping prices. Can you address that?
▶ 1:21:35Sec. Rollins: There is no doubt our gold coast, really all of our coast -- north carolina has a big issue, too. We open the first ever office of seafood. I don't know if you were tracking that. Before our seafood, farmers of the sea, never had a home in the federal government.
▶ 1:21:59Sec. Rollins: Six months ago, we opened our office of seafood with the sole purpose of making sure that we can better, more actively, and more vigorously advocate for our fishermen and the shrimpers, whether it is that our labor, there are all kinds of challenges there. We are fully focused on that.
▶ 1:22:17Sen. Tuberville: We raise about 4% of the shrimp that we in the country. 96% of the shrimp that we eat comes from another country. If you are not on the coast, you are eating shrimp that comes from swewers from vietnam, cambodia, it's atrocious.
▶ 1:22:43Sen. Tuberville: It looks great when it comes in these frozen packages in the grocery store, but we are worried about maha, and it's a catastrophe. One other thing, you spoke of the national farm security act. How are you working with the department of war for national security?
▶ 1:23:01Sec. Rollins: I have been so pleased at not just secretary hegseth but across secretary bessent, all of the cabinet colleagues of mine that have accepted agriculture with open arms, put ag at the top of the list. I'm now a part of the city's committee. Reviewing everything that is happening in america from foreign entities and adversaries. It's been extremely positive.
▶ 1:23:32Sec. Rollins: Thank you, senator.
▶ 1:23:33Chair Boozman: Senator schiff
▶ 1:23:38Sen. Schiff: Thank you, Mr. chairman. Hi, madam secretary. You were recently in california. You know how important our goal of the state is to producing healthy fruits and vegetables. This is my last week I introduce a package of six bills to increase support and level the playing field for specialty crop farmers.
▶ 1:23:57Sen. Schiff: I want to thank you for moving in the right direction with an increased allotment for specialty crop farmers from an initial 800 50 million to $1.65 billion for assistant to specialty crop farmers. Specialty crops account for 30% of the total U.S. crop sales. The industry is facing several billion dollars in losses due to market disruptions over the last year and have.
▶ 1:24:25Sen. Schiff: They are continuing to ask for $5 billion, up from the 1.6 in additional help to have this funding doled out based on revenue. Similar to how cfap2, under the first trump administration was implemented. I wanted to ask if you would consider increasing the amount going to specialty crops given their significant percentage of the food production in the country, their significant losses?
▶ 1:24:57Sen. Schiff: Also if you would consider reevaluating how usda is distributing the relief, using the formula, similar to cfap2 under the first trust administration.
▶ 1:25:10Sec. Rollins: We would love any feedback. That is the reason why we more than doubled the original plan. As we have made clear, this is hopefully we can lean on congress to step into these gaps, usda bubblegum and duct taping these programs together is difficult on the bottom line. Yes, of course, we are open to that sort of feedback Sen.
▶ 1:25:38Schiff: Is there any constraint to using the ccc money that you need addressed in the farm bill or otherwise to augment what we can do for these specialty crop farms?
▶ 1:25:47Sec. Rollins: Yes, so what we have discussed is the ccc is an important tool for usda. For the american farmer, I don't know that I appreciated it until this job. It has been at a low limit of $30 billion for decades, never tied to inflation when it was instituted I think in the 1930's. Yes, there is a lot of work that congress can do. It's a congressionally authorized fund.
▶ 1:26:16Sec. Rollins: To adjust and even just time to inflation. We are talking to a lot of people on this committee almost daily about the importance of that. The other important point about that, a lot of the really good things that happened under the working families tax cut act, that is going to come, crop protection, the addition of money will come from the ccc fund. We are really stressed right now on the ccc.
▶ 1:26:44Sen. Schiff: I will make sure that our specialty crop farmers provide you with additional information about why using cfap2 would be a more fair formula for farmers, given the nature of how they grow their crops which is different from row crops. I've also heard concern about how usda is implementing the disaster relief phase two.
▶ 1:27:09Sen. Schiff: It was supposed be the route that reached specialty crop growers, the ones with shallow inequality losses that could not trigger an indemnity. The payment pack to to 70%, dudley moved to august. The extended deadline only helps if growers can get through the door, but at the same time, staffing at the farm service agency county offices is down. Are you committed to ensuring these applications get processed by the previously stated deadline of august 12?
▶ 1:27:39Sen. Schiff: I don't want my farmers left out because the staffing is not adequate to process their applications by that date. Can you assure us that the topped up payment for other producers will not lead to inadequate funding for fruits, nuts, and vegetables? As some farmers go to get a second allotment, that we are not going to deprive specialty crop farmers of getting even a first amount of assistance.
▶ 1:28:06Sec. Rollins: I will note the reason we extended the deadline is because we got this feedback. I had a call from senator slotkin from michigan come another specialty crop state. I think maybe number one in the country.
▶ 1:28:20Sen. Schiff: I have to correct you there. Very much number two.
▶ 1:28:24Sec. Rollins: Either way, yes, I will note two important things. Number one, that we will ensure that everyone has the time they need. If you are hearing differently, please let us know. We have worked hard to adjust fsfa offices to make sure that's possible.
▶ 1:28:44Sec. Rollins: And it may not be as applicable to the specialty crop industry but it's important to note that the one farmer, one file we rolled out last year, the program, the funding program we put out previous to rolling that out, over the course of five months, we had 12,000 payments move. Under one farmer, one file, we had 457 farmers apply and hit their bank account. We are making a lot of technological adjustments to move that much more quickly. Understand the importance of the in person touch.
▶ 1:29:18Sec. Rollins: For many of our farmers I don't want to do it on the phone or computer.
▶ 1:29:20Sen. Schiff: It's a lot more complicated process for specialty crops because of the multiyear investment they make in their trees and plants compared to what we see with row crop farmers. Let me turn to one last issue, and that is pest and disease, which are an evergreen threat in california. One example, the glassy winged sharpshooter is hitting california grape growers, with an unexpected and severe detection as of a few weeks ago.
▶ 1:29:52Sen. Schiff: I will soon be sending a letter to you along with my colleagues, asking for the release of $32 million to address the sharpshooter. I appreciate you looking at that request. Also making sure that we have the staffing we need to detect and diagnose and assist farmers with these endangering pests and disease.
▶ 1:30:20Sec. Rollins: As I mentioned with screwworm, we increase step by 1000%. I don't have the sharpshooter numbers with me but we will circle back to make sure that is fully funded and probably a bit more.
▶ 1:30:35Sen. Schiff: That and other diseases have been devastating to farmers in california. Thank you.
▶ 1:30:41Chair Boozman: Thank you. Senator moran. Sybil moran thank you. Madam secretary, thank you for allowing me and my team to visit you earlier this week at usda. I want to again thank you for your department's efforts in regard to food for peace.
▶ 1:31:00Chair Boozman: A few weeks ago, we had the under secretary with congress and in kansas to discuss trade, discuss the opportunity for us to continue our international food aid programs. I want to thank you for the acceptance and the work that you are now operating the food for peace program, excepted from the department of state. Management and operation of food for peace.
▶ 1:31:29Chair Boozman: Madam secretary, I just received a text. This is a photo of people in kansas just yesterday, and they loaded 400,000 bushels of grain sorghum on their way to be used for the food for peace program, one of the first opportunities where this has occurred. 400,000 bushels.
▶ 1:31:53Chair Boozman: We have four kansans dressed in their bright yellow jackets, helping in regard to that grain being loaded. That is a beneficial thing economically, but there is an emotional attachment that comes with all farmers, all agriculture producers, in the noble pursuit of their profession that fees a hungry world. You should take great pride in food for peace under your management.
▶ 1:32:19Chair Boozman: I want to make certain, senator hoeven has been not my sidekick but my leader in the effort to make permanent that transfer from the state department. Secretary review testified in response to my questions last week, his support for this endeavor. We want to give you all the tools. I would just ask about one thing.
▶ 1:32:44Chair Boozman: The necessary employees and staff, I understand you are doing the same program with less people, but I want to make sure the fact that it is a temporary program now doesn't inhibit, another reason that we can make a case for making it permanent so you can better hire longer-term employees.
▶ 1:33:00Sec. Rollins: I will make sure that we look at that, too. Be sure to tell senator rubio that usda is doing more with less, please.
▶ 1:33:11Sen. Moran: It depends on whether I need something from secretary rubio, but I'll be happy to do that at the right time. Kansas, longtime leading state in cattle feeding. I say that to a texan. Large numbers of animals are shipped across the country to be finished.
▶ 1:33:32Sen. Moran: Unfortunately, this movement of cattle has also increased the presence of the asian long born tick, on of them want to be concerned about, and invasive parasite that poses a threat to our livestock industry. . Usda resources are stretched across numerous animal health priorities but I want to make sure that we elevate the urgency of this issue to you and the department has its risks are expanding and present not only in kansas but now nationwide.
▶ 1:34:04Sen. Moran: I want to highlight that issue. Met up sec. I also want to highlight the importance of the national bio agri-science facility in manhattan, kansas, the replacement for plum island, currently managed by the department of homeland security. When it transfers from plum island, it becomes a part of the department of agriculture. It is a part now but the tasks will be a part of your responsibility.
▶ 1:34:32Sen. Moran: I wanted you to know that I talked this morning with the secretary of homeland security, indicated in a very brief conversation about the importance of the transition between plum island and in bath. He showed a willingness to make sure that the transition goes smoothly. It is on his radar screen.
▶ 1:34:54Sec. Rollins: I am heading there for a meeting on of the topic but I will bring that up.
▶ 1:34:59Sen. Moran: Finally, I want to mention about the importance of the grazing of crp. We have had significant grassland fires in kansas, tens of thousands of acres burned, significant number of cattle affected. The challenges of farmers and rural fire departments and fighting fires across huge expanses.
▶ 1:35:30Sen. Moran: When I was in clark and mead counties in southwest kansas earlier this month, I was asking, why the prevalence of these fires? They seem to be more frequent than in the past. The answer at least in part is crp. It is the nature of rainfall in our state. We have been in a multiyear five-year drought. About a year ago, we started to have rain again.
▶ 1:35:56Sen. Moran: The grass on the crp grew and became fuel for fires. Unfortunately, the drought returned, so we had a lot of vegetation that then turned flammable. I would like to work with the department -- on a sponsor with legislation with senator klobuchar and others -- in regard to some of these issues about the improvement in the flex ability of using crp ground.
▶ 1:36:25Sen. Moran: I hope we can understand it can be a part of the farm bill as we mark up the important piece of legislation. In the meantime, anything usda can do, and the point I would make is, I didn't realize this.
▶ 1:36:41Sen. Moran: I've always know the importance of grazing crp ground in a drought, the need of feed for cattle, but the other part of that, crp ground needs to be grazed from keeping it from becoming the source of the fire that kills the cattle or that destroys their feed. We have a significant opportunity in crp to better manage, in the process, improve the environment, by reducing the chances of fire.
▶ 1:37:05Sec. Rollins: Not only that but when you look at trying to rebuild the herd, we need that land to get the catalog. I look forward to that. Thank you, senator.
▶ 1:37:15Sen. Moran: Thank you, secretary.
▶ 1:37:19Chair Boozman: Senator lujan.
▶ 1:37:23Sen. Lujan: Thank you, Mr. chairman. Secretary, if I let continue where senator moran was, and some of the western states, I see the representative here -- recently some of our ranchers that have allotments were told they cannot go in because of drought conditions.
▶ 1:37:42Sen. Lujan: Similar to what jim is saying, with the cost of diesel inputs, things of that nature, the same way that pokes across the country that have row crops, I don't know why there would be a program to help offset the cost of hay and fuel costs as well. If the federal government is telling folks that you cannot use these allotments because of hay, what is going on with crp, there might be something we can do together, midwest, western states, where we can figure this out. This issue just came up.
▶ 1:38:13Sen. Lujan: Two weeks ago, I was at a commencement. A few of the board members that have cal herds were talking about this -- cattle herds were talking about this. For whatever that is worth, I hope that is something that we can work on together.
▶ 1:38:27Sec. Rollins: I would love that, thank you.
▶ 1:38:30Sen. Lujan: Madam secretary, one of the questions I have, we are one of the states where the screwworm is now. I have a lot of questions in this particular area but I'm hearing concerns from folks back home. I understand he has set up a 20 kilometer quarantine zone around impacted farms, redeployed staff as well to help with surveillance and response.
▶ 1:38:57Sen. Lujan: The question I have is with the nearly 20% reduction in staff due to the doge cuts, different resignation programs, heavier losses in concentrated areas like the southwest, there is just not enough people when emergencies like this come up. This is an emergency we have known about for a while, watching that darn thing get closer to the states, texas, no new mexico.
▶ 1:39:31Sen. Lujan: My question is have reduction efforts impact the ability of the department to respond to the spread of the screwworm?
▶ 1:39:36Sec. Rollins: The answer is, no, it hasn't. We have reallocated resources, last january 2025, we had 10 full-time staffers on screwworm. Last week, when we confirm that case in may, we have over 120. We have increased staffing, just usda. The state of texas has put significant resources as well. I have a call with your governor quickly to work with the mexico to do the same. Just a quick point of clarification.
▶ 1:40:08Sec. Rollins: The six confirmed cases, five texas, one in new mexico. The new mexico case was a dog that was brought over from mexico. It has not hit your livestock, it was a companion animal that was transported over the border and then brought to a vet in andrews county. Your case is not quite as concerning -- still concerned and, of course.
▶ 1:40:30Sec. Rollins: But the other cases in south texas, babies, basically the umbilical cord, is where the fly landed, screwworm, and then a goat. We will monitor closely. New mexico is the very next state. You have my number and we are 24/7 on this right now. We have invested $1.3 billion since we came in the door. We are on it.
▶ 1:40:59Sec. Rollins: We have to get more sterile flies in the air. That takes time. It is a radiation facility to get there.
▶ 1:41:04Sen. Lujan: If I could work with you and your team to get disaggregated numbers on the staff and site here. The reason I ask, when stephen responded to some questions about staffing, these numbers were concerning. I just want to understand what is what. If more people are needed, we need to work together. There are conversations about farm bill, this and that come appropriations season.
▶ 1:41:34Sen. Lujan: If we need to get more folks, we need to get more folks. I understand what goals there are out there, but just to make sure that the folks that are needed will be there, the experts that are needed. A similar question I have in that space is around technology. Have you awarded contracts in that space as well, looking at new technology to be able to stop this thing? Technological advancements.
▶ 1:42:02Sec. Rollins: On new world screwworm? Part of that was the grand challenge. We had about 220 applications for a couple hundred million dollars. We have been going through those now. We will begin to announce those and hit the green light beginning later this week. You will see those rolling out immediately.
▶ 1:42:25Sec. Rollins: In addition to the incredible research already ars, novo fly, which only produces male sterile flies. They breed with the female screwworm, sterilize that female fly, and then she cannot lay the larva. Just imagine the exponential possibility here to eradicate this much sooner than later when we are only producing sterile male flies.
▶ 1:42:56Sec. Rollins: The female flies are of no use to us. It is the boys that we need flying to sterilize the screwworm flies.
▶ 1:43:03Sen. Lujan: You broke ground in texas already?
▶ 1:43:07Sec. Rollins: Six months ago.
▶ 1:43:09Sen. Lujan: We introduced a piece of legislation on this about six months ago. I was getting concerned that we were not too much activity, so it's good to see that around getting broken. I always ask, why couldn't we do it sooner?
▶ 1:43:23Sec. Rollins: We started that process the minute I walked in the door last february, got permanent done in a couple of months, broken ground. Also in mexico, will be outfitted, $20 million project. That facility is coming online in a couple of weeks. We began the outfit last year.
▶ 1:43:43Sen. Lujan: Very good. Madam secretary, there have been decisions in different parts of the administration for funding. People say different things. Can I get your commitment that wherever we see this damn screwworm, those estate will be prioritized? I get what you say on the dog but texas and mexico have it. Is that a commitment I can get from you, wherever this thing pops up, they moved to the priority for responses?
▶ 1:44:11Sec. Rollins: 100%. That has been the containment effort. Every model showed it would hit our side of the border by last summer. We have been able to hold it at bay for a year while we have been building out these facilities and staffing up. Absolutely. The president has been clear. This is a nonpartisan issue. We have to protect our livestock industry, hunting industry.
▶ 1:44:34Sen. Lujan: Last thing, just as we close out here, when it comes to food and nutrition, look, I understand all the conversations in the space. Whether it was speaker paul ryan when I was in the house, everyone was talking about this stuff. I want to get rid of waste, fraud, and abuse across the board, everywhere. There are kids that are losing meals now.
▶ 1:45:00Sen. Lujan: I certainly hope there are things that we can do to come together, there are conversations with democrats and republicans about him limiting what senator murkowski did, a two-year delay to give states more time to look at things, how we can be smarter about stuff. I hope that is something you can embrace, endorse, that president trump -- I cannot imagine he wants to see kids not get a meal.
▶ 1:45:23Sen. Lujan: I certainly hope that is something we can do together and just say, come on, let's come together, we have the same goals. We just have different ways of getting there sometimes. Let's make sure that we can do something. I appreciate your response. I hope that is something that we can find commonality on.
▶ 1:45:40Sec. Rollins: Thank you, senator. If I may, one quick point on that. We sent a letter last year asking for the state to partner with us on eradicating fraud. We had 29 states say yes. 21 states said no thank you. I understand there is some politics in that, although we have some blue states that we are working with. I would love to partner with new mexico and get new mexico's data to help us figure out where the fraud is, where we can focus on the kids who really need this
▶ 1:46:09Baby Sen. Lujan: Lets and the fraud, waste the abuse, but let's make sure that kids are not starving when we do this stuff. We can do both. Let's make sure that these kids are going to get those meals. Appreciate it.
▶ 1:46:20Chair Boozman: Thank. Senator hyde-smith.
▶ 1:46:25Sen. Hyde-Smith: Thank you, chairman. I want to think the secretary for being here today and doing such an outstanding job along with senator welch. I think that you are doing a wonderful job. When I'm reading the headlines about all of these serious challenges with the screwworm, you give me confidence. You really do. That usda will handle these challenges. You have proven that over and over, so thank you for what you are doing.
▶ 1:46:57Sen. Hyde-Smith: I was thrilled about the department's recent announcement on the great american cotton plan, the initiative to increase the demand to increase trade and promote U.S. cotton as the alternative to synthetic fibers. It is a healthier option and it can really be a game changer for the struggling economy. And it just makes so much sense. In 1991, there were 181 cotton gin's in mississippi.
▶ 1:47:31Sen. Hyde-Smith: Down in bolton, he is still running his cotton gin that he has for many years. In 2000, there were only 62 gins. And the total number of cotton gin's mississippi is down to 33. That is so significant. I can remember as a child seeing the bumper stickers, cotton is king. It is not anymore. We can bring that back. There is no reason why we shouldn't.
▶ 1:47:59Sen. Hyde-Smith: It's a tremendous economic impact associated with those figures. When gins disappear, jobs disappear. The communities in rural areas have very few other options. But a key pillar of the usda's great american cotton plan is the buying american cotton act. I thank you for bringing the attention there. I introduced it in the senate. I already have almost 100 members of congress on board with that.
▶ 1:48:28Sen. Hyde-Smith: What started out a year ago as some people thought was a messaging bill, we have gotten traction, because it is so logical. Thanks to the unique coalition of the cotton belt farmers, fashion brands that we all know and have heard of, they have gotten on board, health advocates, business leaders across the nation, they are just embracing the buy american cotton act.
▶ 1:48:56Sen. Hyde-Smith: It's become a major priority for the producers as well as the retailers. We all love fashion, we all love going shopping. To think that we are going to have more american cotton in these products because we are buying it anyway, we just want it safer and healthier. Thank you for your leadership on that. It does represent a key step into restoring the textile industry here, manufacturing, the supply chains from our adversaries.
▶ 1:49:26Sen. Hyde-Smith: Tomorrow is seersucker day in the senate. It is just an encouragement started by mississippi senator trent lott, of wearing cotton, air seersucker suit. I will encourage my colleagues to do that, to acknowledge the cotton farmers. Again, I commend the administration for endorsing this effort, appreciate your partnership as you travel throughout the country.
▶ 1:49:49Sen. Hyde-Smith: Madam secretary, will you discuss how the buy american cotton act aligns with the usda priorities to expand this domestic market for agriculture commodities, as well as strengthening our national security?
▶ 1:50:02Sec. Rollins: Your leadership of this has been really incredible. Of course coming from a cotton state, I had her before this job all of the challenges. I didn't fully understand how really bad it had gotten out in the industry with the mills, etc.
▶ 1:50:20Sec. Rollins: It occurred to me, in this moment of time, with make america healthy again, putting america first, opening up markets around the world, working to restore and protect american markets, that cotton should be at the very top of the list. There has certainly been a lot of struggles. As I have seen with secretary kennedy, these incredible commitments -- I was just with the idfa, the dairy team yesterday.
▶ 1:50:47Sec. Rollins: They have made all of these amazing commitments to take food coloring out of their ice cream, to do this with their ice cream, just to make it healthier again. My vision, with your partnership, your vision, too, is that all of these great american companies should be at the table and say from now on, let's say 20%, I'm only going to buy american cotton act, then 50% and then more. Let's get back to the days where most of our clothing, sheets, etc.
▶ 1:51:17Sec. Rollins: Are sourced with great american cotton. Then let's talk about it on the world stage and make it a priority. There is so much opportunity there. This is what our founders envisioned. It is the elected members of the people working together with an executive branch that can go out and fight for the american dreaming and the american people.
▶ 1:51:36Sen. Hyde-Smith: Just the hotel industry, towels and sheets, this is so doable. So grateful that we are heading in that direction now. Obviously come in the past, we took our eyes off the ball there. Another topic I want to discuss is something that you spent a lot of time with, new world screwworm. That's been confirmed in the united states. We were expecting it, knew it was going to come.
▶ 1:52:07Sen. Hyde-Smith: The preparedness that your leadership has put forth to be ready for this is outstanding. We certainly thought it would be here last fall. The investments you have made. But this past, this screwworm complicates the challenge of rebuilding the national cattle herd, as well, from a little record, and recent discussions about beef imports have been talked about, how it can strengthen our domestic industry going into the future.
▶ 1:52:38Sen. Hyde-Smith: We know the cattle market is a global market, like any other agriculture market. It goes through highs and lows. We need to ensure we are protecting our industry with only the necessary government intervention, but we have to address this shortage. That is the only thing that will get us to where we need to be. When I go to meetings with cattlemen, I look around the room, and the average, they are in their 60's.
▶ 1:53:06Sen. Hyde-Smith: We need to incentivize young producers to get into producing fine cattle in this country. We can definitely do that. I know so many that want to be a cowboy, we just have to help them get there. Madam secretary, what is the administration doing to break down barriers for producers to rebuild their herds? What should congress be doing to help you achieve those goals?
▶ 1:53:29Sec. Rollins: I think congress did an amazing thing in the working families tax cut act when we increase the definition of a young farmer, rancher from five to 10 years. That allows more access to programs at usda to support these farmers so they see a vision in the future. We want to protect the multi-generations, but the incentive to get into the business is really important.
▶ 1:53:59Sec. Rollins: The magic, if you will, of the make america healthy again movement, is that almost $400 million a day that usda spends and nutrition programs, across 60 nutrition programs, as we are working to get healthier and real food like protein, great american beef into schools, school lunches, into the stocking standards for our retailers that are taking the snap program.
▶ 1:54:25Sec. Rollins: These are all market moving, game changing opportunities that incentivize, while ensuring on the backend that we are fighting the lawfare fight. You see this as much as I do. All the ranchers -- I have one in arizona, fifth generation come about to lose his ranch because the state declared it need more land for solar panels. The same thing is happening in upstate new york. We are fighting for the king ranch family in washington. It is a multitude of issues.
▶ 1:54:56Sec. Rollins: Ensuring that we are preserving these great generational ranches from a national security perspective. It is not just because it is the righteous thing to do, it's a national security issue, while incentivizing the next generation to lean in, while we are taking the burdens of. The grazing allotments and regulations under the last administration were pretty severe. It was pretty clear there was not an incentive to support cattle ranching.
▶ 1:55:22Sec. Rollins: We opened up about 5 million more acres of federal government land for our western ranchers, giving them more access. There are lots of steps we are taking but ultimately I think is a national security, real priority.
▶ 1:55:35Sen. Hyde-Smith: We have to be able to feed our country. No doubt. I know my time is out, but I want to mention the timber industry. Multifamily housing built with wood. There is no reason we should be going in that direction.
▶ 1:55:52Sen. Hyde-Smith: I would like to see some incentives there those developers who choose wood, which is safe and a lot of times quicker to put up, which reduces the labor cost on a multifamily housing that we know we have a dire shortage in in this country. Thank you, Mr. chairman. >> senator booker.
▶ 1:56:17Sen. Booker: It was good to hear from everybody. Madam secretary, this is bigger than you and frankly both parties, I think, have been rather feckless and dealing with the larger trends that we are seeing in our country. I got here under the obama administration. I have seen trump one, biden, I have seen trump two, and the trends are staggering what we are seeing in the country when it comes to farmers.
▶ 1:56:48Sen. Booker: Even since our last farm bill, we have lost over 100 50,000 farms in our country. 51 farmers, families losing their farms every single day. It is a staggering reality. I have met with so many farmers who tell a story about the economics of farming, just not working for them anymore. We are seeing massive corporate concentration.
▶ 1:57:17Sen. Booker: We are seeing farmers -- I have sat with republican and democratic farmers who tell me their father and grandfather had five buyers for their goods, now there is one that is dictating price. They talk about their input costs going up and up, and they are squeezing that. The share of the consumers don't used to be over 50%. Now it is down to 13, $.14 per consumer dollar. That is how much is going to the farmer.
▶ 1:57:49Sen. Booker: These are trends that are staggering. Just since you were confirmed -- again, I'm not placing this on you. We all need to accept response ability for this crisis. But since you were confirmed, 15,000 more farms have gone out of business. That is majority small farms in our country. We have a real alarm going off. From a lot of farmers I talked to, they really feel like we're heading into the 1980's farm crisis we saw.
▶ 1:58:22Sen. Booker: I often think we are not standing up to the gravity of the crisis, to reverse these trends. The partisan farm bill that came out of the house, it doesn't do anything bold to meet this crisis. It will not stop all of these farmers that you talk to, that I talked to, who are barely making ends meet. Most farmers now have to take jobs off of their farm just to make ends meet.
▶ 1:58:53Sen. Booker: I just want to say, I hope this committee, I hope when we take our crack on the farm bill on this side, come up with a lot bolder and bigger ideas. I disagree with a lot of things that president trump is doing. I believe the tariffs have not been helpful. I think they have been reckless.
▶ 1:59:16Sen. Booker: I'm upset with a lot of the program we have got that I know -- again, I hear from republican and democratic farmers, multiple food purchasing programs for schools and the like, some of the cuts at field offices. Again, I think we are nibbling at the edges, and we need to think about far bigger approach is bolder ideas, or else we are going to witness, as I said, with dozens of farms closing every single day, we are going
▶ 1:59:47Sen. Booker: To lose our heritage, lose the best stewards of our land. Lose what I think makes this country secure and this economy strong. I just put that out there. I just want to sound the alarm every chance I get, really challenge all of us to meet this crisis. Right now, we are not, the trends are continuing.
▶ 2:00:11Sen. Booker: They have continued under multiple presidents, and we are spiraling to a point where I think the very idea of the american farmer is going to go from the kind of hallowed ideas of independent family farms to a corporatized system that just undermines the health, well-being, safety, economic security of our country. I want to go to some specifics quick, just talk about the food for peace program.
▶ 2:00:42Sen. Booker: U.S. foreign aid cuts that we saw triggered this real collapse in the humanitarian funding. I was happy to hear my colleague talk about the power of that program for american farmers. We have seen hundreds of thousands of people die as a result of these cuts. The usda restart of commodity purchases for the food for peace program is something I'm very grateful for.
▶ 2:01:07Sen. Booker: The 450 million dollars of emergency food assistance announced in february, you decided the food should be sent to seven different countries. Last month, you announced another 360 million. I celebrate this. Emergency food assistance. I'm glad to see the commodity purchases, the difference it is making for farmers. Globally it's estimated there are over 320 million people facing crisis levels of hunger. 40 million people on a brick of starvation. It is something that we need to continue moving forward.
▶ 2:01:38Sen. Booker: I hope that we can to work together to make sure those farmers that are involved get even more of a benefit of being a part of meeting the humanitarian crisis. I want to say that with a sense of gratitude. I also want to talk about this idea of altar processed foods. It's an area where I am willing to lean in and partner with you, with secretary kennedy.
▶ 2:02:07Sen. Booker: Diet-related chronic disease is number one killer of americans. One out of four of our teenagers are prediabetic. Half the children living in the country are projected to be obese by the time they are 30 five. We should be ringing alarm bells . And the science is not time much of this help to these altar processed foods that no makeup two thirds of the calories for our children. I was really glad to see the dietary guidelines call out the need to reduce altar processed foods.
▶ 2:02:37Sen. Booker: I think we need to move more aggressively. I am really hoping that maybe for qfr's, you can let us know how you are going to update and align the dietary guidelines so we can get these ultra-processed foods out of our school. Hoping that you and your team can move with a great sense of urgency. The last thing I will say, and then you can respond to anything that you want.
▶ 2:03:07Sen. Booker: Just something that leader thune and I agree with, which is this idea of country of origin labeling. As you know, we have worked extensively with the biden administration to get voluntary country of origin labeling, requiring any beef labeled safe, comes from cattle born, raised, slaughtered in the united states. I want to thank you for implement think policy change.
▶ 2:03:37Sen. Booker: What I am seeking with a sense of urgency, what I believe our cattlemen need, is mandatory country of origin labeling, that that be reinstated. I'm proud to be on a bill with senator thune. I am really hoping the trump administration will get behind that. It protects american cattlemen and women, protects our own industry, as opposed to letting people undercut us that don't have the same labor laws, don't have the same practices. It is clearly unfair.
▶ 2:04:09Sen. Booker: American consumers want truth in labeling, want to support american beef producers. I just want you to know those are all the things on my mind. I love that I can have a dialogue with you. Of all the secretaries, you are one of the most accessible. I will give you a chance to respond to anything you want or we can move on.
▶ 2:04:26Sec. Rollins: Just quickly because I know we are out of time. Thank you for all of that. As you were speaking, this kind of checks all the boxes that you just outlined in a way. I was reminded of two farmers I met in albuquerque, new mexico about a year ago, two brothers. That is a doctor, not as a professor. They grew up in new mexico. They both got fancy degrees from fancy schools. Both wanted to be farmers, first generation in albuquerque.
▶ 2:04:57Sec. Rollins: Not the most conducive environment to be a farmer. 15 years ago, they decided to grow lettuce. It is still in my mind, I can see it. They have six employees. They support both of their families, but married with children. They go about 250 thousand head of organic lettuce on about three acres in the desert of new mexico. There are goes directly to the school and to the hospital. Again, america is the breadbasket of the world.
▶ 2:05:29Sec. Rollins: The support and honoring of our big farmers, the one that farms thousands and thousands of acres. We have to have that to be the world. As we are looking to make america healthy again, looking to open the aperture for the market for first-generation farmers, as we look to recalibrate our nutrition programs, 16 nutrition programs in america just three usda, spending 400 million dollars every single day, there is almost a perfect storm right now.
▶ 2:05:59Sec. Rollins: Then you and the chronic disease on top of that. For that sort of farm to come along. You'll be hearing more from us on that and I welcome the opportunity to work together. New jersey is maybe on the front end of some of that urban farming, opportunity to do more with a lot less land, and bring more first generation farmers in. Thank you.
▶ 2:06:22Chair Boozman: Senator justice.
▶ 2:06:26Sen. Justice: Hi good to see you, brooke. -- hi, brooke. Good to see you be and what an incredible superstar you are. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. What president trump has done -- and I know his heart. I know his heart really well.
▶ 2:06:53Sen. Justice: What he has done and what he is trying to do, he is trying just as hard as you, to try to fix an enormous problem. You know me well enough to know that I am a business guy, and I'm an organizer, and on a coach. -- I am a coach. I am the guy that is truly the fix it guy.
▶ 2:07:21Sen. Justice: You have a team parts of the puzzle and their flock in five different directions and you need to be able to put them together. We have an incredible chairman here. We have a great ranking member. We have great committee people that really have their hearts in the right spot. We do. I'm absolutely positive of this as I can be in every way. Now, I am telling you, the problem is enormous.
▶ 2:07:51Sen. Justice: It is enormous beyond all comprehension. And every single moment -- I don't know how you had your sanity at all right now. Because with every single moment, there is somebody coming to you. It may be fertilizer, specialty crops, forestry, whatever. But it is coming in every direction known to man, and you are doing great stuff. You are absolutely doing all kinds of great stuff.
▶ 2:08:23Sen. Justice: Now, my advice would be just this. You know, I heard a long time ago, people would maybe go to church. They would walk outside, and then they would be really aching about something. Well, the minister didn't look good today, wasn't dressed up. Whatever it may be.
▶ 2:08:49Sen. Justice: I was told over and over, son, don't listen to the specifics. Hear the message. What I think we are doing -- and this is really concerning to me. I don't think we will get there, I really don't.
▶ 2:09:12Sen. Justice: Because this has been an ongoing problem for decades and decades, and we put all kinds of resources in trying to fix the problem. At the end of the day, it is almost like sticking your finger in a dyke, 5000 other holes and you are running out of fingers.
▶ 2:09:36Sen. Justice: If I can give you anything from this white hair, the guy that has done lots of stuff. The guy you have to remember, who's grandparents never had indoor plumbing. What are the chances of this guy that used to be skinny and had brown hair, what are the chances of him being here? It is absolutely zero.
▶ 2:10:06Sen. Justice: I would highly recommend, if there is a way to do it, to where you could pick a couple of people that have the confidence of the people around them in the house, and maybe a couple people on both sides of the aisle, a couple people on both sides of the aisle here. That has a really eerie and confidence.
▶ 2:10:29Sen. Justice: Challenge them to come up with a list of every single thing that they absolutely needed to be able to get into a farm bill, to where we can get through it, and we can absolutely make something of it. Don't make the members that we are talking to, a committee. I have said it before. The definition of committee is really simple in my world.
▶ 2:10:56Sen. Justice: It is most generally a collection of individuals that have never accomplished anything by themselves, but collectively, they can get together and decide nothing can be done. That is the definition of committee.
▶ 2:11:10Sen. Justice: What you need, brooke, you need some folks that have the ear and the confidence of the people in the house, ear and the confidence of the people in the senate, and then absolutely you need a plan. You need a great big plan. I know you think you have got all that right now. I think president trump and you have done unbelievably good stuff.
▶ 2:11:37Sen. Justice: But I'm telling you, in jimmy's world, we are not going to get there. There are lots of folks out there that are really hurting, and they are depending on us. There is nobody in this room that has a soul any better than the secretary here. I promise you that. Nobody cares more in this room than her. I am that guy. I am the business guy.
▶ 2:12:07Sen. Justice: I am the fixer. I am the organizer. I am the farmer. For crying out loud, I understand this stuff, really understand. And I am a coach. With all that being said, I would highly recommend that what we don't do is spin around three or four times, do a lot of stuff that we are proud of.
▶ 2:12:36Sen. Justice: Do stuff absolutely that we are really proud of, and then we can step back and throw back on the previous administrations. They didn't do this, look at what we did. And we did move the ball, but we are not going to solve the riddle. I would just tell you, you have to have people around you that really have the ear and confidence of people, because they will have to go back and sell this whole thing.
▶ 2:13:04Sen. Justice: They will have to sell it on the house side and senate side, and literally, you have a lot of great people to choose from. They will have three really senior people, so that will kick me out of the process. But I'm telling you, I mean it when I say, everyone on this committee is on board. Everyone wanted to happen in a good way. Our chairman and ranking member wanted to happen in a good way. All of you all wanted to happen in a good way.
▶ 2:13:34Sen. Justice: I promise you to god above, I know president trump better than anybody, and I am promising you, he wants goodness for our farm communities, forestry, ranchers. He wants goodness for us. And this lady right here is a superstar. I am really pessimistic that we are going to get there. But I would do anything in the world I can to help.
▶ 2:14:03Sen. Justice: Sorry I didn't ask any questions. You can comment all day long on what I said. Thank you for being here.
▶ 2:14:08Sec. Rollins: Thank you, senator. That was well said. Look forward to doing just that. Thank you. Thank you for your friendship.
▶ 2:14:17Chair Boozman: Thank you. Senator slotkin.
▶ 2:14:21Sen. Slotkin: Thank you. Hi, secretary. I have a couple of comments in a couple of questions. First of all on tariffs, no matter the intention, as senator justice was talking about on anyone's intentions, I enjoy facts. It as a former c.I.a. Officer, facts on the tariffs and what they've done to farmers is pretty hard to dispute.
▶ 2:14:47Sen. Slotkin: In the president's first term before your time, he put tariffs on a bunch of different ag products. This body had to approve $23 billion in assistance and essentially welfare for farmers. Farmers hit getting welfare. In the second term, the sloppy tariffs had been thrown on. Now we have $12 billion in assistance that again welfare for farmers.
▶ 2:15:14Sen. Slotkin: That is $35 billion that this body has approved because of president trump's tariff policy. We can dispute whether you think of the long term it will work. All I know is that taxpayer dollars, $35 billion. Some of that, a small portion was set aside for specialty crop farmers. I understand you are on t michigan versus team california on has the most diverse specialty crops. We appreciate that.
▶ 2:15:45Sen. Slotkin: I appreciate you taking my call in trying to expand both the amount of money that my farmers cap, small and medium-size farmers, and also the deadline for which they can apply. But I just have to say, if we are talking, you are highlighting 19 new trade deals this administration has done, why do we need the sloppy tariffs?
▶ 2:16:05Sec. Rollins: May I respond to that? The $30 billion euro talking about was approved before we came in, so you voted on that late 2024. We came in and implemented the tariffs in 2025. Just so you know.
▶ 2:16:24Sen. Slotkin: 's are not $12 billion that you are farmed out to farmers including mine because I don't have enough money and have lost access to foreign markets, yes or no sec.
▶ 2:16:36Rollins: The 11 billion euro talking about came in december of last year to address the very high input costs. Again, that trade deficit. Bring around the specialty crops into the back end.
▶ 2:16:50Sen. Slotkin: All I know is that we cut off markets, we never get them back. Soybeans never came back.
▶ 2:16:59Sec. Rollins: The soybeans are back in even stronger today, as it sorghum. That is all in the last month, so you may not have the updated numbers.
▶ 2:17:08Sen. Slotkin: I think it is hard to explain why there is literally assistance being farmed out by your agency for a policy that is working. Why would you need welfare if you have access and are going gangbusters on being able to sell our broad? That is a rational thought for the use of taxpayer dollars. Separately, again, widespread agreement on this committee on e15. I am on team e15.
▶ 2:17:39Sen. Slotkin: There are some democrats who are against it, some republicans who are against it, but there is a good coalition of us in the middle. It means letting our farmers have more opportunities to sell their product. Ethanol. If this doesn't get done, the only explanation I have is that the oil and gas community has such a sway over members of congress on the republican side.
▶ 2:18:07Sen. Slotkin: Others may be on the environmental side have so much sway over democrats that we cannot do a rational policy on e15. We have all the pieces in place to get it done. I would just say your personal engagement on this issue, we keep hitting a logjam for rational policy. I want to get this done. If we don't get it done this year, it is not getting done. I want you to help own of that up here because we need help. It is at a logjam.
▶ 2:18:37Sen. Slotkin: Onand other adversaries of this. The average american understands that someone who is a potential adversary of this country shouldn't be able to buy our farmland and businesses. The things that make sure we could feed ourselves by ourselves. Again, we have a coalition ready to do this. The president goes off and meets with xi jinping.
▶ 2:19:13Sen. Slotkin: He was asked about this on fox news and said shouldn't we ban the selling of farmland particularly around military bases? He said you want to see the price drop? You want to see farmers lose a lot of money? Just take them out of the market. That is officially as I understand it that the president of the united states is fine with the chinese communist party being able to buy farmland or agriculture businesses, please state your official position on whether you agree or you do not?
▶ 2:19:44Sen. Slotkin: >> the president is very focused obviously understanding the chinese purchase of our chemicals, seed, farmland is very concerning. He agrees with that. >> the white house, the house, senate. You want it done, you guys own everything.
▶ 2:20:13Sen. Slotkin: It's hard to believe that the president is ok with selling land to the chinese. It's hard for me to understand if you are saying there's something different than prove it by passing it through this body. We are ready for it.
▶ 2:20:31Sen. Slotkin: >> I have to tell you if you started calling people like the senator was saying you have play out here on the hill, the republicans own the house and senate, could we please get some personal engagement? I believe this is the window of time to do it. If we are a divided government, things get even harder on things I think there is a coalition on.
▶ 2:21:00Sen. Slotkin: Lastly I have to say on snap, we have the big beautiful bill, the single largest cut in food dollars, 187 billion, we could disagree on our responsibilities in government. The facts are 100,000 michiganders have lost food benefits. 35,000 of that 100,000 our children.
▶ 2:21:31Sen. Slotkin: Because of the delay in how you kind of penalized states, it will cost the state another $330 million. I want to pass the farm bill, I'm desperate for it. We can't be part of the team. Please, let's work together on some compromises. I'm saying that to you and also my chairman. I yield back.
▶ 2:22:04Sen. Hoeven: I want to start out on I know how hard you have worked to make sure fertilizer is available to our farmers. You work with us on the agriculture tech initiative and our efforts to produce more fertilizer here at home. Is there anything else you would like to bring up and I know how aggressive you have been working on this issue.
▶ 2:22:33Sen. Hoeven: >> thank you for the opportunity. I think it is really a testament. Thank you for giving me a little space to talk about this. This administration is different. I'm very proud of the work that was achieved. This one is different. Just as a level set, fertilizer was down 50% before the iranian conflict.
▶ 2:23:04Sen. Hoeven: Even today, even with the conflict, even though fertilizer is way too expensive, it is less than it was during the biden years. The ability to call chris wright, howard lutnick, not their staffs, not two months of time in meetings. To call my colleagues and say we have a fertilizer crisis in this country. We have a moment in time.
▶ 2:23:34Sen. Hoeven: We will do all the short-term things, fertilizer prices are coming back down. For the long term, I'm so bullish on this is a model not just fixing fertilizer but what we could do for the long term. I think this is an incredible first step. They have stepped up and said we will help with this.
▶ 2:23:59Sen. Hoeven: >> you are focused on not just addressing it now but bringing it down with real solutions will bring a difference to the long term. That is a vital point we have to keep in mind. That is how we push these things to make them better for the medium and long term. I really appreciate that. You are on the front lines.
▶ 2:24:23Sen. Hoeven: You were talking to me about that before there were any here in this country as well as the facilities. You have been on this from the start. Anything else on the efforts you want to bring up? >> I was with you all february 13 of last year.
▶ 2:24:50Sen. Hoeven: January 27 they went to the boat, I got sworn, walked in the door. Within the first two hours was briefed on both hpai and screwworm, it was it is coming. We are only producing 100 million flies per week. We are years away. A big facility will take five years. Oh well, I guess we will just do what we have to do.
▶ 2:25:21Sen. Hoeven: This is not acceptable. We have to try to do something. We have a billion and a half in funding. After decades of being eradicated if they will. Bringing their livestock with them. We knew it was coming.
▶ 2:25:50Sen. Hoeven: Amped up by 1000% our staffing over the last year. Fda emergency approved half a dozen or so treatments. The other states will lean on the front line. We are right there with them. Opening up the new research facility, outfitted the facility in the top of mexico. We will have more sterile flies in the next few weeks. We broke ground within years ahead of schedule.
▶ 2:26:23Sen. Hoeven: I say all of that because what I don't understand is how did the last few sta watch it coming for years, moving up 2022, moving up 2023. There is no stopping it.
▶ 2:26:49Sen. Hoeven: Why did no one do anything about it until we walked in the door until january or february of last year? We are making a lot of progress.
▶ 2:27:03Sen. Hoeven: I think the second or third time you and I talked you were moving funding on getting sterile fly facilities. You were on this right from the get-go. Obviously seeing why it is so important that you were and are. We need to pass this.
▶ 2:27:25Sen. Hoeven: Senator fischer has a bill in the senate, I think along with our great chairman here that we are really ready to go and get that done. Any thoughts there and encouragement that you want to add to that effort? >> when he was in iowa a couple months ago that hopefully hustled us along a little bit.
▶ 2:27:57Sen. Hoeven: >> since he came out on it, I think we will get it done soon. Thanks for your great support of it. We continue to work on that. The -- assist you provide is so important. It is about the one big beautiful bill. Thanks for that chairman, we have my crop insurance bill.
▶ 2:28:26Sen. Hoeven: That will kick in, get our guys through the farm bridge assistance has been critical. Any additional thoughts on that? >> I know the three of us continue this conversation. You two and me in this conversation.
▶ 2:28:44Sen. Hoeven: The good news is aside from what senator just outlined for us, these 19 new trade deals, surging exports, once this iranian conflict is over, fertilizer is down 50%, labor down 46%. That is just the first year of this administration. You put real food back in the middle of our policymaking.
▶ 2:29:13Sen. Hoeven: The people that will benefit the most other than americans eating better is our farmers and ranchers. I am very bullish on the future. It was just that. It was a bridge. Farmers want to sell their goods and make a decent living which they have not been able to do. >> the last thing I want to bring up, I will finish with this.
▶ 2:29:41Sen. Hoeven: I talked to jamieson greer who has been incredible. The trump administration is working very hard to get us access to foreign markets. He talked about an additional $17 billion in chinese sales. Of course chairman is coming over here in september.
▶ 2:30:07Sen. Hoeven: I really think that is going to take up more of these sales that we want in these foreign markets. That is very important. In addition to that it is part of america first. Our trading partners around the country to play fair. We need free and fair trade. They have been taking advantage of us for a long time. I will give you an example.
▶ 2:30:38Sen. Hoeven: We need an investigation on sugar. Other countries are absolutely dumping and taking other actions against our producers. Our industry is up against it. About 1.8 billion dollars in losses over recent years because of that. We need to have a 301 investigation. The last time it was done, year 2000.
▶ 2:31:09Sen. Hoeven: You were very young then. Still young, over 25 years. This needs to be addressed. Our trading partners play fair. >> one quick thought. I'm not sure I ever worked with anyone as capable as ambassador greer. He is an incredible partner. We agree on most things he has been incredible.
▶ 2:31:38Sen. Hoeven: In 2023 for the first time in american history we became the importer and food rather than a net exporter. The fact that brazil has taken our markets in coin -- corn, soybean, all types of other things is really disturbing on top of china and other countries. That is how important I think this is. I agree.
▶ 2:32:09Sen. Hoeven: >> thank you chairman and good to see you again secretary rawlins. I have heard you say we are entering the golden age of american agriculture. That statement could not be further from what I am hearing from farmers and families all across georgia.
▶ 2:32:35Sen. Hoeven: They continue to struggle with high costs, cost exacerbated by president trump's war in iran and his tariffs, a tax on all of us. The administration did lower its tariffs on farm equipment about 10%. It is a good move, it is a start. I'm afraid it might be a little too late.
▶ 2:33:02Sen. Hoeven: Was this action and acknowledgment by the trump administration that its tariffs have increased the cost of farming? >> I appreciate the question. The president is constantly tweaking.
▶ 2:33:24Sen. Hoeven: The very tariffs you are speaking of have instituted or led to the 19 new trade deals we have implemented. Higher tree nuts, higher dairy then practically american history. We are cutting that trade bill in half. For the farmers, nothing is more important.
▶ 2:33:50Sen. Hoeven: >> you are forecasting what you think would be the result, as it increased the cost of farming? >> the cost of fertilizer was up 100%. I won't go through all the numbers, we don't have time. On average was a 50% input cost.
▶ 2:34:12Sen. Hoeven: Working all of that down as to the farm equipment, I think the president is very focused on what could we do to get our farmers to profitability? By removing certain barriers we could bring down the cost just a little bit. That is a big win for everyone. What he doesn't want to see happening is the equipment manufacturers pocketing that extra dollar which would argue would be the result of the farmers themselves would not see it.
▶ 2:34:42Sen. Hoeven: It is part of that announcement to make sure the farmers got that benefit.
▶ 2:34:49Sen. Warnock: According to foreign policy news, the increased input cost by $1 billion for farmers while erasing billions of dollars in access to export markets that you are saying will come online, they are struggling. They are struggling right now. No question about it. Since the supreme court struck down the president's illegal tariffs, giant corporations have lined up to receive tariff refunds.
▶ 2:35:19Sen. Warnock: Are you pushing and cabinet meetings for farmers to also be reimbursed for the billions and tariff taxes passed on to them? >> the tariff tax is passed on to them. We know other than a $50 billion agriculture trade deficit we have opened up 20 plus billion dollars in additional sales for our farmers.
▶ 2:35:45Sen. Warnock: They are lining up and getting reimbursed. >> I will talk to secretary lutnick and look into that.
▶ 2:36:01Sen. Warnock: You and I have talked before. I'm trying to make sure I'm doing everything I can for farmers and families in georgia. The ways that they are struggling this season. There is so many things they don't control.
▶ 2:36:25Sen. Warnock: Those margins with tariffs, the strait of hormuz will has been closed for over 100 days. The international fertilizer and fuel market, skyrocketing cost in the middle of planning season. Is the plan to ask congress for more taxpayer money to aid farmers so that they could afford the cost of this war?
▶ 2:36:57Sen. Warnock: >> I know what you are asking. Specifically fertilizer and diesel fuel have been the two that we have seen significant increasing costs. What I think is important is the fertilizer costs that were inherited increased almost 100%.
▶ 2:37:21Sen. Warnock: The costs went back up with the strait of hormuz closing, they are still lower than the high peak of the biden years. Having said that there is a tremendous amount to work with. It is the same for diesel fuel as well. It is still lower than during the biden years. Opening of the markets, re-shoring fertilizer. In two or three weeks we will break ground in louisiana on what will be the largest fertilizer plant in the world.
▶ 2:37:53Sen. Warnock: Let me point out it is really important that context matters. >> agreed.
▶ 2:38:02Sen. Warnock: We are in the middle of a pandemic. It's one thing to have high fertilizer costs because of those circumstances. The president took us into a war of choice which block to the strait of hormuz. As a result of that farmers in georgia struggling with increased fuel and increased fertilizer cost.
▶ 2:38:30Sen. Warnock: It is not just farmers I am concerned about. I am concerned about georgia families. Grocery costs increased about 3% in the last year. That the same time this administration has celebrated kicking 3.5 million americans including children off snap. A program designed to help our most vulnerable neighbors afford groceries when times are rough.
▶ 2:38:58Sen. Warnock: Those neighbors by the way disproportionately are in red rural districts. They are struggling. You supported aid packages for farmers hurt by trump's policies. Would you support a food aid package for working families struggling to afford groceries due to increased costs? >> the 3% is an average cost of food increased. The snap.
▶ 2:39:27Sen. Warnock: >> do you realize how sterile that answer sounds? That is the mean cost. Somebody is trying to buy groceries in georgia. >> that is because of the biden administration. >> two years later that is your answer?
▶ 2:39:48Sen. Warnock: >> avocados down 2%, eggs down 9%.
▶ 2:39:59Sen. Warnock: Even as you call these individual items you don't dispute that grocery costs are up. >> the affordability question is real. Within one year the costs have significantly come down with a few outliers. No one, no one in washington or america wants to see a family go hungry.
▶ 2:40:24Sen. Warnock: The 40% increase under the last administration, it's actually 4.3 million that moved off of snap. We have more people working today than ever before. This is a celebration of work and the dignity of work. No one has been kicked off. They are not on the snap program. They have chosen not to reapply or they are an able-bodied adult.
▶ 2:40:53Sen. Warnock: Those were the only requirements. >> the wages you say are going up. They will figure out how to make their lives work. Choosing between food and health care.
▶ 2:41:20Sen. Warnock: The trump administration canceled last year, do you have an alternate plan to help keep their stocks? >> we have moved out a couple billion dollars into the pantry the last year and a half. We spent $400 million per day on nutrition programs. There is so much money in the system, that is just the federal usda nutrition programs. That is not state or local.
▶ 2:41:51Sen. Warnock: We have to figure out how to do better, get it to the people who really need it. That's what we are working to do. >> I would respectfully disagree with your characterization regarding snap. Families trying to put it together. I think we could do better than that. >> they are available. I appreciate the opportunity to actually have a civil conversation.
▶ 2:42:23Sen. Grassley: I hope you allow me 10 minutes to get through this. >> you get to use whatever time you want.
▶ 2:42:35Sen. Grassley: Thanks for being a spokesperson, spokeswoman for the family farmer. I appreciate that. It wouldn't surprise you if I was talking about e 15. My purpose isn't to put you on the spot. It is to get some things on the record from somebody other than the oil and ethanol business so we could review some of the lies going on.
▶ 2:43:06Sen. Grassley: Does the trump administration support legislation for year-round cell of e 15 nationwide? >> yes. He reiterated in the great state of iowa a couple months ago his full and unequivocal support.
▶ 2:43:21Sen. Grassley: Will year-round e 15 boost america's rural economy? >> correct.
▶ 2:43:30Sen. Grassley: Have you heard a figure that would bring $14 billion back into the economy? Will e 15 give consumers a cheaper option at the gas pump? >> yes it will.
▶ 2:43:53Sen. Grassley: In the midwest it seems to be somewhere between $.20 and $.40 a gallon. >> in a time where we are working so hard on affordability that becomes important.
▶ 2:44:08Sen. Grassley: Does eve 15 bolster our national security? >> there is no national security without farm security. This administration has put agriculture as part of the national security plan so yes being able to protect those farmers and what e 15 means in the domestic market is a priority.
▶ 2:44:33Sen. Grassley: The epa director testified before another committee in the senate that during the eight years of presidential waivers for e 15, no small refineries have ever shut down. Do you know any information about small refineries shutting down? I >> have not heard of any small refineries shutting down.
▶ 2:45:01Sen. Grassley: It has been maybe three months since I talk to you about vaccination. You may not remember that conversation. You will look into it. What are the chances of this. Maybe they were here but they weren't verified.
▶ 2:45:30Sen. Grassley: >> the screwworm is a flesh eating pest, not a virus or disease. There are so many ways to treat it. We eradicate it, which is what we are building out in america and mexico. One billion plus dollars that we put into the system over a year ago to make sure that happens. There is ivermectin, that we probably serve like a vaccination.
▶ 2:46:02Sen. Grassley: You and I talked about the vaccination about the other sort of big challenge to our chickens . We have a conversation about that. We continue to run that down. In iowa and other significant chicken states, the case has come down almost 16% since last year through the use of biotechnology.
▶ 2:46:29Sen. Grassley: Obviously a move towards vaccination is continuing to be discussed. There's a lot of big different opinions on that. I want to make sure we get it right. The virus will often beat and interrupt a human. We are working with partners around the world and seeing what they are doing as well.
▶ 2:46:50Sen. Grassley: Let me give you some advice. I'd rather not have you responded to it. I know there are voices in the cabinet that don't like vaccinations. From that standpoint I expect you to speak for agriculture and not listen to any of those other people that might be trying to convince you that the screwworm thing should be vaccination.
▶ 2:47:18Sen. Grassley: They don't know anything about agriculture, you do. If you are getting pressure from higher up to do that, let me know and I could defend you. >> I could assure you there is no pressure. Taking very seriously the vaccination to ensure it actually works and doesn't cause the mutate to other livestock.
▶ 2:47:49Sen. Grassley: If you move too fast, that is what will happen. While we are bringing it down through bio security, please know we have been studying very carefully the potential for what that could look like as well.
▶ 2:48:06Sen. Grassley: Last week your department announced it would be delaying the poultry grower payment system and capital improvement systems rulemaking under the act during your confirmation hearing I brought up this rule and the others that were finalized under the previous administration.
▶ 2:48:29Sen. Grassley: I said then it is the most effective tool to make sure the marketplace works for the american farmers. You said you would be looking forward to working with me to focus on small family farmers.
▶ 2:48:45Sen. Grassley: First of all, going back to your -- becoming secretary and may be going back 10 or 15 years I have been involved in trying to help these poultry farmers not be screwed by the people they are producing chickens for. How does this help the small family farmers and does this help more than family farmers?
▶ 2:49:14Sen. Grassley: >> obviously that was a biden rule. If you were to dig around, you will see a lot of anti-consolidation work from usda whether it is a doj investigation, whether it is an investigation into understanding why a chinese company owns 1/5 of our pork production. Investing in smaller processors, smaller farmers.
▶ 2:49:46Sen. Grassley: It may be true of other usda secretaries. I am a defender of those actions. Fully understanding what the challenges are, what that did and making it better, I look forward to working with you on that.
▶ 2:50:03Sen. Grassley: How does a delay help the small family farmer? >> can I circle back to you on that? I want to get fully up to speed on exactly why. I know there were some concerns with the way the biden team wrote the rule. There were some concerns with the profitability and making sure they are protecting all american agriculture. Let me go up and dig a little bit more.
▶ 2:50:32Sen. Grassley: I want to make sure we consider everything and you should consider everything. I will sum this up by saying in the usda's notice it said that of the 28 hundred comments and 225 unique comments, one large poultry indicator integrator the meat and poultry association support the delay but the real poultry growers and grower
▶ 2:51:05Sen. Grassley: Organizations oppose this proposal. My last question will deal with this. Again, fertilizer as other people brought up I would like to thank you and secretary rollins and the trump administration for all the work of addressing fertilizer prices.
▶ 2:51:29Sen. Grassley: It continues to be a top issue in iowa from lowering tariffs to adding phosphate to the critical minerals list and more. I appreciate all the administration is doing to provide relief and provide you support. I hope you support my legislation that would provide transparency and I'm sure you do.
▶ 2:51:56Sen. Grassley: I understand the department is seeking to hire an imports economist to focus on providing insight to farmers on the prices they paid for imports for fertilizers, imports in the economists, is the position filled or is it a revolving door? >> hopefully I know we have already started interviewing that we are able to bring in a superstar and an entire team.
▶ 2:52:27Sen. Grassley: We have a whole focus on inputs and that is just one more step in the right direction.
▶ 2:52:34Sen. Grassley: Thank you. >> thank you. I'm going to read my thanks so I don't leave out. Again thank you so much for appearing. I think this was a really good session and I think everybody learned a lot.
▶ 2:53:02Sen. Grassley: We appreciate you being here, your insights in today's hearing. The hearing record will remain open for five business days. Today's hearing is now adjourned. >> this was the usda interns who were so as to paying attention behind me. >> thank you.