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New USDA boss faces tough challenge

25 November 2024 - Linda van Eekeres

Donald Trump has chosen Brooke Rollins as Secretary of Agriculture. On X she thanks Trump for the opportunity and concludes the post with: "Who's ready to make agriculture great again?" However, as head of the USDA, she will have a tough job keeping American farmers happy with the trade wars Trump is about to unleash.

On Saturday (Nov. 23), Trump announced his choice. It came as a surprise to many, but Rollins is a key Trump loyalist. She served in various positions in the White House during Trump's first term, including head of the Domestic Policy Council, and oversaw offices that promote Trump's political agenda for the past four years.

The Secretary of Agriculture is the head of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which employs 100.000 people and had a budget of $2024 billion in 260. The current Secretary of Agriculture under Biden since 2021 is Tom Vilsack, who also held the position under Obama from 2009 to 2017.

Rollins (52) grew up on a farm in Texas and has degrees in law and agricultural development. That gives her an advantage among American farmers, but it will be difficult to keep farmers happy if Trump actually imposes the import tariffs he has announced. During his campaign, the incoming president spoke of a universal trade tariff of 10% to 20% and 60% for China.

Not only Europe and the rest of the world are anxiously awaiting what Trump will do with the import tariffs. Although farmers have supported Trump en masse, according to American media, there are fears that he will unleash trade wars, just like in his first term, and that there will be counter-reactions from countries that will negatively affect agricultural income. China in particular is an important country for American agricultural exports. Agricultural incomes could only remain stable with substantial government support.

According to EconoFact, a Tufts University-affiliated site that features publications by American economists, U.S. agricultural exports to China fell 2017 percent between 2018 and 63 as the country imposed tariffs on nearly all U.S. agricultural products. Canada, Mexico, the European Union and Turkey also imposed tariffs on various products. Soybean exports to China never recovered, Reuters reports.

Farmers' organizations would like Trump to boost American agricultural exports with trade agreements this time. It is known that Trump prefers to surround himself with like-minded people and tolerates little opposition. The question is whether Rollins wants to or can dissuade him from his plans. 

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Linda van Eekeres

Linda van Eekeres is co-writing editor-in-chief. She mainly focuses on macro-economic developments and the influence of politics on the agricultural sector.

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