The Department of Agriculture is facing significant changes as Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins revealed plans for more layoffs and contract cancellations. Rollins stated that nearly 1,000 trainings focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as gender ideology, have been canceled to align with the vision of President Trump.
Rollins emphasized the goal of making government agencies more efficient and mentioned the involvement of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and entrepreneur Elon Musk in the USDA's operations.
One pressing issue discussed was the delayed payments to farmers due to the freeze on federal spending. Rollins assured that farmers awaiting payments would eventually receive them, although she did not specify a timeline. She expressed a commitment to expedite the review of contracts to ensure that all obligations are met.
Notably, the Iowa Soybean Association highlighted the plight of around 1,000 Midwest farmers who are owed $11 million for conservation efforts. These farmers had signed contracts that are currently on hold.
