During her Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday, Donald Trump's nominee for U.S. Secretary of Agriculture addressed questions about her ability to prioritize agricultural policy over her family's oil industry investments, saying it wouldn't affect her policy decisions.
Brooke Rollins, nominated to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is poised to oversee 29 agencies, 106,000 employees, and a $437 billion budget, Hoosier AG Today reported.
Her confirmation hearing comes amid a $45 billion agricultural trade deficit, food inflation and ongoing challenges such as the bird flu outbreak. Concerns were raised over her family's ties to the oil industry, given USDA's role in supporting biofuels, a key alternative energy source for rural communities.
In her testimony, Rollins assured senators that her policy decisions would remain independent of her family's oil investments, emphasizing her track record of ethical leadership. She highlighted a commitment to reducing the agricultural trade deficit by leveraging USDA tools to expand markets and address inflation.
Additionally, she vowed to support efforts to combat animal diseases like bird flu and to strengthen the biofuels industry, stressing its importance to farmers and rural economies.
If confirmed, Rollins will face immediate challenges, including managing the bird flu outbreak and addressing concerns over rising food prices and rural economic stability.
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