Press Conference with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins

Really great to have everybody here. Um,

I bet some of you were with us. Where

were we, Alec? We couldn't answer questions. Something that was the egg

questions. Something that was the egg outlook forum. Yes. So, for those of you

outlook forum. Yes. So, for those of you that that were there and I couldn't answer your questions because the president was about to start talking about the Scotas ruling for the tariffs.

I apologize for that, but really appreciate uh those of you that did come to that little presser. Uh it was good to see everybody and and great to have you all in in San Antonio, Texas here at

the Commodity Classic. Um a couple of quick toplines and then I've got our incredible under secretary Richard Force here with us today who's really been driving the one farmer one file

announcement that we just had. and then

our amazing Aubrey Beck Betinorf who is uh head of NRCS and wanted her up here as well just in case uh you had any specific questions to that. So just a couple of quick top lines you all heard

and have heard me probably say many many times over the last year uh with the massive crowd by the way that was incredible um out in the uh in the main

event stage talking about three top lines. Number one, uh the commitment

lines. Number one, uh the commitment that we made last year when we were at the same event in Denver, what we were going to work on, new trade deals, bringing the cost of inputs down, putting farmers and ranchers back at the

very front uh and center of the US Department of Agriculture, it was a new day uh when President Trump was reelected and certainly I was so grateful for the for the opportunity. So

that was the first thing and and really giving a report to all of our constituents from that stage on how we were doing. Um, I am very quick to note

were doing. Um, I am very quick to note that I'm proud of what we've done, but we are far from declaring any kind of victory. There's a whole lot more to do.

victory. There's a whole lot more to do.

The second thing we talked about, of course, was the one farmer, one file. I

hope you all heard the staggering numbers. Uh, hundreds and hundreds of

numbers. Uh, hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money have gone into an antiquated and broken system that included over 1,000

contractors across hundreds of different platforms. I have no idea how these farmers have been dealing with this all these years.

Richard probably he's he himself as a farmer can probably talk about that a little bit more. But I'm really proud we, as I mentioned, pivoted uh members of our Doge team to work on this over

the last year. So instead of having, you know, the Richards and the Brooks and the Aubberies trying to come up with new IT platforms, we had super geniuses uh who did this really for a career, walked

away from that career to come in and help us rebuild the USDA IT system. So

that was number two. And then of course number three were our commitments for the year ahead and what we're going to continue to work on uh for our agriculture industry. So I'm going to

agriculture industry. So I'm going to Richard I'm going to have you say just a couple words uh about one farmer one file and then Aubrey I may let you jump in on regenerative agriculture because I

know that's a big topic right now in the maja lane and uh she's leading that for us. But again I just want to thank

us. But again I just want to thank everyone for being here and then we'll take some questions. So thank you all.

Richard, >> thank you, Secretary. Um, it truly is an honor actually to stand here as the under secretary of farm production and conservation at this event. Um, and

while I was standing here, um, just waiting to say a few words. I was

looking out and I see so many friends.

Um, I do I do I do refer to you as friends. Uh, we've had a lot of

friends. Uh, we've had a lot of conversations uh over the years. Um, we

have new we've been talking about technology. um you know, you all used to

technology. um you know, you all used to stick one of these in my face. Um now

it's something more digital and and fancier. And that's kind of where we're

fancier. And that's kind of where we're going at USDA. Uh we we did deploy the farmer bridge assistance program um on

Monday uh actually urging farmers to get a get a login.gov account. And the

secretary talked about it in her remarks in the general session. Um, but those of us that have worked on this, those of us that have participated in years previous

without an opportunity like this, uh, we were walking around on Monday and Tuesday here at the far at the, uh, I almost said Farm Progress show here at

the Commodity Classic, um, with smiles on our faces because we have right now and we have a we have a counter. It's

counting all the time. Um almost uh 37,000 applications have gone through the the farmer.gov uh security front door and

that's just the beginning. Secretary uh

>> that's amazing. It's amazing.

>> The secretary talked about our plans for the future and and I know you know we've we've met with every commodity organization here state caucuses on Tuesday. We talked about this is

Tuesday. We talked about this is exciting news. This is very exciting

exciting news. This is very exciting news today, but we're really looking forward to um to Commodity Classic in New Orleans uh because we're going to have a whole lot of other good things to

share and progress made on our new digital um digital facing uh deployment of programs. Um you know, the secretary

said your your file will follow you when you go from NRCS to FSA to RMA. Uh it's

it's long long long long overdue and uh we do the secretary made a point Doge um uh some of the architects are actually folks that looked at these antiquated uh

legacy systems and said oh my gosh these things are going to break um and really designed kind of the pathway forward and so super happy to be a part of it. Um, I

am not a computer uh engineer, programmer by any means. Um, but I do know when I see something that looks like it's going to work, I can say, "Yeah, let's do that." Um, so anyway, great to be here with you today. I look

forward to your questions. And, uh,

Aubrey, >> by the way, I didn't tell them they were speaking. So, uh, in typical fashion,

speaking. So, uh, in typical fashion, this is all off the cuff, but thank you.

>> That's all right. Thank you. Thank you,

Under Secretary. I am not as tall as them, but I am mighty. Uh so I appreciate that and thank you for the opportunity today uh madam secretary to to piggyback off

of what one farmer one file affords us to do and provide in terms of customer service. Um we are so excited that FSA

service. Um we are so excited that FSA is is piloting this on this first farmer bridge program but coming right behind it is the ability then to look at the farmer as a whole across that NRCS FSA

back end. And so a great example of that

back end. And so a great example of that will be our regenerative pilot program which Secretary Rollins rolled out so terrifically just before the holidays.

And along with that program in it part of its foundation is farmers who are willing to do a whole farm plan to look at their farm holistically to see it in

all of its resource concerns at once uh are are able to apply and under the equip and CSP programs under the regenerative pilot program. And what

that allows us to do is actually then go look at acreage reporting and look at maps uh to share that back and forth um within policy. Uh but we are able to do

within policy. Uh but we are able to do that and expedite and speed up that response time as we are considering those applications and rolling those programs out to our farmers. Contingent

in that of course is also farmers willing to do a soil test on the front end and back end of that plan as they enroll in these pro in these pro

practices. Excuse me. uh uh and as as a

practices. Excuse me. uh uh and as as a foundation of regenerative agriculture.

Regenerative agriculture being that conservation management approach that emphasizes soil health, water management, and natural vitality. So

again, we encourage all of our farmers just to put this out there to go take a look at that pilot program, look at the core practices we've identified within that program, and if they have been doing them or they feel they want to

jump in the pool uh on regenerative agriculture for the first time, we encourage them to come in and fill out that application. address multiple

that application. address multiple resource concerns on a singular application. We are reducing paperwork.

application. We are reducing paperwork.

That is what is very important for us.

But again, it also helps farmers adopt and transition into that whole farm management approach. Uh we also have

management approach. Uh we also have within that program an outcomesbased report because when a farmer voluntarily changes their cultural practices on their farm, they take a big risk in

growing what they grow a new way. We

can't control all factors on the farm.

And so with that, we know that when they create those benefits, it's not just dollars on acres. It's what the dollar on the acre afforded. It afforded

improved soil health, improved microbiome, improved soil moisture retention, uh improved um habitat for critical pollinators and others. And it

is important that the farmer who created that benefit, that benefit belongs to them. And so we now are able to provide

them. And so we now are able to provide an outcomes report where the farmer is able to come in and if you've already uh been utilizing some of these practices, we meet you where you're at. We can get

that outcomes report to you and show you what your recent practices uh have been doing on your farm and that improvement.

We can scope out what new practices on your farm may do uh with regards to those metrics that matter as we say. And

then when you finish your time under the regenerative pilot project, those benefits that you created belong to you and you can take that into the marketplace, take that into your own decision-making and take that wherever

uh you would like to or need to uh to demonstrate the good investment you have made on your operation. Uh and what that's doing to underline the prosperity and health of our country and our

natural resources that we care so much about, that we as farmers care so much about. Um and so this truly is farmer

about. Um and so this truly is farmer first. uh it's putting that outcome back

first. uh it's putting that outcome back into the hands of the farmer and and allowing them an opportunity to transition into a new type of farming uh certified by the USDA and uh handinhand

with an NRCS out in the pickup and in the field with you and away from the filing cabinet and away from the computer thanks to the incredible modernization and leadership of these two uh wonderful leaders. So, thank you.

>> Oh, amazing Aubrey. Well said. Okay,

I'll uh we'll take any questions.

>> Yeah, you and that lady in the front first. The lights very bright and then

first. The lights very bright and then the the male I think it was a man I heard in the back say madam secretary.

Sorry I can't see.

>> That's okay. Madam secretary Susan Littlefield with the American a network.

We're in the great state of Texas. We

know that we've had a lot of our ranchers and feed lots closed because of what's happened with the border closing.

There's been a lot of rumors the last couple of days that there might be a potential announcement coming from you and the USDA to opening one section of the border.

Let me address that there is no plan to open the port anytime soon.

Um, every day I get an update and every day I have to make the decision to continue to protect livestock on our

side of the border. And I understand there are so many implications. There

are so many of our fellow Texans that rely on those ports being open and it is an incredibly difficult call on one hand, but on the other hand, you can go

to screwworm.gov.

to screwworm.gov.

Uh words I never thought I would say a couple of years ago. You can go to screwworm.gov and you can for yourself see the upward

movement through Mexico. And this is after a year of working so closely trying to push back. Until we get the

major facility opened at Moore Air Force Base, uh we will not be able to produce enough flies to eradicate. My hope and

frankly my prayer is that we can do enough with what we have. We just opened a new dispersal facility down there.

We've got the Matapa facility coming online which is about another 50 or 60 million sterile flies in addition to the 100red million coming from Panama. We've

moved the polygon. We've got AI working.

My hope is that we will be able to begin to push it back. And once we do push it back, then we will look at Douglas, Arizona. Then we will look at New Mexico

Arizona. Then we will look at New Mexico and we'll begin to think about that. But

as of today, it's still a forwardmoving pest. So there is no imminent

pest. So there is no imminent announcement. Uh I have learned that my

announcement. Uh I have learned that my words can move markets and I want to be very very careful and intentional when I say that there is no plan right now to

open any of the four ports. However, we

are watching it day by day. We are

putting more boots on the ground, more tools literally in the air and I am hopeful that once we show that that pushing back that we can move to opening one or two. Thank you,

>> Madam Madam Secretary Jeff Nally uh with the Cromwell A Network. When the

president was in Iowa, >> sorry, where are you?

>> I'm right over here. How

>> When the president was in Iowa and speaking to the group there, he said he would defer to the majority leader Thoon and Speaker Johnson to accomplish the

purpose of E15. Then it was referred to a committee. I believe this is a

a committee. I believe this is a president who gets what he wants. Can

the White House be more firm with Congress for what they want? Can he go ahead and grant the emergency waiver for

26 so industry can prepare itself for higher blends while we wait on Congress?

>> Yeah, it's a it's a really good question. Um, I wish you all knew how

question. Um, I wish you all knew how much E15 has been discussed in the Oval Office and in the capital and what a priority it is for certainly for me and

and also the president has made clear uh while he was with our great friends in Iowa for him as well. I have been given asurances

that it is going to happen. Of course,

there's only so much we can control from the White House. But to your point, um, this president when he puts his mind to something, mind to something can really

move literal mountains. So, I am encouraged and hopeful. Uh, as far as the current uh, the current state and and the waiverss, I believe those are

imminent, but I don't want to speak out of turn. So, if you don't mind, let's

of turn. So, if you don't mind, let's get you with Alec, and I want to make sure you have the most up-to-date information on where that sits. But I my understanding is those are moving.

Secretary.

>> Yes, sir.

>> Yeah. CJ Miller today. Deputy Secretary

Steven Baitton had given an update uh recently, I should say late last year about uh the uh transition. Oh, there we go. Uh Deputy Secretary uh Steven Vaden

go. Uh Deputy Secretary uh Steven Vaden had given who's your egg today and Michigan A today an update on uh the transition of moving USDA into the

regional hubs. last time when we spoke

regional hubs. last time when we spoke which was sometime late last year uh that targets time frame would be this summer. I know that uh yesterday you and

summer. I know that uh yesterday you and your team made the announcement about uh moving out of the south building in Washington DC. Could you please provide

Washington DC. Could you please provide us an update as soon as uh uh how soon uh folks from USDA will be moving into Indianapolis and the other regional hubs

across the US? Yeah, yesterday I thought was as an important day. Uh it was a encouraging day for those of us that believe that government should be closest to the people that it serves. It

was not a great day for people who love the consolidation of power in Washington DC. We uh took the South Building, which

DC. We uh took the South Building, which for those of you who have visited us is a monster of a building right next to the Whitten building, which is the one where the main offices are. But the

South Building, uh, 432,000 square feet, 7,000 offices. When it was built, it was the largest office building in the world until the Pentagon

was built. Uh, in its heyday in the 50s

was built. Uh, in its heyday in the 50s and 60s, it was teeming with activity.

Today, those 7,000 offices, other than about maybe 600, sit empty. Hallway

after hallway after hallway of emptiness. In addition, there's about a

emptiness. In addition, there's about a bill600 million dollar in maintenance that is needed in that building. For years, no one would do anything about it. Uh we

announced yesterday as we're moving a lot of the USDA headquarter team into the country, Raleigh, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Colorado Springs, and Salt Lake City that uh that building will

close and we'll turn it back to the GSA who will then put it uh up for better use, likely sell it, but we'll see. So,

um, the timeline question, our goal is to get everyone moved out of DC before school starts in the fall. So, we'll be able to make sure that those who are moving with their families to any of

those five hubs have the opportunity to find their homes, get signed up for school, and get their children in school. We feel pretty confident. We've

school. We feel pretty confident. We've

been working hard for a year that that that we are going to meet those deadlines. So, uh, stay tuned. I think

deadlines. So, uh, stay tuned. I think

it's a it's an important step, but it's just a first step as working to decentralize power in Washington and move it back to out into the into the heartland. Yeah. Thank you.

heartland. Yeah. Thank you.

>> Yes, sir. And then next to you.

>> Um I'm Jeff uh Shrier with TopCrop TV and I'm a fifth generation farmer myself. What is the administration doing

myself. What is the administration doing moving forward to help the next generation to ensure that they can make an affordable living um for like my kids?

>> Yeah, it's such a great question. Is

that a microphone on your hat? That's

the coolest thing I've ever seen. That's

so in case anyone ever needs a microphone, my friend Jeff has one literally attached to the front of his ball cap. That's incredible. I've not

ball cap. That's incredible. I've not

seen that. Uh there is perhaps no greater threat. There's a lot of

greater threat. There's a lot of threats, but there's maybe no greater threat to what I talked about in the big room to the future of agriculture and the future of rural America and

therefore the future of America than the fact that our average age of a farmer in this country is 60 years old. And um as I'm inching closer to 60, that seemed real old a while ago, but it doesn't

seem that old today. But I think when you're looking at working to build a life and a multi-generational business and farm, and that's what this industry has done so beautifully, better

than any other, the righteous nature of the work has incentivized generations to stay on the land and stay in the business. And we're losing that. And

business. And we're losing that. And

there's a lot of reasons for that. um

the consolidation, the purchasing of a lot of our farmland by foreign um companies, the farming for homes, farming for houses because you

can't make a living farming for corn anymore, whatever it may be. And so all of those is what we're really working to solve to make more prosperous again. But

if we don't begin to focus on opening up that aperture in the market for our younger farmers and ranchers, for multi-generational, your kids, your grandkids, future

grandkids, but also for new farmers and ranchers, then I don't know that we can save this. I really don't. It may be

save this. I really don't. It may be okay for the next couple decades, but in the long run, I don't know that we can save this unless we can change that.

Having said that, the encouraging for me piece of all of this is the idea that America has a renewed focus on the

importance of food, the importance of where it comes from. USDA spends almost $400 million every single day on nutrition programs. That's a market

mover. you can incentivize an entire new

mover. you can incentivize an entire new generation by just purchasing with government money through food stamps, school lunches, etc. Uh more of the the

locally grown crops, etc. We've got programs obviously you heard me on the one big beautiful bill that was actually included in the bill to open up um how many years before you qualify. So, we're

really serious about that. I do think mental health of the farmer is also an important piece of that and uh and I'm working on a pretty big program to announce on that very soon. But I uh as

difficult as it may seem, I'm actually incredibly optimistic that we are going to be able to reverse that trend and that you as a farmer and Richard for his kids and Aubrey for hers and beyond and

all of you that are in this business, myself, that we will be able to hand off and hand on to the next generation and build in a way that we haven't seen in decades in this country. So that's my

goal. Hopefully we'll get there. Yes,

goal. Hopefully we'll get there. Yes,

sir.

Thanks, Madam Secretary. Joseph Crosby,

Argus Media. On the soybean export front, do you have any updates on whether China will be purchasing another 8 million metric tons this marketing year or does 12 million tons remain that

target figure for the moment?

I think there's a very good possibility there will be more very soon but until we actually see it um

all the signs are very encouraging and then the signs are also very encouraging on the 25 million then 25 million then 25 million uh the president had a call

with Xi Jinping a week ago and brought up soybeans again so uh it remains a focus but one of the things I really want work on is I'm we've got a lot to

do with soybeans, but we've got our soy guys, we've got milo, we've got sorghum, we've got cotton, we've got a lot of other industries that are really hurting. So, we're going to keep

hurting. So, we're going to keep focusing on soybeans, co focusing on on China purchasing, but also opening up the markets a so we're not so reliant on China for soybeans, but also so we have

other opportunities for a lot of our other row croppers that are really struggling. Yeah.

struggling. Yeah.

>> Right there. Yeah.

>> Progress.

Uh >> good to see you.

>> Yeah, good to see you again as well. Uh

this week you uh you said that uh farm input costs are going down for the first time I believe in four or five years.

>> Uh during a session here today with uh three a economist including the the recently departed USDA chief economist uh disputed that they said their data showed otherwise. Can you talk a little

showed otherwise. Can you talk a little bit about what your data shows and and are you talking about overall cost or just some specific input costs? Well,

that's interesting. I don't

unfortunately I'm not privy to that, but I I'll leave here and go dig that out.

By the way, um Seth, our former chief economist, he said, has departed. He's

still alive.

Yes. Not dearly departed. Uh but but but still alive. We we love Seth. No, I'll

still alive. We we love Seth. No, I'll

need to really look into that. Our as I mentioned, you know, it's a 1.6% decline, a 1.7% decline fertilizer, seed, etc. Um now fuel labor interest

rates a very significant decline that hopefully will make a big difference but but as far as that feed fertiliz or seed fertilizer well and feed uh it is it is very moderate but I haven't seen their

data but obviously Seth knows both sides so we'll follow up and and if you don't mind Joshua we'll just get back in touch with you once I have a better sense.

Okay, great. Why don't we do one more? I

know a lot of people came to to try to ask questions. Yes, sir. Go ahead.

ask questions. Yes, sir. Go ahead.

>> Philip Brasher with Agra Agropulse. Um,

and this is actually following up on Josh's question. These same economists

Josh's question. These same economists said that they were concerned that continued government payments would actually exacerbate the production

costs. That's right. propping them up

costs. That's right. propping them up and also keeping marginal land in production. So how what is your thinking

production. So how what is your thinking about how long should Congress should the government continue uh promising or come going forward with these kind of payments we have the last

couple of years.

These are very difficult but very important questions that

the number one priority is supporting our farmers and ranchers in in every way possible. But I'm sure you've all seen

possible. But I'm sure you've all seen the charts that show that these payments barely keep them in business year to year. It's a struggle. It's a struggle.

year. It's a struggle. It's a struggle.

It's a struggle. While a lot of our input companies increase 20%, increase 30%, increase 40%. And uh and you can track it when

40%. And uh and you can track it when there is a government payment. You can

see it happening in real time. And so I talked about this with the president multiple times. I talked about it in the

multiple times. I talked about it in the cabinet room multiple times. Um I think we have to get to the bottom of this very very quickly. It's why the president called on the Department of

Justice to do some significant investigating into several of these lanes of product. Now, having said that, we have to ensure again we're supporting

the farmer, we're not compromising the food supply, we're not crashing anything um unnecessarily, but it is a question that I am very very focused on and will

remain. So, y'all, thank you so much.

remain. So, y'all, thank you so much.

Um, as you can tell, this is very, very, very, uh, it's a part of me and, uh, we're going to keep doing everything we can. The extraordinary people, Aubrey

can. The extraordinary people, Aubrey and, uh, and Richard standing next to me, they represent hundreds, if not thousands of both political appointees,

but career workers at USDA. Um, I have been so blessed and so honored and so inspired by the teams that are back in Washington doing everything we can in a

very short period of time uh to hopefully get things back in the right place and and to save the country. Thank

y'all so much. Thank you.