U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins addressed the National Association of Counties, sharing her vision for restoring rural prosperity in America. Her remarks covered various topics, including government spending, wildfire response, and economic aid distribution.
Regarding the wildfires in North and South Carolina, Rollins stated: “The brave men and women of the U.S. Forest Service are working closely with our state and local partners to stamp out the fires. We have deployed hundreds of firefighters—and we will deploy more if needed. To all of the leaders here from North and South Carolina… Please tell the people of your states that we have your back.”
Rollins emphasized the significance of rural communities by saying: “America’s rural towns have and always will be the beating heart of our nation…. Families moved west to start a new life in a new land... That is why I truly believe that restoring rural prosperity isn’t simply about bringing back jobs, although that is important. It’s about restoring hope to our communities.”
She discussed optimizing USDA operations: “We are returning the Department of Agriculture to its core mission of supporting farmers and ranchers... At the same time, I understand that this review process has caused concern among some of your farmers who participate in longstanding USDA farm programs.”
On economic and disaster aid distribution, Rollins noted: “To provide short term relief to rural communities who have been hit by difficult economic circumstances over the last four years, we are also working around the clock to distribute $30 billion in economic and disaster aid... Congress gave us 90 days to start distributing the first $10 billion in economic assistance—and we are on track to begin applications on or before March 20.”
Discussing tax reform efforts alongside President Trump, she said: “As President Trump works with Congress to extend and perhaps even expand tax cuts, I will work alongside him to repeal the death tax.”
Rollins expressed commitment towards passing a new farm bill: “I am also committed to working with Congress to get a new farm bill across the finish line this year... Together, we can avoid punting a full five-year farm bill for a third time.”
Lastly, she outlined plans for an initiative aimed at reviving rural communities: “Finally... over the coming weeks I will be unveiling a new initiative... We will ensure that USDA’s Rural Development programs are running as efficiently and effectively as possible... We will invite private sector participation... We will also acknowledge that federal government is not always best solution—and we will look for ways to restore more power to you—the local leaders."
