What’s Ahead for Agricultural Policy Under a Trump Administration?
The Trump administration is bringing new names and new ideas into agricultural policy.
Many farmers, ranchers, and landowners are eager to understand how the new Trump administration will influence agricultural policy in this pivotal year. Cabinet appointments and key personnel decisions will shape federal support programs, trade agreements, and environmental regulations—all critical to the agricultural sector.
To help you navigate the rapidly changing environment, here’s a brief summary of key players, their backgrounds, and how their priorities could impact the future of agricultural policy.
Key Agricultural Policy Players in the Trump Administration
Brooke Rollins – Secretary of Agriculture
Brooke Rollins, a Texas native with deep roots in agriculture, has been nominated as the Secretary of Agriculture by President Trump. She grew up participating in 4-H and FFA, earned a degree in agriculture from Texas A&M University, and has spent two decades in conservative policy circles. Most recently, Rollins was the CEO and President of the America First Policy Institute and had prior experience serving as the head of domestic policy in Trump’s first term.
If confirmed, here are some of the initial priorities Rollins has outlined for her first 100 days:
Disaster Relief Assistance
Rollins pledged to take a bipartisan approach to streamlining federal aid for farmers and ranchers impacted by natural disasters and ensuring funds are distributed equitably to “blue and red states.”
Animal Disease Management
Rollins is expected to take a state and localized approach to handling animal disease outbreaks, coordinating hands-on with state ag commissioners to enact preventative measures and ensure farmers and ranchers have the support required to limit spread.
Ag Research and Rural Development
Saying it was the initiative she is most excited to tackle, Rollins has also pledged to roll back regulations that limit innovation in ag research and will prioritize the restoration of rural communities. She also stated a commitment to modernizing the USDA to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of essential programs like H-2A.
Trade
A central topic of discussion during her confirmation hearing with the Senate Ag Committee, Rollins supports the use of tariffs as a trade negotiation tool but listened to the concerns of many ag committee members on how this could impact U.S. ag export trade as it did in Trump’s first presidency. With a close relationship with stakeholders involved in these discussions, she promised to be an advocating voice for ag to ensure farmers and ranchers are insulated from the threat of counter-tariffs through future trade negotiations. She also emphasized the importance of expanding export markets and reversing the record trade deficit U.S. agriculture is currently experiencing.
Beyond policy priorities, it’s also been reported that Kailee Tkacz Buller has been appointed as Secretary-Nominee Rollins’s Chief of Staff. Buller previously served in several USDA roles during the first Trump administration, including Chief of Staff to then-Deputy Secretary Stephen Censky. Her most recent role prior to taking this position was President and CEO of the National Oilseed Processors Association.
Stephen Vaden – Deputy Secretary of Agriculture
Stephen Vaden, former general counsel for the USDA and current judge on the U.S. Court of International Trade, has been nominated to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture in the Trump administration. A native of Union City, Tennessee, Vaden maintains a close connection to the farming community, helping manage his family’s farm.
Farm Bill Implementation
Vaden helped pass the 2018 farm bill, and he’s expected to push for further development of programs introduced, including conservation efforts and risk management tools.
Emerging Sectors
His oversight of the legalization of industrial hemp suggests he may advocate for expanding market opportunities for hemp and other emerging crops.
Agency Accessibility
Many believe Vaden may prioritize policies that streamline government services, making them more accessible and efficient for rural farmers and ranchers, due in part to his previous efforts to reorganize USDA agencies.
Vaden will have some help during his time as deputy secretary. Jennifer Tiller has reportedly been tapped to serve as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary and Senior Adviser to the Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. Tiller brings experience from her tenure on the House Agriculture Committee, where she led nutrition assistance program initiatives under Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson.
Lee Zeldin – Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Lee Zeldin was nominated Administrator of the EPA. The EPA plays a significant role in agriculture through regulations on pesticides, water use, and emissions. During Zeldin’s confirmation hearing, he pledged to use his role to give Americans a clean environment “without suffocating the economy.”
Limiting Power
Zeldin believes in limiting the EPA’s regulatory power. He has pledged to honor the 2024 Supreme Court decision that curtailed the Fed’s ability to “fill in gaps” in the law.
“Laws are written by Congress and there are cases that have come out of the Supreme Court that provide the EPA with clear guidance on how we must do our job under the law,” Zeldin said.
Biofuels
Zeldin’s support for biofuels and past advocacy for balancing renewable fuel standards indicates potential alignment with agricultural energy interests.
Jamieson Greer – U.S. Trade Representative
As USTR for the Trump administration, Jamieson Greer will play an integral role in influencing trade agreements and disputes critical to U.S. agriculture at a time when the U.S. agricultural trade deficit has never been wider. He served in the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps, including a deployment to Iraq and was actively involved in the Phase One agreement negotiations with China during the Trump administration’s first term. His priorities include renegotiating key deals and addressing tariff-related challenges that impact exports, particularly for soybeans, the nation’s leading agricultural export.
U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
Greer played a large role in renegotiating NAFTA and replacing it with the USMCA, according to Trump. He is expected to continue to work to open trade with our neighbors in his new role.
Tariffs
Greer’s support for tariffs as a negotiation tool may create short-term disruptions, risking market stability and export competitiveness, particularly with China, the largest buyer of U.S. soybeans.
Prioritizing Market Access
By prioritizing market access and pursuing new trade agreements, Greer could help offset the risks of increasing tariffs, foster long-term growth, and maintain U.S. agriculture’s competitive edge in global markets.
Scott Bessent – Treasury Secretary
One less obvious agricultural policy player in the Trump administration mix is incoming Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Agriculture was one of the key topics that came up in Bessent’s Senate confirmation hearing. Bessent has personal ties to agriculture as a rural landowner in North Dakota, though he has stated plans to divest this holding if confirmed. During his Senate confirmation hearing, he emphasized his connection to rural communities.
“I may be one of the few Treasury secretary nominees in recent periods who occasionally listens to farm radio,” Bessent commented during his hearing.
Trade with China
Bessent also spoke about the role agriculture would play in trade negotiations with China—not just bringing them in line with the Phase One provisions but potentially including some sort of catch-up requirement for under-delivering since its passage.
Keeping an Eye on the Future of Ag
The Trump administration’s nominees, along with newly appointed congressional ag committee members, bring varied perspectives that will shape agricultural policy in critical ways. By staying informed on their priorities and potential impacts, farmers, ranchers, and landowners can better prepare for opportunities and challenges.
For a deeper analysis of the future of U.S. agricultural policy under the Trump administration, download AgAmerica’s economic outlook report today. And if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the AgAmerica newsletter to stay in the know with the latest agricultural news.
