Chairman Thompson’s Opening Statement at Hearing with Secretary Rollins
Posted in Daily
| OPENING STATEMENT June 4, 2026 Contact: Allie Herring |
| WASHINGTON, DC — House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee hearing, “For the Purpose of Receiving Testimony from the Honorable Brooke L. Rollins, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture.” Remarks as prepared: Good morning, everyone. I would like to welcome you all to today’s hearing and extend a special thanks to the Honorable Brooke Rollins for joining us for her second appearance before the House Committee on Agriculture. I am very proud to call Secretary Rollins a friend, and we’re grateful for both her leadership and for taking the time out of her busy schedule to be with us today. Before we begin, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the empty seat in this hearing room. Former Chairman David Scott was a friend, a brother in the Lord, and a fierce advocate for the farmers he represented. His presence here today is dearly missed, and I was proud to honor his legacy by renaming the 1890s scholarship program after him in the 2026 farm bill. I also want to wish Congressman Baird a happy birthday today. On the Ag Committee, our work revolves around a core question: “What can we do to help rural Ameria?” We go about answering that question through hearings, briefings, roundtables, farm visits, and listening sessions. However, the legislation that we ultimately pass is not where this discussion ends. That is where USDA steps in and begins their important work of implementing the programs that we have authorized. There is no better example of this than the work we have seen with the implementation of the Working Families Tax Cuts. This was the largest investment in American agriculture in a generation, and USDA has put in the work to get dollars out of the door. Just last week, USDA announced the sign-up process for producers to take advantage of the 30 million base acres added to the ARC and PLC commodity programs. I am very proud to see these investments roll out in a timely manner. Secretary Rollins, I want to thank you for being a partner with us in this process. Your work makes it possible for us to ensure help reaches the producers who need it most. Great things are coming with the Working Families Tax Cuts, and I am eager to see USDA implement all of the critical programs we included in that legislation. I also want to acknowledge the important work your team has done to crack down on waste, fraud, and abuse within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Your support and leadership have made it possible to restore integrity to this program in the way Congress intended. I look forward to hearing more specifics today about your department’s efforts to improve state administration of this program. Hopefully, we’ll be sending even more work your way soon. I know President Trump wants a farm bill on his desk, and we look forward to getting him one to sign in the near future. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 is a significant step forward for producers, and I know you will continue your diligent work once that bill gets across the finish line. I also want to thank you for the work your team has been doing to boost the domestic production of fertilizer. For critical crop inputs, we must focus on solutions for both today and the future, and I believe the Administration’s approach does exactly that. USDA’s efforts in the last year to combat the spread of New World screwworm have also been commendable. The Administration’s actions to prevent exposure in the U.S. stopped the spread of this pest for as long as possible. While the detection yesterday wasn’t what we were hoping for, I know USDA will continue to make the necessary efforts to eradicate screwworm once again. Throughout the eradication process, it is imperative that USDA, state animal health officials, industry groups, and Members of Congress work together to effectively deploy the whole of government response that has been planned for months. I also know I am not alone when I say thank you for your commitment to farm assistance. The Farmer Bridge Assistance Program was a necessary step to hold producers over until updated policies kick in. Additionally, the decision to dedicate leftover resources from FBA to the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers program was much appreciated. While I believe there is still more work to be done on that front, thank you for recognizing the need and making the most of the limited dollars you have available. Please continue to communicate with the Committee on how we may be helpful to you as we work to get our farm economy back on stable ground. We know that communication is the bedrock of the important relationship between USDA and the House Committee on Agriculture. Just a few weeks ago, we hosted Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden to speak to committee Members about the USDA reorganization process. This was a productive discussion in which good questions were asked and thoughtful answers were given. I look forward to continuing that discussion, among others, today with Secretary Rollins. I know that supporting our nation’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities remains her top priority, and I know her insights will be helpful as we continue our legislative work this Congress. Thank you again, Secretary Rollins, for your service and your testimony. With that, I now yield to Ranking Member Craig for her opening remarks. ### For perspective, see Ranking member Angie Craig opening statement |
[…] WASHINGTON — Today, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (MN-02) delivered the following opening statement at a full committee hearing for the purpose of receiving testimony from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Watch the hearing here. [As prepared for delivery.] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Former Chairman Scott was a true fighter. For hungry veterans in his district, for students of historically Black 1890s land-grant institutions hoping to become the next generation of agricultural leaders and for family farmers. That is exactly why the issues facing farm country today require a serious approach. We owe Congressman Scott that much. Madam Secretary, almost a year ago to the day you appeared before this committee for the first time. During that hearing, Republicans and Democrats voiced their concerns about the pressing issues of the day facing farm country and rural communities. Even then we discussed input costs, commodity prices, tariffs, food assistance programs and USDA’s important role in addressing all these challenges and more. I left that hearing hoping that you would heed the advice of this committee and chart a course for your agency that met the needs of working families and family farmers. Instead – what we have witnessed is blind loyalty to a reckless President and administration. Over this past year, you and this administration have failed farmers and working Americans time after time after time. Let’s recap your record since you were last here… President Trump doubled down on his reckless tariff agenda, destroying critical export markets and driving up costs for all Americans. It cost farmers an estimated $15 billion in lost sales to China last year alone. While American farmers were reeling from the fallout of these tariffs and calling on the administration for relief, President Trump instead gave Argentina $20 billion and handed their ranchers a sweetheart deal, allowing more beef to be imported at the expense of American cattlemen. It’s truly stunning. When you finally did listen to the pleas from farm country for relief, it was woefully inadequate – picking winners and losers by providing some farmers with only a fraction of the relief they needed, particularly specialty crop growers, sugar beet farmers and foresters. Only 6 percent of farmers reported that their financial situation improved from last year. 6 percent. I’m embarrassed for you. Farm bankruptcies surged 46 percent nationwide in Trump’s first year back in office, and an astounding 70 percent in the Midwest. And just this past April, farm bankruptcies surged to their highest monthly total since early 2020 in Trump’s first term.Farmers began 2026 hoping for a course correction – and what did this administration do? Start a war with Iran with no strategy, forethought or care for what the consequences would be for American agriculture or working people. As a result, critical supplies have been choked off from leaving the Strait of Hormuz, driving fertilizer and diesel costs to staggering new levels and making it nearly impossible for farmers to turn a profit. And while all of this is happening, what have you been doing? Proclaiming that the “Golden Age” of Agriculture is “just around the corner” for over a year now. I can promise you that corner is so long no farmer in America can see around it. And mind you, that is just talking about farm country. You’ve also made the largest cut to food assistance in the history of our country. At a time when more and more people are struggling to afford food. Then you went on TV and bragged about kicking over 4 million Americans off food assistance. People like Joseph Myers from my home state of Minnesota. He is a former farmhand who is going to lose SNAP benefits because of the new so-called One Big Beautiful Bill. In his words, “when the food stamps come to an end… then it’s gonna be really suffering.” He’s 58, can’t perform physical labor anymore and works at the local food bank 10-12 hours a week, but Republicans decided that’s not enough for him to deserve SNAP benefits. And over the last year I’ve watched you brag about taking food away from millions of people like Mr. Myers? You’ve put on some big show about a “golden age” for Agriculture? It’s disgusting. The only person this has been a “golden age” for is the president himself. A personal $1.8 billion slush fund, paid for by the American taxpayer. A ballroom custom built for his fancy dinners, paid for by secretive corporate donors. Putting his face on a 250-dollar bill. Building arches, carving his names into buildings. And that doesn’t even include his crypto or shoddy cell phone business interests. A farmer from Iowa put it better than I could, so I will close with his words “[p]eople are out here hurting. The rhetoric about the golden age of agriculture right around the corner – that doesn’t match the reality of what’s going on on the ground at all.” I wish I thought you would listen. But you’re just another acolyte. And I’m calling it out. I yield back.For perspective, see Chairman Thompson opening statement. […]