U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, USDA official portrait on Feb. 14, 2025. (USDA photo by Christophe Paul)
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins met with farm groups during a roundtable discussion at NDSU yesterday (Tuesday). Matt Perdue of the North Dakota Farmers Union expressed concerns about USDA staff cuts affecting farmers’ access to federal loans, noting a dramatic increase in farm loan webinar attendance from 17 to 107 participants year-over-year. Secretary Rollins reassured attendees that frontline FSA workers would not be eligible for early retirement. During her visit, Rollins announced $340 million in disaster assistance for farmers and rural communities, including $5 million for North Dakota rural electric co-ops affected by last fall’s wildfires. The Secretary also spoke about a new 33% tariff on products with over 65% sugar content through September 30. Additional topics included specialty crop concerns in farm bill negotiations, agricultural trade challenges, and regulatory burdens on farmers, particularly regarding the Endangered Species Act enforcement.
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