Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins Takes Immediate Actions After Being Sworn Into Office

USDA photo by Paul Sale

After being sworn in last Thursday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollings wasted no time making moves to transform the USDA. She is working with the Department of Government Efficiency to optimize the workforce, eliminate unnecessary positions and cut wasteful spending.

A USDA press release reported that over $132 million in spending had already been targeted, with 78 contracts canceled and 1,000 contracts under review. The USDA identified and canceled 948 training sessions. This included 758 that were focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, as all DEI programs have been rescinded.

Rollins outlined her vision for the USDA in a letter sent to the nation’s governors, inviting them to participate in a new “laboratories for innovation” initiative and help create bold new solutions. She also sent a letter to state leaders encouraging them to participate in programs to reform the food stamp program (SNAP).

USDA employees have been mandated to return to the office and some will be relocated out of Washington. Many new hires have been swept up in widespread layoffs within the agency. This includes employees in the Forest Service, Rural Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, Natural Resources Conservation Office and the General Counsel.

Rollins held several briefings focused on the bird flu outbreak since being sworn into office, indicating that more tools to address this issue will be rolled out this week. Meanwhile, 25 percent of the staff in a central program office that coordinates the 58 laboratories working on the bird flu response were fired during a mass layoff on Friday.