Rollins, Kennedy nominations confirmed by Senate

The Senate on Thursday confirmed Brooke Rollins as agriculture secretary and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Rollins, a Texan and veteran of the White House during Trump's first administration who later led a think tank stocked by Trump administration veterans, was confirmed, 72-28. 

Rollins will be a "strong voice for the pressing needs of our agricultural community," said Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told his colleagues ahead of the vote that he was "encouraged by her attention to detail and hard work, something I’m sure will serve her and America’s farmers well. Mrs. Rollins is taking on a large role, leading 100,000 employees and making policy decisions that will affect family farmers across the country and impact the efficiency and transparency of government."

Rollins faces a number of pressing issues, including the avian flu outbreak that has sent egg prices skyrocketing, and pressure from agriculture and Capitol Hill to distribute $31 billion in disaster aid and economic assistance passed by Congress in December. 

“I am overwhelmed and so grateful for that bipartisan vote,” Rollins said to Agri-Pulse immediately following the vote. “It was a very strong vote and I couldn’t be more grateful.” 

In terms of what she will prioritize first, Rollins said there’s a “couple of things” planned later today after her official swearing-in and said she’s “excited to talk to the world about it.” 

In a floor speech ahead of her confirmation vote, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman, R-Ark., said Rollins’ first priority will be administering emergency assistance passed by Congress last year. 

He also said her leadership during Trump’s first administration makes her uniquely qualified to lead USDA and advocate for family farms. 

“Hardworking farmers who grow our food are struggling to operate, let alone profit, in this current economic climate,” Boozman said in his speech. “I’m confident she will pursue policies to help rural America live up to its potential.”

Leaders of the House Agriculture Committee congratulated Rollins on her confirmation and said they look forward to building a strong working relationship. Chair Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said in a statement that Rollins was taking the helm of USDA at a "critical juncture" for farmers and her commitment to agriculture will help as they work to strengthen the farm economy. 

“Family farmers are struggling with high input costs and low prices; tariffs are being proposed that will raise costs on American producers and American consumers; the agricultural workforce is being threatened; and Congress is behind schedule in passing a new, bipartisan farm bill,” said Ranking Member Angie Craig, D-Minn., said in a statement. “If we want to tackle these challenges in a way that supports family farmers and the communities they feed, we will need to work together.”

Senate Democrats also said they hope Rollins prioritizes addressing the impact of tariffs on farmers and rural communities.

“My main point right now is that there is so much going on in rural with these tariffs that have been proposed by the Trump administration, and she's going to have a lot of work to do when she gets in there to try to fix some of this,” said Senate Agriculture Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said he was impressed with Rollins and is convinced she'll be a good leader at USDA. On her first steps, he said his office has spoken with USDA and that Rollins is aware of food aid issues tied to USAID.

Kennedy's nomination was far more controversial largely because of his long history of vaccine skepticism. He was approved 52-48, with Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the lone Republican to join all 47 Democrats in opposition.

“I'm a survivor of childhood polio," McConnell said on X. "In my lifetime, I've watched vaccines save millions of lives from devastating diseases across America and around the world. I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures.”

Despite concerns over Kennedy's vaccine views, key Republicans got behind his nomination after one-on-one meetings with him.

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Kennedy also has long been a critic of conventional agriculture practices and the food industry. But senators such as Roger Marshall, R-Kan., have called Kennedy a friend of agriculture. In both the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearings, Marshall and other senators prompted him to lay out his ideas for expanded regenerative agriculture practices and providing an off-ramp from chemical use.

“I want to work with our farmers and food producers to remove burdensome regulations and unleash American ingenuity,” Kennedy told the Finance Committee. “I simply cannot succeed without a partnership, a full partnership, of American farmers.”

Still, ag economists and farmers are concerned about Kennedy’s potential impacts on the sector. 

Grassley has said he was reassured by his conversations with Kennedy, but still urged him to not interfere with agriculture policymaking. Other senators, however, suggested Kennedy should collaborate with Rollins.

Ray Starling, a former Trump White House agriculture adviser and chief of staff under Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, criticized Congress for not pressing Kennedy more on his agricultural views. Speaking at a panel at the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives annual meeting, Starling expressed surprised more senators failed to use the nomination hearings to ask Kennedy about his previous comments on the American pork industry. 

Starling said, "I thought we could not get Congress less engaged in agricultural leadership, and in the last 25 days, they have surpassed my lowest expectation. ... If that is not a red line, if I don't need to ask you about that in your hearing, what am I ever going to ask anybody?"

Throughout his two appearances before Senate panels, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle did appear to find common ground in Kennedy’s commitment to examining the role of ultraprocessed foods in American diets, and the link between diet and health. 

At the helm of HHS, Kennedy would have some control over the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates over 75% of the U.S. food supply. He also would have input in writing the upcoming Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which plays a role in procurement for federal programs like school meals. 

He could also take a harder look at food chemicals and their approvals. During Senate hearings, he pointed out that other countries have limits on certain food dyes and said American products contain more, potentially dangerous ingredients. Kennedy attributes this to the food industry’s influence over agencies. 

“That’s wrong, it needs to end,” Kennedy said during the Senate HELP Committee nomination hearing. “I believe I'm the one person who's able to end it.”

After his confirmation, food and agriculture industry groups congratulated Kennedy on his confirmation and said they look forward to working with the new secretary. 

“With diet-related diseases placing immense strain on our healthcare system, ensuring greater access to fresh fruits and vegetables must be a top national priority,” said Cathy Burns, CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association. “We are eager to collaborate with HHS and FDA to integrate produce into healthcare, improve food labeling transparency, and expand financial incentives that encourage healthier eating.” 

Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, said the group looks forward to working with Kennedy to encourage consumption of nutritious dairy foods and protecting consumers from foodborne illnesses. 

"For too long, inflexible, burdensome regulations have stifled innovation and production efficiencies for dairy processors while outdated nutrition policies have discouraged Americans from consuming milk, yogurt, cheese, and other wholesome dairy products that contribute essential nutrients—including calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein—to our diets," Dykes wrote in a statement. "America’s dairy industry stands ready to support Mr. Kennedy’s efforts to combat chronic disease, reduce foodborne illnesses, and ensure all Americans have access to safe and affordable dairy nutrition.”

Reporter Oliver Ward contributed to this report. 

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