▶ 0:01:32Budget and programs that the us department of agriculture. We're pleased to be joined by the secretary of agriculture, brooke rollins. Welcome, madam secretary, and I know you have a hard stop. And unfortunately, they've scheduled votes, uh, in, uh, toward the end of the session today. So we are going to go ahead, but we will limit everyone to four minutes instead of five so that everyone has a chance to, uh, to ask questions. Uh, and, uh, anyway, and we'll get you out of here early. Oh. >> great to be here. Thank you.
▶ 0:02:04>> usda's fy 27 budget request totals 19.1 billion for discretionary programs, a decrease of 5.1 billion, or almost 28%, below last year's enacted levels. As we review the request, I appreciate your willingness to discuss usda's efforts to reprioritize our constituents hard earned taxpayer dollars on initiatives that have the greatest impact under president trump's leadership.
▶ 0:02:25The administration is refocusing usda on its core mission of helping all farmers and ranchers by rolling back harmful regulations, fighting against unfair trade practices, protecting the homeland from foreign animal and plant diseases, and providing timely disaster and economic assistance to farmers and ranchers. I appreciate your efforts, secretary rollins, to modernize meat and poultry processing systems.
▶ 0:02:48The proposed updates to line speed regulations, for instance, will increase processing efficiency to lower costs for consumers while upholding usda's high standards for food and worker safety. I also appreciate your work to find solutions to high input prices for farmers and ranchers, such as for fertilizer. While producers continue to face challenging economic headwinds. Purdue university just released a survey showing farmers optimism is increasing.
▶ 0:03:15Producers understand that while challenges persist, this administration is focused on the policies to improve the agricultural economy and keep family farms and ranches in business. Of course, there's still more work to be done. I appreciate that you that you've delayed the biden era packers and stockyards rule that would end the poultry tournament system. I'm confident that a comprehensive economic analysis will show the financial harm this rule will cause.
▶ 0:03:39Poultry growers and increasing prices, especially for producers on maryland's eastern shore. I'd urge you to fully repeal the rule rather than to allow it to tear down efficient, successful poultry market structure that helps both farmers and consumers. Already, consumers have benefited from your leadership and that of the trump administration, as we recall at the end of the biden administration. Egg prices were over $5 a dozen today. Egg prices were half that amount.
▶ 0:04:08And where I shop, it's $1.66 a dozen. >> that's right. >> overall, according to usda, food prices increased a staggering 9.9% in a single year under the biden administration, the fastest increase since 1979. The trump administration has successfully prioritized efforts to tame food inflation to be in line with historical norms. Yet a new baseline of higher food prices was set by the previous administration. That continues to plague consumers, and it will take time to overcome.
▶ 0:04:34I want to commend you, madam secretary, for your commitment to policies that have made this administration the most health conscious in history. Usda has approved 22 snap food restriction waivers, and there are more to come. Taxpayer dollars should not subsidize the purchase of foods and beverages with zero nutritional value, and I applaud the coordinated effort between usda and hhs to make america healthy again.
▶ 0:05:01We all know that american farmers and ranchers produce a wide variety of the safest, most abundant and nutritious food in the world, and I want american consumers to purchase more of our healthy american products. The fy 26 enacted bill directed usda to study a buy american requirement in the snap program, which would put more snap dollars back into the pockets of american producers, not our foreign competitors. I look forward to the results of this study and to working with you on this initiative.
▶ 0:05:28I also want to thank you, madam secretary, for visiting maryland to learn firsthand about the invasive blue catfish that continue to damage the chesapeake bay. This subcommittee has spearheaded efforts to expand processing capacity to provide market opportunities for watermen and seafood processors in my district. I appreciate that you've rolled out the first round of grants for catfish processing expansion, and have worked to make sure wild caught catfish are eligible for section 32 purchases going forward.
▶ 0:05:54Madam secretary, I look forward to your testimony regarding the fy 27 president's budget request. I hope we learn more about the administration's spending priorities, including potential savings and efficiencies that have been identified at usda as we move through our appropriations process. With the country running a nearly $2 trillion annual deficit, we have a responsibility to spend every taxpayer dollar wisely. Again, I appreciate you being with us for today's discussion.
▶ 0:06:20Madam secretary, ranking member bishop, I'll now yield to you for any opening remarks you'd like to make. Thank you, Mr. chairman, and. >> good morning, secretary rollins. Good morning. Welcome, and thank you for being here to discuss usda rural development budget. Uh, this is very timely because during the recess that we just finished, I did extensive visits to farm and land grant institutions and rural communities in my middle and southwest georgia district.
▶ 0:06:49And I talked with farmers and community leaders about what was happening on the ground there. Uh, I recall that last year, uh, one of the biggest issues we discussed was the need to quickly deploy economic assistance for farmers, as well as the harmful effects of chaotic illegal tariffs on those same farmers. Well, I heard those same themes of economic distress, uh, last week.
▶ 0:07:14Uh, today the situation is even worse than it was last year when an unauthorized war with iran, gas and diesel prices are hurting rural businesses and families. Farmers are waiting to get their tariff refunds, food prices are sky high, and the american dream of owning a home is now just that, a dream out of reach for most americans. Uh. It's planning season.
▶ 0:07:40Fertilizer prices are through the roof, and my producers tell me that, contrary to news reports, they did not pre-purchase fertilizer. They were busy selling off land and trying to make ends meet. Arkansas, georgia, iowa and nebraska lead the nation in farm bankruptcies, which are this year up over 46%. The fallout is felt across the country.
▶ 0:08:05Families paying double or more at the gas pump are also finding it harder to afford groceries. Reckless and unaccountable ice activity is not only killed us citizens, but it's also had a ripple effect on the agriculture workforce. Availability 76% of agricultural economists say that the crop sector is under recession, and 74% of our producers agree.
▶ 0:08:33Usda is own economic research service says that net farm income is forecast to decline by $4.1 billion from 2025 to 2026. So why, madam secretary, is the white house proposing deep cuts in usda programs and staff that help farmers, that help rural communities and feed hungry people?
▶ 0:08:58Omb director vogt says that land grant research is essential. Rural community facilities and nrcs technical assistance and the forest service are, quote, irrelevant to supporting an america first agricultural policy, end of quote, and not budget priorities. That's not what my people back home are saying to me.
▶ 0:09:24It'll be hard for our constituents to believe that usda serves america's farmers and rural communities. When usda is taking away their services. Where is america first?
▶ 0:09:39When american farmers continue to find their local farm service agency offices understaffed or closed, whereas america first, when the cost of an unauthorized war in iran is sucking up funds that farmers and rural communities desperately need that could fund congressionally authorized programs. Where is america first?
▶ 0:10:02When america's agricultural research lags behind our adversaries and our president proposes huge cuts to land grant universities who lead agricultural innovations, american food banks are struggling to close a gap that this administration created when it put billionaire tax breaks before hungry seniors, women and children. Is this also america first?
▶ 0:10:27I hope that you'll be able to explain this disconnect to america's families and farmers who are watching today. I expect that most of the proposed cuts will be modified as we finalize the 2027 funding bill, but it will be difficult.
▶ 0:10:45Madam secretary, though we were only given your testimony at the 11th hour yesterday, I want to take a moment to correct or rather clarify for the record a few of the points that were raised. Uh, many of the efforts the current administration touts are truly building on the successes and the efforts of previous administrations, both democratic and republican.
▶ 0:11:11For example, the biden administration did the final rule on the product of the usa label and the one farmer, one file is a culmination of decades of effort by your predecessors at usda, including secretary vilsack and perdue, to improve farmers access to usda.
▶ 0:11:32I'm glad that you and the president want to pick up the baton and continue these efforts, but it's important for america's families and farmers to know that congress and administrations, both yours and your predecessors, have long fought for what is best for agricultural producers and rural america.
▶ 0:11:52In fact, I take great pride in the fact that even though we don't always see eye to eye, this committee has often found bipartisan pathways forward. While you're welcome to explain and even tout this administration's efforts, and we will discuss where we disagree and may find common ground in your approach.
▶ 0:12:13We can do that without disregarding or denying that we all stand on the shoulders of our predecessors. This committee works hard to come to a consensus on funding bills, and all of us democrats, republicans, uh, want to be your partners in this. We truly do. So we need your help, secretary rollins. We are accountable to our constituents, and they ask us to open casework inquiries. At times.
▶ 0:12:44We have to ask your staff for information in this regard. We're not fishing. We're serving our constituents who expect current, accurate and timely responses. They are on the edge of the economic cliff and they need help. We also expect that usda will not circumvent this appropriations process by refusing to spend or obligate program funding once it is signed into law.
▶ 0:13:14I look forward to your testimony in the q and a today, and look forward to working with you through this process to make sure that, uh, the department of agriculture truly serves the needs of all americans, and particularly our producers and our rural communities, so that we can continue producing the highest quality, the safest, uh, the most abundant, uh, the most affordable food and fiber
▶ 0:13:44Anywhere in the industrialized world right now. Uh, that capability is at risk. With that, Mr. chairman, I yield back. >> thank you very. Thank you very much. I want to remind the members that we are under tight time constraints today, and I will be, uh, you know, holding people to the four minute, uh, four minute requirement. And I'd now like to recognize the distinguished ranking member of the appropriations committee, miss delauro, for her opening statement. >> thank you very much, Mr.
▶ 0:14:16Chairman and ranking member bishop, and I welcome to you, madam secretary, and thank you for the time to be here this morning, to testify and to answer questions. Uh, and while I'm glad for this opportunity, I was extremely disappointed to see the steep cuts to vital programs proposed in the president's budget request. There are some 6.7 million people who rely on the supplemental nutrition assistance program for women, children, or the wick program.
▶ 0:14:42This budget would reduce the wick benefit for fruit and vegetables by as much as 75% per person. If this were to become reality, would almost certainly cause a dramatic increase in child hunger and malnutrition. The president's budget also proposes eliminating the food for peace and the mcgovern-dole programs, which not only denies food to the starving and destitute around the globe, but deprives american farmers of the revenue they need for growing this food.
▶ 0:15:12These are programs that benefit american farmers and help alleviate world hunger. But the trump administration evidently does not see this as a priority. They also propose eliminating the commodity supplemental food program that provides food for more than 700,000 low income seniors. There are more than 70 programs under usda that the president proposes to eliminate in his budget request.
▶ 0:15:35In addition to the ones that I've just spoken about, the programs cover a broad swath of issue areas civil rights, rural development, agricultural research, and more. A recipe. It's a recipe for abandoning the american people and degrading the public services that millions of families rely on. The price of everyday goods continues to escalate. Grocery prices are up.
▶ 0:16:00Gas prices are up, utility costs, housing costs, health care costs are through the roof, and the administration's only plan is to decimate the public programs that help to alleviate the strain on working families and farmers across the country. That isn't going to solve anything. It will only make the problem worse. I want to take a moment here to talk about congressman's power of the purse.
▶ 0:16:25Those of you who know me know that I'm a staunch defender of the congress's prerogative over federal spending. It's our job in the congress to work to together to approve funding. It's the job of the executive branch. And you, madam secretary, to distribute in the manner that we have directed. I raise this not because I believe we are in need of a civics lesson, although perhaps some might be. But as a reminder of the the role. Your role in the process.
▶ 0:16:54Last year, during the prolonged funding lapse in the fall, usda refused to distribute nutrition assistance through food stamps to millions of americans. For weeks. The administration was ordered to distribute this critical assistance by several federal courts. Time and again, they refused. Feeding hungry families is exactly what congress had in mind when we approved the funding for the food stamp contingency fund.
▶ 0:17:17We set aside that money so that in the event of an emergency, like a government shutdown, for example, there would be funding available to continue the program. But what happened was that usda and the administration fought tooth and nail, even violating court orders not to distribute that money. It was the american people who suffered.
▶ 0:17:38And I would just say this, I thought it was really pretty extraordinary that with the department's help, the president went to the supreme court to deprive children of food. Again, it's astounding. That's not only a failure of the administration's constitutional duty to execute, to execute the laws of the congress. But I believe that's a moral failure. I want to say a thank you to chairman harris for giving me an opportunity to ask a quick yes or no question to the witness before I head.
▶ 0:18:09We have five hearings today. It's a crazy day, and I'm trying to meet the demands of the time frame here. Secretary rollins, in december 2024, I created a $220 million farm recovery and support block grant in the american relief act. It's now been 16 months since the block grant was created, and to my knowledge, not a single dime has been allocated to the eligible states. Again, yes or no is delivering aid to small family and specialty crop farmers a stated priority of this administration?
▶ 0:18:39>> it is, and I checked this morning. I think we are at the finish line for connecticut. Uh, after 30 meetings and a lot of back and forth. But yes, ma'am, we're moving on that. >> thank you. Because my next question was connecticut's work plan. We put that in place. Um, and finalizing that work plan. Do you have a time frame? >> it should be very soon. I literally rode the elevator with undersecretary fordyce and he said, we're at the finish line. >> so thank you. I thank you because I've said this to you and I've had this conversation for farmers.
▶ 0:19:07It's over $50 million that is owed from the block grant. >> and you have my cell phone, but you so feel free to call me on that. But let's let's get in touch. But my understanding is it is moving. >> okay, I appreciate that, and I thank you, Mr. chairman, and I yield back. >> thank you ma'am. >> thank you, Mr. secretary rollins, without objection, your entire written testimony will be included in the record. After your statement, we'll proceed with questions as a reminder to the members will abide by a four minute rule for questions. Secretary rollins, you're now recognized for your statement. >> thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 0:19:35And I realize our time has been compressed for votes, so I'm actually going to talk a little quicker than I would and also shorten my comments to make sure that we have. Everyone has the opportunity to ask the questions before they leave. The first thing I want to say is, is what an honor to be here the last year since we last met, uh, I believe we've made great progress. There is no doubt that this is very challenging time in farm country. There is no doubt that we have a lot of things to continue to work on.
▶ 0:20:01But in the last year, whether it is battling h p a I, I think chairman. Mr. chairman, you mentioned our chickens and eggs. We announced about a year ago our billion dollar plan to combat avian flu and bring prices down. That plan has worked based on and compared to this time last year, hpai cases are down 61% across the country. For those of you that are representing poultry in your states, that's a really, really big number. The number of birds is down 46%.
▶ 0:20:29And of course, the cost of eggs, the wholesale cost of eggs is down 90%, retail closer to 46%. Since I was last before this committee, we've made substantial progress on the new world screwworm again for our guys with a and girls with a lot of cattle in their states. This is a significant threat to our american cattle ranching industry, and certainly at a time where our cattle herds are at their lowest levels in 75 years.
▶ 0:20:56Tomorrow I will be back on the border for the fourth time talking about all of those efforts. We have significantly expanded sterile fly dispersal capacity, about 100 million in addition a week, which is very important. And we can get more into that. If anyone has questions here or later. We have advanced next generation tools working with the epa. We have strengthened surveillance and screenings along the border. We have been working very closely with the state or the country of mexico, the state of tamaulipas.
▶ 0:21:23We've secured new emergency use authorizations for prevention and treatment, completed audits, again deploying a lot of usda staff into mexico. Tomorrow, we'll be breaking ground on an almost $1 billion sterile fly facility so that we in america can control that versus panama, which currently has the sterile fly facility. So making a lot of progress there on trade, which was a big topic last year. Again, we can get into details. I'm so happy to talk about this. But in just one year, we have enacted 18 new trade agreements.
▶ 0:21:56This is a massive, massive importance for our farmers as what was an ag trade surplus when we left in 2020, turned into a $50 billion ag deficit under the last administration, just in one year alone, we have cut that deficit by 42%. These numbers are really important for our farmers who are looking for these markets that had been closed to them, and this year, we're expected to cut that deficit significantly more.
▶ 0:22:22We expect based on the numbers this year, for example, our corn exports to be up 25%, our ethanol exports to be up 20%, our tree nut exports to be up 11%, our dairy exports to be up 17%. These are all really important moves forward for our farmers and ranchers in this country. And we will continue, obviously, more trade deals coming down the pike. We're going to continue while we're looking at that foreign market access.
▶ 0:22:49The domestic market obviously extremely important as well. Uh, year round, e15 45 z, the largest rv os in american history. All of these are massive. To expand these domestic markets. We talked a little bit, um, with, uh, with miss delauro on the farmer bridge assistance programs, the icap programs, etc. Uh, even though with a few of those block grants, we've had lots of dozens and dozens of meetings trying to get to a good place.
▶ 0:23:18For the most part, all of this funding moved at record speed and in a way that had never been seen before. The one farmer, one file that Mr. bishop brought up, we had 52,000 farmers apply in a four day period for the farmer bridge assistance on online versus what was normally about 5000 online over four months for the icap and the other programs. So these are significant steps forward to support our farmers. Again, I want to talk about maha.
▶ 0:23:47The dietary guidelines is so important. Um, all of the wonderful work that you all did on the one big, beautiful bill, the largest investment in american history in rural america. It's remarkable. The rural health transformation, the opportunity zones. And then of course, in agriculture, the death tax on our family farms, the expensing, uh, all of the great lowering and improving crop insurance was so important.
▶ 0:24:11And I'm sure we'll talk about this today, but obviously input costs continue to be top of mind with the current conflict going on overseas, obviously adding to what was already skyrocketing input costs, fertilizer, etc. We can go into details on that. I'm happy to do it now if we don't have time another time. Um, let me finish with this. Since we're out of time on day one, uh, we looked at all of the different policy lanes we're working to solve.
▶ 0:24:36And I think one of the most important ones we've done aside from and are very important, the making america healthy again, one farmer, one file, um, putting farmers first, etc. But one is the fact that farm security is national security. And I think that's something that is not blue or red or red state or blue state, republican or democrat.
▶ 0:24:52If we are not able to together come together and figure out how to support our farmers, to protect american agriculture, to reverse the trend that's been happening for decades, reverse the trend of the family farm being pushed out of business, of consolidation, of international companies coming in and buying up our farmland, buying up our companies. Then we will lose freedom in this country. And so I have been hyper focused on specifically what that looks like.
▶ 0:25:18And in all of the above approach, again, you all have my written testimony. No reason for me to to read it, but what a, what an honor and a blessing to be here. And I really look forward to the conversation. So thank you, Mr. chairman, and thank you, committee. >> thank you very much, madam secretary, and thank you. And again, we'll open the questions. I'll defer to the end. So if everyone else has an opportunity, hopefully don't run out of time. So I can ask you about buy american and snap and solar panels on prime agricultural land. But I'm going to ask Mr.
▶ 0:25:46Molenaar to ask questions first, because he has to go share a very important, uh, hearing on artificial intelligence in china. Yes. Thank you, Mr. chairman. And madam secretary, thanks for being here today and also for visiting michigan last week. And we appreciate all you and president trump are doing to support our farmers in michigan. Um, a few questions you may have.
▶ 0:26:09This may have come up in some of your meetings, but our domestic sugar producers in michigan, we have sugar beet growers and family farms are being undercut by foreign competitors. And I wonder if you could talk about your actions that you're taking to ensure that our sugar producers are being treated fairly. >> I think the sugar is the top of the list, but certainly I had the seafood guys in yesterday.
▶ 0:26:33We opened the office of seafood, the first time usda has ever had that to offer these so many programs to our seafood producers, our farmers of the sea, whether it's seafood, whether it's sugar, uh, a lot of our citrus growers, the crushing that has happened by foreign imports is real and it is devastated. So many of our industries. It is it is unbelievable. Sugar obviously remains a priority. I know it was included in the the last farmer bridge assistance payment.
▶ 0:27:02We will continue to make it a priority and welcome the conversations anytime on that. Uh, I think that this president and our us trade rep, jamison greer, whom I speak with almost daily at this point, is very focused on ensuring we are america first and we are protecting our american food growers. Obviously, usmca is coming up for renegotiation. We've got a lot going on around the world, but anything you hear, um, congressman, that you think will be helpful for me anyway, I can lean in.
▶ 0:27:29I've visited some sugar growers in florida. I didn't get a chance to go in michigan to the beets. Been up in minnesota with the beets. But I would love to get more involved in that, but I we are making progress, but it does need to remain a priority. National security, etc. >> thank you. Um, I appreciate also you mentioned your farm security action plan and, you know, one of your priorities to stop china from buying up our farmland. Uh, could you outline what you're doing to prevent our farmland from being controlled by china?
▶ 0:27:59>> this is, if not everyone in this room, including all of you who I'm speaking with today, I, I don't know that there is a more perilous threat in front of us than the international purchasing foreign adversaries and otherwise, but certainly foreign adversaries of our farmland and of our agricultural companies. In 1983, china owned about 2000 acres in america.
▶ 0:28:22Today they own 300,000 acres of what was good american farmland, a lot of it around military bases, etc. Uh, we have been working with all of you. I think we got it really close. Didn't get quite to the finish line, to the president's desk for a congressional directive on that. But in the meantime, working alongside all of the states, I'm a very big believer in the ability of the states to act as guardians at the gate on key issues like that.
▶ 0:28:49And some of our a lot of our states, about 20 have really leaned in and have passed legislation. Uh, arkansas, I think, has been probably the most forward leaning. Sarah sanders there not only passed no barring the future sale of farmland, but has also begun clawing some of it back. And I think that is a really important piece of this puzzle as we move forward. So I look forward to continuing to work with all of you to champion this here in washington. But while we wait for washington to move forward on that, the states can actually make good, good, good, good advancement.
▶ 0:29:17And I'm working with a lot of those governors on that. >> well, thank you. And also just the area of research security at our agricultural research service. I just want to put that on your radar screen, because we know china is also engaging in the coordinated effort to steal us technology and intellectual property. >> that's exactly right. And, uh, we have I been I was with michigan state with your great land grant on monday. We actually talked about this specifically. There have already been cases in america.
▶ 0:29:46Our usda has our oig working with secret service and others have arrested some some of our students from other countries that have been caught red handed, uh, basically trying to steal our secrets, but also trying to disrupt our system. So this will continue to be a major issue. >> thank you very much. I yield back. >> thank you congressman. Good to see you. >> thank you very much. Uh, gentlemen, ranking member, Mr. bishop. >> thank you very much, Mr. chairman. Thank you, madam secretary.
▶ 0:30:16Uh, I am very, very, very concerned about the drastic, uh, program eliminations and drastic cuts to the budget that we, uh, just recently received from omb. And I'm certain that you, uh, were able to confer with the budget director in that regard, but, uh, program eliminations are shocking. Uh, total elimination in the research and education area of nifa.
▶ 0:30:44Ars, uh, eliminating the hatch act formula, state land grant, uh, program for agricultural research, uh, the sustainable agriculture research education program, uh, and conservation, eliminating totally the conservation technical assistance that our farmers have benefited so much from, uh, cutting out the watershed programs, urban agriculture, which is just now getting off the ground, uh, rural
▶ 0:31:17Development, cutting the rural community facilities grants program, elimination of the rural business cooperative service entirely, uh, ending the funding for broadband, the reconnect community connect program, ending our water and wastewater and energy assistance programs.
▶ 0:31:34Uh, you heard about the commodity supplemental program for our seniors, the farm to school and related initiatives, uh, helping our farmers and our school children, our school lunch programs, our school cafeterias, and on and on.
▶ 0:31:49It's, it's, and even eliminating, uh, some of the usda home office programs, like the office of the chief scientist, the tribal school lunch pilot, the dairy business innovation programs, uh, all of these, these cuts. Let me just ask you, uh, omb in its document explicitly calls for savings from upcoming layoffs at usda, including at the farm service agency and nrc.
▶ 0:32:21S uh, nrc has already lost 2301 positions since fy 2025. Your budget proposes to cut in fsa staffing, uh, of $172 million, or 15%. That's in addition to what's already done.
▶ 0:32:41Uh, part of achieving those savings is a reduction in federal staff of 486, which is 19%, and reduction in county staff of 1305 ftes, 20%, though that's shocking. And I don't use that word lightly. Efficiencies, uh, is an often cited rationale for cuts, but I don't think you can cut that many people without doing real harm to the people who depend on them.
▶ 0:33:08Uh, can you explain that to me, please, ma'am? >> yes. And I fully understand. And that was. Yes. Why don't we talk about fsa? Because there was a lot, a lot in there, but but let me talk first. Top lines. The current budget of usda is well over about $200 billion. Uh, what we are discussing today is about 20 billion. The discretionary funding of that 200 billion.
▶ 0:33:35And the current cuts that you walked through are right around 9 billion total. So that's about 4% of the total usda budget. So I just want to make sure that we put that into context. Your comments though, are are heard. And certainly at a time, as I mentioned, with the farm economy, uh, you know, after years, this didn't just happen of being in, in a, in a tough position. We have to make every intentional decision possible to support our farmers and ranchers.
▶ 0:34:05I know we talked about that last year in this hearing as well. So when we're talking about the farm service agency, for example, as we begin to transition, we will never close an office. I think statutorily we can't, but we will never close an office until congress changes that. But as we are moving, as I mentioned in my. Oh, Mr.
▶ 0:34:22Bishop, you may have stepped out, as I mentioned in my opening comments when we launched our one farmer one file last january and used it for the first time with the farmer bridge assistance, we had 52,000 farmers sign up over a four day period. Compare that to 5000 who signed up online over a five month period with icap.
▶ 0:34:43So we are making massive inroads to make it easier for farmers to be able to take advantage of and use these bridge programs, which they need. The current fsa staffing is about 15,000 people, which is similar to what it was in 22 and 20. It's gone up or down 500, 1000 depending on covid and other things.
▶ 0:35:04But but as we are looking to make sure we are honoring the taxpayer, making sure we're doing the best we can with every tax dollar while putting the farmers first, moving in this direction, but taking key advice from you. If you hear of an fsa office that isn't fully staffed, or that the farmers aren't getting what they need, and I realize they're out there, I'm not living in some pollyanna world. I mean, these are these are very difficult times. If you would all continue to let us know. We've worked to solve for a lot of that.
▶ 0:35:33But that is what the budget represents. It represents a move toward ensuring that the younger farmers who are more technologically, you know, on their phones and can can apply with one, you know, application, one file. They don't have to continue filling out all the paperwork that we're moving toward a system that requires less headcount, ftes. >> my time is up, so I have to yield. But we do have some more questions. >> well, feel free to call me sir anytime you have my number. >> thank you very much. Mr. bishop.
▶ 0:36:03The gentlelady from iowa is recognized. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. And thank you, madam secretary, for being here. I appreciated your comments about e15. We love that access to that market and our farmers need that help. Of course, you you talked about it is a tough time for the farm economy right now. And it is under real strain. And I'm going to hit on those input prices. Fertilizer prices obviously continue to be top of mind for for our farmers in iowa. And many of the concerns that I'm hearing from my folks back home are about consolidation in the fertilizer industry.
▶ 0:36:31Um, a few companies are dominating the market. And then of course, we see someone like mosaic say, hey, we're going to idle these facilities at a time when our farmers are paying through the, through the roof for these input prices. And I just don't think that's right. So, um, we know this isn't a problem that happened overnight. You acknowledge that in your opening statement as well. And I think we do though, need to take some quick action here to make sure we're improving price transparency around fertilizer in those markets. And so I'm grateful for your collaboration at usda with the justice department.
▶ 0:36:59Um, to, to hold these folks accountable. And I know it continues to be a top priority for you. So can you talk more about your efforts to promote competition and transparency for fertilizer? >> yeah. And fertilizer is the current crisis of the day. But as soon as we're past this one, then it will be seed or then it will be equipment. It is an overarching economic pending disaster. What has happened with these cost of inputs?
▶ 0:37:22And of course, if you look at the the data, what has happened is you have a handful of companies that have basically taken over the market in all of the inputs. And so what comes with that is the fact that we don't have competition, and that's what we've got to really solve for. I think that it's really important to note that as the fertilizer has gone way up, it will come back down. The administration's looking short term. We waive the jones act. We've opened up lines from venezuela.
▶ 0:37:51Um, lee zeldin has waived some def requirements. The diesel which will help. We're making some short term steps in that. But really it's a long term question that we have to be able to answer. Uh, our commerce department just yesterday, howard lutnick and jamison greer and I, alongside kevin hassett of the white house, sat down in my office at usda for an hour and a half with four of our top fertilizer companies. Two of them are international or foreign. They flew in from all over the world to sit down with us and really talk this through.
▶ 0:38:20We've got to invest in more infrastructure. We've got to reshore fertilizer back to america. The good news is, and secretary lutnick has mentioned this over and over, we have a pot of funding through the tariffs and through the trade renegotiations of tens and tens and tens of billions of dollars that we're planning. I can't announce anything just yet, but hopefully next week we're going to start deploying some of those resources to begin to build. And they won't come online for 12 to 18 months, but we've got to start moving back in that direction.
▶ 0:38:50I also want to honor and elevate a company, an american company, cf fertilizer, that has said we are going to put off all any sort of maintenance so that we can keep our prices as low as possible for our american farmers. I'm on the phone daily with other fertilizer companies from around the country. Usda has identified some funding to begin investing to move some more fertilizer. Uh, moving out more quickly. So we are on it.
▶ 0:39:16But I don't want to, I want to, I don't want to over promise these prices will not come down anytime in the next couple of days or weeks may take us a couple months to get them back down, but we're working on it. >> and we have a piece of legislation that would force some transparency in this bipartisan bill that's by bicameral, bipartisan, uh, fertilizer price transparency act. So we can get that those numbers out weekly. It's sometimes a little sunshine is the best medicine, but we do need to be making those domestic investments.
▶ 0:39:42And really quickly, in the time that I have left, you already touched on a little bit with fsa offices and how important those are to our farmers on the ground, and I think we need to make sure that as we are looking at a very, very tough budget year, that we're not, uh, we're not cutting back on those services to our farmers. So can you walk us through your envision to make sure that that adequate staffing is there on the ground at the fsa office?
▶ 0:40:05>> yeah, I think of all the things we do, I'm not sure that there's anything more important than making sure that we have an on the ground team that can do everything they can to help these farmers move the funding through, they need to access the programs that they need. I myself have visited, uh, multiple of fsa offices or undersecretary richard fordyce, our director bill beam. I do monthly zooms with every one of our fsa chiefs in all 50 states.
▶ 0:40:32We are working so hard understanding, you know, there are some questions on this particular budget, but we are working so hard to make sure that we are able to turn this around quickly, and we are doing everything that we possibly can to support them. And with with some anecdotal evidence, there obviously are offices that are not fully staffed or able to get back to a farmer within an hour or two hours, which is my goal, not days, but we actually have made progress on that. And the wait times are less, the turnaround is less.
▶ 0:41:02And of course, moving to this one farmer, one file has been a game changer as well. >> thank you, madam secretary, I yield back. >> thank you. >> congresswoman gentlelady from maine is recognized. >> thank you very much. Thank you, madam secretary, for being with us today and for taking on the work of such an important department, particularly at these challenging times with our limited time. Um, I appreciate the ranking member going over the extreme concern that we have about the number of budget cuts, the program eliminations, he listed them all, but so many of them matter deeply to my state.
▶ 0:41:29Um, and I'm also very concerned about what he didn't mention, which is the 20% cut to rural housing at a time when housing costs are skyrocketing. Uh, the staffing cuts at our offices that have been mentioned so many times. Um, yes, I appreciate streamlining, streamlining, lining the applications. We hear about that a lot, but I can tell you in maine, we went from five engineers down to one. That's technical assistance that we have to have. That's not just covering the fact that there are less bodies in all of these offices. But I want to focus a little bit about maha.
▶ 0:41:59I know it's a issue that you've faced a huge priority on, and it's been a big focus of my work on agriculture and the agriculture committee. This idea that food is medicine, that we should be using agricultural techniques that remove toxics from our growing product practices. And I applaud you and secretary kennedy for making this a focus, but I just want to make sure that as we're doing this, you are really doing the things that will make a huge difference in making a real commitment to healthier diets. So let me go through a few places where I have concerns.
▶ 0:42:26I know there have been 22 snap waivers in our states that mostly restrict sugary beverages and candy. I understand that, but there is no waiver that also looks at access to healthy food. And one of the biggest issues with people getting healthy food in their diets and having food as medicine is a priority, is that fresh fruits and vegetables cost more. So at the same time, the department is restricting the amount of money going to snap.
▶ 0:42:49We still only have $2 per person, per day, per meal, per meal, per day, which means that there isn't enough money in there, usually for fresh fruits and vegetables. So states are going to be cut because of the changes in the big ugly bill. And eligibility has wiped out a lot of people in the program. We're also talking today about the wick program being cut, fruits and vegetables cut other programs. This is how we feed moms and young kids 0 to 5.
▶ 0:43:13That means that in the new program, under your budget cuts, um, people will go from $52 down to $13 per month for breastfeeding moms, $27, down to $10 for young children. That's a huge cut. We already talked about the cf, sp program. That's commodity packages for seniors. They're cutting $460 million there. That's less fresh fruits and healthy foods for seniors. Um, school lunch programs and food banks have been cut because you decimated the lf and lf program.
▶ 0:43:41That's down 660 million on local food for schools, 500 million in local food purchasing agreement. So that took away money from our food banks where we were getting more fresh fruits and healthy vegetables, and our school lunch programs where we get healthy foods to kids. Um, that also hurt our farmers who were devastated by the contract changes because of that. Um, so we're hurting farmers, food banks, everybody, they're not getting the healthy food. I want to talk about the toxicity in our foods.
▶ 0:44:10Um, removing chemicals from our diet has been a stated principle of yourself and rfk, um, getting things like glyphosate and pfas and paraquat out. I've seen nothing happening in the department over pfas, which is an important priority for me. The department has shown its support for glyphosate. Um, and you've also been talking about trying to change some of our farming practices using more regenerative agriculture. All I can see is you shifted $700 million from other conservation programs into regenerative agriculture.
▶ 0:44:40That's just moving the money around, but not making a huge commitment. Lastly, I'll just say investing in organics. Um, it's been ten months since congress provided funding for the cost share program. Farmers are still waiting for their 25 and 26 money on that. Organic farming is a huge way to talk about regenerative agriculture and getting healthier food. So I'm anxious to know when you can provide those funds. Of course, I don't have enough time. It's only four minutes.
▶ 0:45:04But I'm just going to ask you, could we in the future get a comprehensive overview of maha from you, something that focuses on the facts, on the metrics, that really gives us a sense of the overall federal investment. And if we're making a true commitment, what are we actually getting done to make sure we get healthier food to all americans that remove the toxins from our food supply? And we really do support farmers in changing their agricultural techniques. I apologize for being out of time. Um, but I really appreciate you being here and answering those questions when you can.
▶ 0:45:35>> Mr. chairman, may I just say one thing? I know we're moving quickly. There was so much there, but but let me respond on the region because I do think that's really, really important. We've had 8000 applications and 800 farmers who have actually started to take advantage of that. So you'll begin to see more on that moving forward. But it's a it's a slow, you know, recalibration toward the that organic farming, regenerative farming, etc. We are the breadbasket breadbasket of the world.
▶ 0:46:02We can't immediately pull some of these crop protection tools. It's a national security issue. For the first time, we're importing more food than we're exporting. So there are some major, major challenges at play. But I appreciate all those comments. I would be very happy to follow up individually with you. And I do like the idea of the overall maha plan. So I'll talk to bobby about that and we'll circle back. >> I just want to say I'm thrilled that so many people are applying for the region funding. I've heard from farmers that they're not hearing back about it. So okay, forward. That process is important. >> thank you very much.
▶ 0:46:32Gentlemen from washington state is recognized. >> thank you, chairman harris. Secretary rawlings, great to have you here. Appreciate it very much. Uh, I know we have very short amount of time, but I wanted to go into the specialty crop aid. My district raises a lot of specialty crops. And so this is very important to us.
▶ 0:46:50Uh, the assistance for specialty crop farmers program is specifically, uh, as I said, I think we raised something like 300 different specialty crops, certainly in the state of washington, many of them in my district, crops like hops and mint were not eligible for the commodity, not eligible commodities listed in the program.
▶ 0:47:15And just let me tell you, these growers, along with many other farmers, are facing a downturn in demand and demand and a dire need of assistance to help them continue farming. You know, they're facing the same things that their neighbors are facing. Uh, could you explain why why these and many other crops were not included in the asf program? And, um, the reasoning behind the specialty crops that were included?
▶ 0:47:45>> yeah. And I appreciate washington, michigan, uh, the northeast are all heavy specialty crop states. And we'll go back just a, just a minute. Originally that 11, $12 billion farmer aid was only for our row crop farmers as a result of the china, um, back and forth, which I realize is a whole other opening up, probably another can of worms here.
▶ 0:48:08But, but that was the original intent when we scraped around to find that money, uh, as congress was considering putting more money in and I think they still are, which is great. And I would love to help move that forward. But as we kind of duct taped and bubble gum to that $12 billion together. Yes, yes.
▶ 0:48:22Uh, it became very apparent, sir, after speaking to you and other members, some on this committee, that we had to carve out some of that money for our specialty crop guys, that even though they perhaps weren't caught in the crosshairs of the china negotiations like soybeans and, and soy and sorghum and others were that that we had to do whatever we could, understanding we're still only covering 15, 20, 25% of the losses. Um, there's just so much, so much work to be done here.
▶ 0:48:51So that's the first piece of this, that that 1 billion that was set aside was, uh, was a, I won't say last minute. It was a very intentional decision, but it was a recognition that this can't just be payments to our row croppers, that we have to ensure that we're supporting as many as we can. Having said that, I think the current plan is we do have over 100 specialty crops included in that payment system. We couldn't include everybody. I believe that the team, the way that they briefed me and I take full responsibility.
▶ 0:49:21So I will not pass this off. But ultimately, we had to make a decision where to draw the line. And I love hops and mint as much as anyone, but where the line was drawn was the real food the berries, the broccoli, the mints, the apples, etc. And again, I never want to sound like I'm disparaging any farmer. I mean, I, I, it breaks my heart, frankly, that we can't do this for everybody all the time. But the line had to be drawn.
▶ 0:49:48Having said that, um, the one big, beautiful bill included significant funding. I'm guessing probably some of you were part of that for our specialty crops. Uh, usda continues to elevate the specialty crop piece of all of this. One of the main reasons I went to michigan was to meet with some of our specialty crop guys there. I'll be in washington the first week of june to do the same thing. Uh, we'll make sure we coordinate with your office. We haven't picked the date yet, so we'll make sure it works for you. But we are always available.
▶ 0:50:15And I would be so happy to hear more to meet with some of your mint and hops farmers, if that's helpful, to hear from them directly. But just so you have some of the thinking behind that. >> I appreciate that and look forward to that opportunity. I'm sure there'll be a lot of people would love to have that meeting. >> yes, yes. >> so great, great. Thank you for that. Now we'll continue that discussion as well. But just to follow up on this program. Oh, three seconds left, Mr. chairman. Hard stops. Right. Okay. Well, um, I appreciate you being here, secretary.
▶ 0:50:46>> just call me. >> yeah. Call you and look forward to that visit in june. >> yeah. Sounds good. Thank you. >> that's going to have to be a question for the record. The gentlelady on the other side of the aisle from the pacific northwest is recognized. >> thank you, chair harris. And, um, thank you for for being here and speaking with us, secretary rollins. Um, I need your help.
▶ 0:51:08Um, I have heard from many, many people who work in daycares that they are, um, being treated as if they are preparing sushi when they are trying to peel a banana for a child. Okay. Um, I've had daycare workers ask me why am I legally allowed to open a bag of chips for the toddlers, but I cannot peel a banana? Um, many states who receive funding from your department for childcare development funds, um, are not eligible. They're not able to peel a banana because the state considers that food prep.
▶ 0:51:37And so we need to reconceptualize and understand and recognize that there's a difference between, um, preparing a raw chicken cutlet and peeling a banana and getting these states. Please use your leverage to get states to remove the barriers to serving healthy food. Um, I've spoken with doctor carson about this. I would love your help on this issue. Um, and we'll be hopefully moving some legislation through the process. >> boy, I would, I would love to help on that. That sounds wonderful. We've got doctor carson, of course, our nutrition advisor.
▶ 0:52:06I'm glad you're talking to him at usda, um, along with secretary kennedy. So yes, I'm all in. We'll be in touch on that. >> thank you so much. Yeah. Um, I was speaking with a egg producer in my district. They were telling me that, you know, um, the profound psychological cost of a, of a, of a policy that prioritizes de-population in treating avian flu. You know, the vaccines are made here in america, but they're not approved here.
▶ 0:52:31And it's a really expensive way to use taxpayer dollars to depopulate a flock. Um, not to mention the psychological burden that, that places on farmers to see, um, the wipe out. Um, you know, and I wanted to speak, you know, many consumers believe they're buying free range eggs when the reality is, um, these birds are being kept indoors. Um, curious to hear where, where we are in terms of approving a vaccine for avian flu. >> uh, thank you for that question. Obviously it is top of mind.
▶ 0:53:01So here, here's I'll give you a little bit of background. I'll do it very quickly. A year ago when I came in, this was what was sort of told to me that, oh, the vaccines are ready. We produced them here. Let's go. And I assumed that made a ton of sense to me. But then I asked the question, where across the world have these vaccines been deployed for hpai? Because avian bird flu is all over the world. It's not just here. Where have they been deployed and where has it been proven that the vaccine can beat the virus? Because obviously on the health side of things, often the virus, the quote is the virus always wins.
▶ 0:53:30So I started a pretty significant couple month research effort. I visited several of the research facilities. I talked to veterinarians who are on both sides of the issue. And what it came down to is there is nowhere yet in the world that has gone ahead of us on this, that has proven that this vaccine can be effective. So as we're looking at it, and by the way, I've got $100 million innovation grant, we've got about 40% of that money is on the vaccine side. We're considering pilot programs on the vaccine. We are moving out.
▶ 0:54:00I've been talking to governor shapiro of pennsylvania, governor polis of colorado. I haven't spoken to your governor yet, but I will. There are and of course, iowa, ohio, other egg heavy states where there is obviously the egg farmers and they were just in for the easter egg roll. So I talked to all of them. Again, they believe this is the only solution and they could be right. But before I make that decision, we've already seen it jump to dairy cattle and to cattle. We just have to make sure that we're not putting ourselves in a worse position by exposing humans to this.
▶ 0:54:30And so that's what I'm working to try to solve. Having said that, as I mentioned in the top of my comments, we've put so much money into biosecurity. The case of hpai is down 60 something percent this year over last year, and the number of birds affected is down 46%. So we've made progress on biosecurity. But I hear you, representative. >> and lastly, I'd like to bring up just how important right to repair is. Yes.
▶ 0:54:53And I was so encouraged to hear your secretary mention this, but this is fundamental to our concept as a nation, as producers, as stewards, not just consumers, and to affirm our agency and the things we rely on. With that, I'll yield back. Thank you so much. >> thank you so much. And we'll be in touch on the the food part. >> thank you very much. The gentleman from virginia is recognized. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Thank you, madam secretary, for being here. You were right that america is the breadbasket of the world, but the shenandoah valley of virginia is the breadbasket of the commonwealth.
▶ 0:55:22Largest ag producing district is mine. I'm on this subcommittee for a reason. I appreciate your comments about, um, hp, ai, the um, representing a large turkey producing district, one of the top in the country. I appreciate your comments about the vaccine and please consider us for a pilot project as well. Yes. Uh, I want to also go back to, um, uh, also the new voluntary food label product of the usa. Um, I've heard from various producers in my district and beyond that are pleased with the loophole.
▶ 0:55:50This rule closed for importing for imported products being passed off as produced in the united states. Uh, thank you for working on this to highlight american products, strengthening of american food supply lines and investing in american farmers and small businesses. Can you take a moment to talk about this initiative and why it's important? >> thank you so much. The product of the usa and again started before us. These conversations happened in the last administration, but there had never been any rule making on it.
▶ 0:56:16And so what we did is ensure that for a long time, you've been able to say you're a product of the usa. If you're processed, if your cattle are processed in america, but not raised in america. And that was the massive loophole that we closed that previous administrations have not been willing to close. There's a lot of lobby, um, a lot of lobby pressure to not close that loophole because obviously for the international corporations, that's a really big deal.
▶ 0:56:43And the research shows that if you claim your product of the usa, that our customers will obviously gravitate even for a little more money will want that product. So we close that loophole. So now to be able to say your product of the usa, you've got to be born here, raised here, uh, processed here and harvested here. And that was the big change. We're also putting some significant earned media, but also some paid media behind it. Yesterday at usda, we did our first commercial on it.
▶ 0:57:10We had a big not a big guy, but a medium sized nebraska beef come in. And they are now they they slaughter about 2000 head a day. Um, they are now putting product of the usa in all of their beef are raised in nebraska around nebraska. So we think it's going to be a really big plus for our cattle raisers again at a time. Our cattle herd is at a 75 year low. We've got to be incentivizing everything we can to build that cattle herd back. And so this is a big part of that.
▶ 0:57:39And also just putting america first in our american ranchers first. >> absolutely. We're so glad you're taking action on that. Uh, talk about turkeys talked about cattle and talk about dairy. Uh, another big issue in the valley. Um, the shenandoah valley is home to dairy and plant based beverage production facilities that employ hundreds of people and represent significant capital investment in the region. Um, appreciate the work your department and fda have done together on ultra processed food definition, including the joint request for information.
▶ 0:58:05Last year that rfi rightly noted that foods like yogurt could be caught up in a broad definition, and that we need to be careful about unintended consequences. And as usda continues this joint effort with the fda, can you walk us through how the department is working to make sure the definition that emerges protects nutrient dense, dairy fortified, plant based foods and animal proteins, the kinds of products that your dietary guidelines encourage americans to eat more of. >> yes. And clearly, obviously, secretary kennedy and I have been, uh, hand in glove on this.
▶ 0:58:37We we don't agree on everything. We actually surprisingly agree on most things. And he has been an incredible partner in this effort and redirecting hhs while we have redirected usda alongside marty mike carey at the fda to really work together in an unprecedented way to take the I, the corporate lobby piece out of the dietary guidelines to ensure that we're actually relying on real science and not what not what these big companies say is healthy and is not healthy.
▶ 0:59:06And and the good news is it's not difficult. It is really eating real food. And we all know what that is. The challenge is making sure that all of our communities on both sides of whatever state you're in, whatever community have access to that real food. But this is the next step. And we have very smart teams of people that are not captured by any industry that are currently digging way down into exactly what that definition should be.
▶ 0:59:29And then again, as we're rewriting the school lunch meals right now, as we're working to provide more healthy food through snap, etc. That this is going to be a significant piece of that and we'll ensure to the benefit of the future of america and our health, but also our farmers and ranchers who are the ones who really are producing the nutritious, nutrient dense foods. >> thank you for your leadership, Mr. chairman. As you can see, the shenandoah valley is a community of interest. It's all one. It shouldn't be broken up. And I hope voters recognize that on tuesday. >> thank you sir. >> thank you very much.
▶ 0:59:59Gentlelady from illinois is recognized. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Secretary rollins, I represent a lot of farmers in northern illinois who are struggling to make ends meet because of the trump administration's failed policies. You claim that your agenda puts farmers first, but the farmers in my district are seeing tariffs, higher input costs, closing markets and lower federal investments, while the wealthiest and largest corporations get tax cuts. On top of that, president trump and republicans in congress chose to pass the largest cut to health care in our nation's history last year.
▶ 1:00:29This law hurts all americans, but our farmers and rural families are hit especially hard. Over a quarter of our agricultural workforce relies on the individual marketplace for health coverage under the affordable care act. But republicans chose to terminate the premium tax credits. So many farmers that so many members, farmers, so many farmers, depended on to afford their insurance. So farmers are now facing premium heights as high as $2,700 a month.
▶ 1:00:56These prices are forcing farmers to either risk working in a dangerous industry without health coverage, or leaving farming and getting a job that offers them the coverage they can no longer afford. This is a serious threat to america's food security, as I know, you know, to our agricultural economy and to the survival of our rural communities. And you know as well as I do that our rural hospitals were already struggling.
▶ 1:01:23When you add on the end of the aca tax credits and the cuts in the big ugly bill, we are looking at a total collapse of rural health care in illinois. Estimates show that 270,000 residents will lose medicaid coverage because of these cuts. We're looking at a $6.3 billion hole in rural medicaid spending and at least nine hospitals in my state and hundreds across the country are projected to close their doors.
▶ 1:01:51And when I say $6.3 billion hole in spending, what we mean is hole and reimbursement that keeps those hospitals doors open. Um, farming, as you know, is one of the most dangerous jobs in our country. The death rate is seven times higher than the national average. Our farmers work with heavy machinery. They work with toxic chemicals and unpredictable livestock.
▶ 1:02:13And so when you rip away their health care coverage and you close the doors of their local hospitals, you are gambling with their lives, all to pay for billionaire tax cuts and endless unjustified wars. Now, I know that my republican colleagues will claim that the rural health transformation fund and the big ugly bill will somehow patch the gaping hole that they have made in our health care system. But that's a joke. Those dollars aren't coming to illinois. They're not coming to the midwest. That was a backroom deal with some senators to get them to vote for the tax bill.
▶ 1:02:42It is not injecting a cash infusion to rural communities across the united states. It's not even close to sufficient. Just if you look at the numbers, it's not close to sufficient. And then if you add insult to injury, you're here today to defend the president's budget request that zeros out the rural development community facilities grant program. These are the grants that our rural communities rely on to build and equip hospitals.
▶ 1:03:08And right now, at the exact moment when rural hospitals are facing a historic crisis and closures, not reduction in services, not gap in workforce, the facilities are closing, brought on by the trump administration's own policies. You want to eliminate completely zero out one of the last remaining lifelines. It's unbelievable.
▶ 1:03:33Every day the trump administration is spending nearly $2 billion of taxpayer money on the war in iran. And at this point, they have already spent more money on this war than it would have cost to extend the aca tax credits for three more years. It's a ridiculous price tag for a war that the american people don't want with money that could be used for things that they do want, things like affordable healthcare.
▶ 1:03:56So I'm really tired of hearing the trump administration talk about supporting farmers while your budget and your actions abandon them. The farmers in my district are tired of it, too. They want affordable fertilizer. They want the war to end. It's clear that farmers are last in the trump administration's agenda. And I yield back. >> thank you very much. The gentleman from florida is recognized. >> thank you, chairman harris, and thank you, madam secretary. Uh, down on this end, I actually I got a couple questions for you. Um.
▶ 1:04:27>> I really want to answer those, but I understand we don't have time, but I would love to follow up if that's okay. >> thank you, but I do. We greatly appreciate your support for all of agriculture, particularly florida, where I'm from. You told us last year you're going to be boots on the ground. You were you're in my district. Last july, signing the block grant disaster relief. You know, unfortunately, the disasters keep coming and we've got them again. You referenced visiting our, uh, crops in florida. Sugar cane. It wasn't just sugar cane. We've lost over 3 billion in crops during these devastating freezes.
▶ 1:04:56Unfortunately, there's no, um, there's no insurance mechanism for that. There's no crop protection for the temperature based product. That's I've got a bill trying to get that done and hopefully we can do that. But until then, we are going to have to keep coming back and asking for some relief. Uh, we've seen block grants work very well in the past. We'd like to do that. Some of that ties back into the staffing, but I, I'm, I'm working with our delegation to put that together to come to you for a request for some disaster relief.
▶ 1:05:22So when that comes your way, uh, can we get your, your help on that to try to get some relief to our folks? >> yeah, we would love to talk about that. Um, one thing you could help us with is the sec fund has not been increased in about 30 years. So we are we're working with senator hoeven and others. But but yes, we will sit down. But there's a larger conversation, I think, that needs to happen on this to allow us to do all the things that we need to do. >> okay. Well, we'll work with you on that. I know you you have addressed to several people already.
▶ 1:05:51Um, the fsa challenge at the end of the day, our, our growers where they want to be farmers, growers, ranchers, they want to be out in the field doing their thing. They don't really want to be doing paperwork, either pencil and paper or online. Uh, they want to be doing what they do. Uh, so they just really look for solutions. So whether that's done with its, you know, throwing more money at problems doesn't automatically fix them, throw more people at them, doesn't automatically fix them. But we do have the fsa system that has has struggled.
▶ 1:06:16And I know in turin mine, my own home county, most recently more than half of the staff there were temps. Um, these are people that love to have a job full time. Uh, but they're just continually perennially understaffed. >> which office is that? >> that's in polk county, florida county. >> okay. >> and it works well. And the people are great and they, they love their work. They're working hard. They could use some, some more support, but, um, you know, and seeing the most recent budget, florida is, is projected to get an 18% cut in fsa staffing.
▶ 1:06:44So again, more people doesn't automatically fix problems, but I am looking to understand a little bit more the solution and what I can pass along the one farmer, one file I'm greatly interested in that. I had met with our deputy dec deputy secretary baden. I'm trying to hurry too much here. Uh, and he was sharing that and it sounds great, but, you know, I was listening to what you were sharing. You know, when you we get an eight fold increase in applications, whether that's done electronically or by paper, somebody's going to have to process all those.
▶ 1:07:12And, and I understand that's in a rollout phase now. So what's the long term vision? Do you see more of this being done electronically and handled in more centrally location, or are there still going to be people in those fsas that are processed? >> yeah, there will always be people there. I think that, um, there's no doubt we all recognize the importance of our farm service agency offices and, and so finding the right balance as we move toward. And I just a very quickly, I know Mr. bishop brought this up, the one farmer, one file. What happened?
▶ 1:07:41We had the doge team earlier last year, and then some of the smartest, most amazing tech people I've ever met in my life. Clearly not typical government tech people. Not that there's anything wrong with our government tech people, but usda, fp alone had over a thousand contractors spending more than $1 billion on 500 different systems just in f pac, right? I mean, that is insane.
▶ 1:08:03So this team came in, we pivoted from doge and with the help of our government it team has completely fundamentally rewritten, transformed and reworked the entire system, which is how we got one farmer, one file after years and years and years of trying. So it will be a balance of trying to make sure we have the right balance of those in the office, but also moving towards better and and more effective technology for these farmers. >> well, thank you for that. And chairman, I yield back. >> thank you. >> very much. Gentlelady from florida is recognized.
▶ 1:08:34>> thank you, Mr. chairman. Good morning, secretary rollins. Thank you for being here today. Uh, you know, if you want the way I look at it, if you want to know someone's priorities, you look at their budget. And this year, usda requests $20.7 billion from fy 26 enacted levels. But that budget cash arrives as americans face a cost of living crisis, of rising inflation, illegal tariffs and high fuel and fertilizer prices, which is a perfect storm of chaos that's crushing our families, farmers and growers.
▶ 1:09:01But instead of strong agricultural investments, this usda budget arrived two months late, riddled with deep cuts to critical programs. Frankly, it's a shocking slap in the face that demonstrates ignorance and indifference outside a few glaring examples. It cuts $510 million from the national institute of food and agriculture research budget, which schools like my alma mater, the university of florida, need to make food and farming breakthroughs.
▶ 1:09:26It also eliminates food for peace and the mcgovern-dole programs, and cuts billions from the food and nutrition service and the farm service agency. So farmers are on the ropes, families can't afford food, and this budget throws our best tools to help them in a wood chipper. That is despicable. Madam secretary, why does this usda budget request not only ignore the high cost of living crisis our families and farmers face, but instead add insult to injury by shredding our best safety nets right when they need them most.
▶ 1:09:55>> so are you talking about the research cuts, or do you want to talk about the safety of it all? Okay, all of the above. Well, then let's start with the, uh, the research piece. So all intended research will continue. What was cut was the formula funding that had no accountability on the back end. And so, for example, we continue to put 125 million into facilities for our land grant institutions, including florida, including my texas a&m, including michigan state. I was there on monday. That continues.
▶ 1:10:22What we're working to do is to ensure that the taxpayer funded research is aligned. I mean, you heard some of the crazy stories too, of some of the things that were funded before. So again, finding that balance is really important. I can talk about the safety net also if you'd like me to. >> sure. >> go ahead. Okay. And I'm assuming by that you mean snap and wick, etc. >> food for peace. Mcgovern-dole. >> food for peace. Mcgovern-dole. Okay, wonderful. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, um, I mentioned this at the top, but I don't think. Representative you were here. Congresswoman.
▶ 1:10:49So even though the total usda budget is about 200 plus billion, uh, the discretionary piece of that is a little over 20 billion. We're talking about in total, 4% of the total usda budget within that 4%. What you're referring to. So snap isn't a part of that. Obviously, that's a. >> whole. >> other. >> thing going to waste my time because. >> work is fully funded. Um. >> you are making dramatic cuts that are yanking the safety net out from millions of people. And I'm. >> happy to talk about all. >> of them. I get it, but I'm limited time.
▶ 1:11:19>> okay, sure. >> go ahead. Love to hear your feedback. Um, for the record, uh, to show this values free budget spares no one. It also eliminates the paws act funding for emergency shelter and housing assistance, which helps domestic violence survivors who own pets find a space safe space to stay. So why are domestic violence survivors not a priority in your budget? >> why are domestic violence supporters not a priority in the. Usda budget? Which. Which grant is that. >> it is a budget?
▶ 1:11:45It is a grant that ensures that domestic violence survivors can bring their pets to shelters. >> yeah, that's not a usda program. >> it is actually a paws grant is a usda program. >> it's department of justice. >> okay. >> but I'm happy to follow up on that, if. >> that's helpful. Um, I'm going to continue. President trump promised. >> I did do an event with pam bondi talking about pets. So maybe that's where the confusion is. But that is a d o g. That's a d o j. >> I think.
▶ 1:12:13So, president trump promised to lower costs on day one, but since taking over, supermarket prices have skyrocketed. The joint economic committee says americans paid $310 more for groceries in 2025, compared to 2024. The usda's own data predicts or predicts that overall food prices will rise 3.6% in 2026, or possibly as high as 5.6%. Combined with the draconian cuts to snap under the big ugly law and you have rising rates of food insecurity.
▶ 1:12:39Yet, secretary rollins, the usda budget eliminates the local food purchase assistance and the school cooperative agreement programs, which help educators and food banks buy local growers. Growers access commodities. That is strapping our farm share and food banks. In my community in south florida and across the country. And people want to know why you are eliminating funding to ensure that people who are food insecure can get access to food they need, and not left out in the cold. I might.
▶ 1:13:07Looks like my time has expired. >> you're going to have to answer that in writing. Okay. Gentleman from california is recognized. >> thank you. >> okay. >> thank you, madam secretary. Thank you, chairman, for the opportunity. Um, in february, usda issued an update to the 502 direct loan program handbook that changed the area loan eligibility from 80% of the fha limit to 60%. Additionally, usda implemented requirement that these homes appraise at or below a 60% limit.
▶ 1:13:35This is particularly difficult for self-help and modest single family homes in my district, which, despite their low cost of construction, are often appraised higher due to state and local market factors. This handbook change has made the program inaccessible to not only my constituents, but many rural communities in other states. The white house noted that last june that the rural housing prices have risen faster than six times the pace of homeowner incomes, which is pushing home buying further out of the reach of young families.
▶ 1:14:04And I'm concerned that these handbook changes will only make it harder for low income rural families to achieve home ownership. What's the usda's rationale behind this decision? >> I realize this has been an issue, and certainly, sir, in your part of the country and other parts too, when we inherited this book, 25% of the loans were in delinquency.
▶ 1:14:24I mean, any other private sector bank that had a 25% delinquency would be out of business, shut down, investigated, told to never get into this business again. Um, that was in well, wasn't in large part, it was in part to the crazy infusion of funds from the biden administration into these programs that blew them up so big that didn't have the right infrastructure in place to manage them.
▶ 1:14:52And so as we are trying to rightsize that ship, I've got private bankers that have left their homes and and their very successful careers to come in and help us do this. And so what we're trying to balance, and the reason we decrease that, it does allow us to spread the money further. But I understand it does block out probably some of the people who otherwise would have access to it. We're trying to balance that, getting the balance sheet back in order before we leave. In two years and nine months, I think 1000, 20 days.
▶ 1:15:22Um, back to where it's an actual working book of business. Having said that, understanding that this has been a significant challenge for your community. Um, please just let me know directly and we can sit down because there can be another iteration of this moving forward. >> and I'd heard that 25% number before, but when talking to my locals, um, they said the number was closer to 5%, at least in their books that they've seen. So. >> wow. Well, let us follow up with you because that is absolutely not the case.
▶ 1:15:49And you're part of the and this may be a good conversation to have as we're looking to, again, rework every year to make it better and stronger and learn. Uh, but no, it is definitely 25%. And some of it is so egregious. It is just the predatory lending that happened was just insane. >> well, I appreciate that and look forward to communicating with you on that a little bit more.
▶ 1:16:08Um, there's a recent regulatory change and shifting market dynamics on hemp products that have impacted hemp farmers in the us, including products in my district, I recognize the most hemp regulation does happen at the fda level. However, I would like to know if the usda is tracking these impacts and how can we help our farmers remain compliant while staying financially stable? >> yeah, that's obviously an industry that's always moving and adjusting and trying to figure out, uh, being from texas, I remember a lot of this as well.
▶ 1:16:37And so yes, our, we have a team that's on it. Um, it's obviously not at the top of our list, but we're so happy to work with you and your team, especially your constituents to make sure we fully understand from the ground what's happening. >> I appreciate that. And, uh, I just wanted to reiterate some of the comments on each or high path hpai and the bridge stuff. Um, and the fsa were all questions that I wanted to ask, but they were asked before, but there are concerns that I'm hearing from my constituents as well. So appreciate your time and I yield back. >> thank you. >> thank you very much.
▶ 1:17:06Gentlelady from louisiana is recognized. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Secretary rollins, as always, such a pleasure to be with you. Uh, I have to say, uh, give you a shout out from louisiana. Everywhere I go, when I talk to my farmers, ranchers, producers, they are so grateful for the work that you're doing. So I just wanted to encourage you with that. Um, I want to start by committing your administration on the updated dietary guidelines and the renewed emphasis on whole nutrient dense foods. Mama bear here, super excited about that.
▶ 1:17:32And I believe this represents an important step towards improving public health outcomes and encouraging healthier eating habits across the country. And I've been very supportive of this updated approach. And I have legislation that would codify the dietary guidelines released by the administration earlier this year, while ensuring that congress has a clear role in reviewing any future changes. And I believe this is an important step in maintaining a stable and transparent framework moving forward.
▶ 1:17:57So I wanted to see if you could speak a little bit about how the usda is approaching the implementation of these updated dietary guidelines across the federal nutrition programs, and what impacts you anticipate for both consumers and our producers? >> well, thank you for the question, and it's so good to see you. Love louisiana. Uh, I am working really hard on the rice and shrimp issues there with the yeah, the bad imports that are coming.
▶ 1:18:21So the maha, I think this is going to be one of our most important legacies once we leave this whole reset of american nutrition and american dietary guidelines and fully understanding, you know, I came at usda from the agriculture part. I hadn't quite spent any time on the nutrition part that the programing part until taking this job.
▶ 1:18:38And what I've learned over the last year and talking to you, sir, on buy american on some of these programs, usda with their 16 nutrition programs, uh, $400 million a day that is spent, there is a massive market opportunity to spend taxpayer dollars on the front end through these programs on real, healthy foods that support our farmers and ranchers by buying american, by ensuring that we're getting better foods to our kids, to our through our school lunches, through the snap waivers, etc.
▶ 1:19:05I don't know if you saw the latest number, but I think about a week ago, uh, a number came out that said last year the purchase by americans of real food was up 7.5%. Um, these are significant numbers that make a huge difference. And, and clearly we've got a lot we've got to work on. Beef prices are too high. Proteins are going up. I have a chart, though, unfortunately I didn't get a chance. But with, with miss wasserman schultz we actually have had some really good, um, good food that is getting more affordable.
▶ 1:19:33Eggs of course we know are way down, but butter, berries, onions, cheese, potatoes, mandarins, grapes, avocados, olive oil all down between 10 and 20% in the last year. And as we move forward, we continuing to bring inputs down, open up the markets. I think we're going to see the prices continue to come back down to make eating real food affordable for our american families. >> thank you so much for your efforts. Uh, I truly appreciate it. I know louisiana does as well. I know we're short on time. I yield back, Mr. chairman. >> thank you. >> thank you very much.
▶ 1:20:03Gentleman from alabama is recognized. >> good morning. Thank you. Uh, madam secretary, of course, as I joined in with my other colleagues, thank you for being here. And before I begin, I'd like to take a moment to thank you for your leadership, uh, on two particular areas that are important to the district I represent. I represent the fourth district of alabama, which is the northern part of the state of alabama, and it's one of the top poultry districts in the nation.
▶ 1:20:26And I appreciate your recent directive to permanently increase the line speed, uh, for poultry import processors and eliminate outdated administrative requirements. Uh, for too long, these requirements have constrained production. They've imposed unnecessary costs on american producers, while countries like canada, brazil, and argentina operate at significantly higher line speeds using comparable equipment, placing the us producers at a competitive at a competitive disadvantage.
▶ 1:20:55Uh, also, I'd like to thank you for your recent announcement proposing the 18 month delay on implementation of the poultry grower payment systems and capital improvement systems. Um, that, that the final rule concerning that, um, and it's also, uh, I'd advocate for the, for this rule to be fully rescinded as well. Let me, uh, since my time is short, I've got maybe one question. I'll get in.
▶ 1:21:20Um, the family, uh, the working families tax cut allows for the creation of up to 30 million new base acres. Mhm. Oh, this will be the first opportunity for new base to be established since 2002.
▶ 1:21:34Farm bill and my constituents back in alabama are very anxious to see if they will have farms that are eligible, uh, under secretary for foreign production and, uh, conservation richard fordyce recently made comments that there will be an organized and orderly plan to distribute these new acres. Can you talk a little bit about the process and when this new base will be eligible for payments? >> yeah. And this is a big deal for farmer.
▶ 1:22:03You know, so much of the one big beautiful bill, as I said, the largest rural investment in american history. For anyone to say that this administration and the republicans on on the hill are not fully focused on ensuring we can bring prosperity back to rural america. And this is one of the many pieces in that bill that expansion by 30 million acres, base acres into these programs, I believe is going to be a game changer. To answer your question, uh, we have begun the process of our fpac team meeting with our producers.
▶ 1:22:32Uh, it'll officially become officially become official. It'll become official this summer. So in the next 4 to 6 weeks, you'll be seeing an announcement and how we're going to be moving forward with roundtables, traveling around the country, meeting with producers, fully understanding where we are and how we do this in an intentional way that properly captures what this additional 30 million acres will mean for our farmers and ranchers in these programs. So it is imminent. Uh, within the next month, you'll be seeing things more publicly, but we've already begun the process over the last few months.
▶ 1:23:03>> thank you. And I know our time is limited, so I will send my others. For the record. >> thank you very much, Mr. bishop. Do you have a closing remark? >> yes. Uh, thank you, Mr. chairman. Thank you, madam secretary, for your testimony today. We appreciate your time.
▶ 1:23:19Uh, whatever our political differences are, we are united in our support for the producers who labor each and every day to produce abundant food for the nation and for the world, and for the millions of americans who depend on usda for food, financial support, housing, and other basic benefits. So look forward to working with you in my house and senate colleagues, to ensure that usda has the funds that it needs to do the job and fy 27. So I yield back and thank you. >> thank you, sir. >> thank you very much.
▶ 1:23:49And, secretary, I want to thank you for being here today. Again, we'll follow up about buy american. We think it's a good way to go. And I want to thank you for your efforts to, uh, stop paneling over our prime farmland with solar panels. There are plenty of parking lots around that could be covered with panels. I think our discussion today touched on many issues that resonate with our nation's producers and our constituents across rural america. I look forward to working with you as we move through our fy 27 process.
▶ 1:24:15As a reminder, if members would like to submit questions for the record, please submit those to the subcommittee staff within seven days. The subcommittee stands adjourned. >> thank you very much.