WASHINGTON — Brooke Rollins was confirmed by the US Senate on her nomination as secretary of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) with a vote of 72-28 on Feb. 13, making her the 33^rd secretary of agriculture.

Rollins graduated from Texas A&M University with an undergraduate degree in agricultural development. She worked as a litigation attorney in Dallas and clerked for a federal judge in the Northern District of Texas after earning her law degree from the University of Texas. During President Donald Trump’s first term, she served as White House domestic policy chief. She is the former president and chief executive officer of the America First Policy Institute. Previously, she served as an aide to former Texas Governor Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

Her confirmation sparked congratulatory responses from several meat and poultry trade groups, who expressed anticipation of working with Rollins at a critical time for the industry.

“Brooke Rollins’ passion for agriculture is clear, and we know she will be a strong advocate for the entire agriculture and food value chain from production to harvest and beyond,” said Julie Anna Potts, president and CEO of the Meat Institute. “We look forward to working with her on issues important to the meat and poultry industry, which are important to consumers, producers, rural communities and the economic and national security of our nation.”

Among the issues the Meat Institute wishes to address with the new administration is the upcoming Dietary Guidelines for Americans, finalized by the USDA and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Earlier this week, the Meat Institute and other industry groups released comments criticizing the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s report, which recommended replacing red meat with plant-based proteins.

“We will work with Secretary Rollins to ensure the Dietary Guidelines for Americans focus is on improving dietary habits with real world recommendations,” Potts said. “It is important to provide clear dietary guidance to consumers on how they can include the meat products they need and want in their diets and also produce a positive, measurable health impact.”

The National Pork Producers Council added its praise for Rollins’ confirmation and expressed interest in working with the new secretary of agriculture on addressing problems created through California’s Proposition 12, which was implemented in 2024.

“America’s pork producers are eager to work with Secretary Rollins to fix the multitude of problems caused by California Proposition 12 and ensure farm families have reasonable policies to pass down our farms to future generations,” said Lori Stevermer, NPPC president and pork producer from Easton, Minn.

During her confirmation hearings, Rollins committed to working with Congress to address the issues of Prop 12, which she acknowledged to be affecting not just California but several states.

Representing US chicken producers, the National Chicken Council (NCC) noted several issues it looks forward to collaborating with Rollins on, including policies related to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) mitigation efforts, rescinding of the Packers & Stockyards Act rules, line speed increases, and withdrawal of the USDA’s proposed Salmonella framework.

“During the last four years, the Biden administration has imposed a non-scientific and costly regulatory agenda on the chicken industry,” said Harrison Kircher, president of NCC. “We are eager to get to work with Secretary Rollins and her team to advance policies that strengthen the chicken industry and more importantly, provide relief to American consumers who have been struggling with inflation and high food prices.”

Also quick to congratulate Rollins on her appointment was the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

“USMEF congratulates Secretary Rollins on her confirmation, and we look forward to working with her and the USDA team to expand global demand for US red meat,” said Dan Halstrom, president and CEO of USMEF. “As evidenced by the strong bipartisan support her nomination received in the US Senate, Secretary Rollins is recognized as a champion for US agriculture and a powerful advocate for free market principles.”