Brooke Rollins confirmed as Agriculture Secretary with Boozman's backing
Arkansas Sen. John Boozman led the charge on Feb. 13 to get Brooke Rollins confirmed as the next Secretary of Agriculture.
The Senate confirmed Rollins with a vote of 72-28.
'America's farmers, ranchers, and foresters need a leader at USDA who will advocate for their livelihoods and rural America and be a strong voice to address the pressing needs of our agriculture community,' said Boozman during his speech ahead of the vote. Boozman is the chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. 'In her hearing before the committee, she pledged to do everything within her ability to ensure our farmers, ranchers, and rural communities thrive.'
Boozman was instrumental in adding a one-year farm bill extension to the final 2024 continuing resolution. While the bill provided $110 billion in disaster relief assistance in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and South Carolina, it cut $177 million for USDA programs without baseline funding, including rural economic development loans.
USAID, which works with the USDA, was shut down by Elon Musk. While USAID provides aid to foreign countries, its funding tackles 90% of the famine crisis, with the money returning to American farmers. USAID supported American farmers by purchasing over $900 million in crops last year. Also, funding has been cut to some researchers developing crop strains to deal with severe flooding, heat, and cold.
When asked if Boozman and Rollins had a plan to deal with these issues, Boozman's office responded, 'These are good questions that producers all over the country are asking. Sen. Boozman remains committed to supporting farmers, ranchers, and rural America with the necessary tools and resources to succeed.'
During her confirmation hearing, Boozman's office said that Rollins will continue to support Arkansas farmers and research to improve crops' resistance to harsh weather conditions.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Boozman secures Senate confirmation for new USDA chief Brooke Rollins
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