In Indiana, Rollins Shares Good News
Published: Friday, November 7, 2025
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins made her first official appearance in Indiana last Thursday at a farm tour in Lebanon and at the second general session of the National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis (see related story).
At the FFA convention, she announced a new trade deal with China, discussed the future of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and declared that the FFA program was joining under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Trade Deal with China
"Just about 12 hours ago, President Trump, from Asia, announced that we've had a major breakthrough, and we're going to start moving those soybeans out across the world again," Rollins said at Everett Farms and Seed in Lebanon last Thursday morning. "If we can't preserve great American farms and farmers and families and help families like the Everetts prosper and thrive, then we will lose our country."
Rollins was referring to a high stakes meeting between Trump and China's President Xi Jinping last Wednesday in South Korea. At that summit, Trump and Xi reached an agreement on trade.
The agreement includes: the purchase of at least 12 million tons of soybeans in the next two months, at least 25 million tons of soybeans purchased annually from 2026-28, a commitment to buy sorghum and hardwood, and the removal of "unwarranted retaliatory tariffs on a whole sweep of our ag products," Rollins said.
"That agreement with China obviously delivers for our farmers in a big way, but also secures real reforms for critical, rare-earth resources and also on deadly fentanyl tracking," Rollins said.
Those commodities account for 65% of farm income that generates over $5 billion in revenue for the U.S., she said.
This new deal with China may impact the planned $10- $15 billion aid package intended for farmers to compensate them for market losses. Rollins said the administration is analyzing the situation.
"I don't know that right now at this moment we know exactly what that looks like," Rollins said. "We'll see what the market does, and we will be ready to continue to step in if in fact we believe it's necessary."
She added that the money identified for that purpose will remain there in case of need. Details in that planning process are delayed until the government reopens.
Rollins also highlighted deals made with Malaysia, Cambodia and Thailand last week. Other deals she mentioned include those with the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam.
"The president's great vision is realigning the entire world economy around American products, and no one wins more than American agriculture as that realignment and that reorganization is happening," Rollins said.
She noted that more trade deals are needed.
"China buys 62% of all of American soybeans," Rollins said. "There are a lot of challenges in having partnership and reliance on a country like China. Until this week, China had purchased zero soybeans, which was devastating to our soybean farmers in America."
She said that as long as the U.S. is reliant on one country for a large share of agricultural sales, farmers are vulnerable to market lapses if international relationships sour.
"In the long-term, the conversations have to continue. We can't be so reliant on one market for our farmers to sell in," she said.
"This is President Trump's vision: to open up the markets, that you're not overly reliant on one purchaser, that you are able to ensure that your farmers have the markets they need," Rollins said.
American Soybean Alliance board member and Indiana Soybean Alliance district director Denise Scarborough of LaCrosse attended the farm tour with Rollins. She was enthusiastic about the new deal.
"I'm very excited about the Trump announcement and hope to continue to see steady trade markets and less uncertainty and volatility," she said. "To create new markets is always the best outcome for Indiana and U.S. farmers."
Government Shutdown and SNAP
Rollins also spoke on the government shutdown and its effect on SNAP benefits.
"These are programs that vulnerable Americans need, but we do not have the $9.2 billion sitting in a pot that is required for us to fund November," she said.
Rollins said the shutdown is spurred by the Democratic Party's strict terms of awarding $200 million for healthcare of illegal immigrants, $50 million in support of media and another $5 million for LGBTQ education in the Balkans in order to reopen the government.
"This is absolute insanity," she said. "We do not have the funds to go into November with SNAP. We don't have the $9.2 billion. We've already bubble gummed this deal, we've duct taped this deal, we've Band-Aided this deal, we've gotten a little bit out the door, but it ends Nov. 1."
On Nov. 1, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued an order to the USDA to decide to pay either partial or full SNAP benefits by Nov. 3, according to Todd Spangler in a story on USA Today.
"USDA does have an emergency fund, but it doesn't come close to covering the $9.2 billion and legally, we don't even think we can tap it according to the statute on that, and even if we could, we're going to be back at this same conversation in two weeks when it runs out again," Rollins said at a press conference in Indianapolis on Oct. 30.
She calls Democratic leaders to "come to the table. They have to open the government. We've got to get these benefits out to the American people, and I feel certain that once the government opens, we'll be moving right away," she said.
"It's time to open the government, and we've got to do that. In the meantime, we've got about 42 million people that starting (Nov. 1) are not going to receive their food stamps," Rollins said at a press conference at the National FFA Convention and Expo. "Of those 42 million, there are probably some who are going to be OK, but there's a significant number who are most vulnerable who rely on the SNAP benefit to be able to feed their family. So, we're continuing to work with governors; some governors have stepped into the gap, other governors say they can't, but the USDA does not have the money to continue the program."
FFA Under USDA
While in central Indiana, Rollins spoke to students from across the U.S. at the National FFA Convention and Expo, announcing the transition of the organization from under the U.S. Department of Education to the USDA.
"Starting just this week (the week of Oct. 28), I've signed a memorandum with our Secretary of Education, and we will be moving the FFA and our board seat over to the U.S. Department of Agriculture," Rollins said.
Jaye Hamby, director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, will take a larger role in the leadership and future of National FFA.
"I'm so excited to see more young people dedicating their time and their talent to this righteous work. We are committed to help inspire and engage the next generation of farmers and ranchers and all of those who are there to support that righteous work. That's why we are especially eager at USDA to expand and enhance our engagement with the FFA," she said. "I am so excited that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is finally going to play a major role in the future of the National FFA Organization."
USDA Hub Indianapolis
When asked for an update on the USDA hub planned for Indianapolis, Rollins highlighted the research capabilities within Indianapolis and the strategic placement of Indianapolis in the Crossroads of America, concerning the USDA hub.
Rollins said an announcement updating the USDA hub plans for Indianapolis should come in the next 30-60 days.
Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Don Lamb said the USDA has kept the details about the USDA hub plan close to the vest. As a member of the taskforce preparing for the USDA hub, he reflected on the possibilities available for the Hoosier state.
"I think about Farm Service Agency, I think about Natural Resources, I think about Conservation services, think about RMA (Risk Management Agency). Those are all under the FPAC group. That would be good to have a lot of that here," he said. "We'd love to have APHIS as far as when you think about Elanco, Corteva and Beck's with plant health there's hardly anything that we would say wouldn't be good for Indiana because if it's good for agriculture, it's good for Indiana."
The establishment of the USDA hub is part of an initiative to bring USDA employees closer to the rural Americans they serve.
"We don't need five massive buildings in the middle of Washington. We need to be closer to the people," Rollins said.
Hubs are planned for Indianapolis; Kansas City, Mo.; Raleigh, N.C.; Fort Collins, Colo.; and Salt Lake City, Utah.
Cattle Update
"We are facing a potential crisis with our livestock industry with the screwworm," she said. "The screwworm, after devastating the American livestock industry in the 1950s and the 1960s, took more than a decade to get back in front of it, we thought it had been eradicated and it had moved all the way back down into South America, but it has slowly been creeping up."
Rollins met with Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum on Monday concerning the screwworm and cattle trade with Mexico.
"I am not convinced yet that we have this under control," Rollins said.
Mexico has about 250,000 cattle waiting to come over the border for sales.
"Our No. 1 biggest priority is to protect the herd that we have in America, which is already at a 75-year low," she said.
The Trump administration is investing $1 billion to fight the parasite.
Rollins also addressed the controversy around the plan to import beef from Argentina to offset high consumer beef prices.
"Every year, Americans consume about 12 million metric tons of beef. Of the 12 million metric tons (mmt), 10 mmt of beef is produced in America," she said. " Of the 12 million we consume, 2 million we import every year. And most of that is imported to be mixed in with the ground beef, sort of the lower-cost beef What the president was talking about was nothing much different from what we have done for a really long time."
She said that current beef imports from Argentina add up to about 20,000 metric tons, which is a miniscule amount compared to the 12 million consumed, and the market from Argentina has room to grow.
"When you put that up against the fact that we have closed the ports, we have no crossing of cattle in the last six or so months, the nearly 50% tariffs on Brazil, a huge slowing down of product from Brazil, so what the president was talking about in terms of Argentina doesn't even make up for what we haven't gotten across in the last few months," Rollins said.
She added that Trump is working to fulfill his promises to secure the border and bring the cost of groceries down.
The USDA released a five-point plan to assist farmers in rebuilding their herds. Some of those points include: the opening of USDA forest service land for low-cost lease for growing herds, the addition of opening smaller processing plants to increase competition, a $100 million ad campaign for American beef, and more.
Also on the farm tour in Lebanon were U.S. Reps. Rudy Yakym (R-2nd), U.S. Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.); U.S. Rep. Jim Baird (R-4th), State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-5th), U.S. Rep. Mark Messmer (R-8th) and U.S. Rep. Jefferson Shreve (R-6th), and retired District 8 U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon. In addition, leading members of the Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Corn Growers Assn., the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Pork, Indiana Poultry Assn. and Beck's Hybrids attended.
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