If you haven’t been checking the news lately, there’s a new face running the show at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and things are moving fast. Brooke Rollins was sworn in as the 33rd Secretary of Agriculture USA on February 13, 2025. Honestly, she isn’t just some career politician filling a seat; she’s a Texan who grew up in the 4-H and FFA world, and she’s already turning the department upside down.
She's basically the first woman to lead the USDA under a Trump administration, and her "Farmers First" agenda is a massive pivot from the last few years. You’ve probably noticed egg prices bouncing around or heard talk about "bird flu" in the news. Well, Rollins has been in the thick of it since day one. One of her first moves was literally a deep-dive briefing on avian flu to try and stabilize those egg prices.
What the Secretary of Agriculture USA Actually Does
Most people think the USDA is just about corn subsidies and food stamps. It’s way bigger. We’re talking about a department with a budget that rivals some small countries. Rollins oversees everything from the safety of your steak to the health of national forests and the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) initiative that’s currently sweeping through school cafeterias.
It’s a massive job.
Breaking Down the 2026 Priorities
In late December 2025, Rollins signed a memorandum that laid out exactly where the money is going for 2026. If you’re a farmer or just someone who eats, this matters. She’s refocusing research on five specific areas:
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- Profitability: Helping farmers stop losing money on "inputs" like fertilizer and fuel.
- Market Expansion: Getting American soy and beef into more foreign markets.
- Pest Defense: Dealing with the New World screwworm and spotted lanternfly.
- Soil Health: Keeping the land productive without drowning it in chemicals.
- Human Health: This is the big one—using "precision nutrition" to fix how Americans eat.
Why Everyone Is Talking About "MAHA" and Your Lunch
You might have seen the headlines about the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030. Released in January 2026, these aren’t your grandma’s food pyramids. Under Secretary Rollins and the broader administration’s push, the guidelines have taken a sharp turn toward "real food."
Basically, the USDA is now telling people to avoid ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and petroleum-based dyes. Remember Red Dye 40? The USDA is actively supporting states that want to ban that stuff from school lunches. They’re also leaning back into animal proteins and "healthy fats" like butter and beef tallow, which is a huge shift from the low-fat, high-carb advice of the 90s.
It’s a bit controversial, depending on who you ask. Some nutritionists are thrilled to see the focus on whole foods. Others are worried that limiting SNAP (food stamp) choices—like cutting out soda or candy—might make things harder for families in "food deserts." Rollins, however, has been clear: she wants the "People's Department" to focus on nourishment, not just calories.
The High-Stakes Battle Over Trade and "Bridge Payments"
Running the USDA isn’t all about nutrition labels. It’s a business. Right now, American farmers are feeling the squeeze. Rollins recently visited the Pennsylvania Farm Show in January 2026 to talk to struggling producers. Her message? "Be patient."
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The administration is pushing for new trade deals, but those take time. To keep farms from going under in the meantime, the USDA is rolling out $12 billion in "bridge payments" starting in February 2026. These aren't permanent subsidies but a literal bridge to help farmers survive until global markets open back up.
"We can't make America great again without making agriculture great again," Rollins told the crowd in Pennsylvania. It's a catchy line, but for a dairy farmer in Wisconsin or a wheat grower in Kansas, it’s a matter of keeping the lights on.
Leadership Changes You Should Know
Rollins is also cleaning house and bringing in a new team. Just this month, she announced a slate of new appointments.
- Kelly Moore is stepping in as Acting Administrator for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
- Alan Huddleston is the new Acting U.S. Chief Veterinary Officer.
- Tate Bennett, who has deep roots in rural policy, is now the Principal Deputy Chief of Staff.
These people are the ones actually writing the rules on how we handle things like the bird flu outbreak or how meat processing plants are inspected. It’s a "powerhouse team" of people who mostly come from agricultural backgrounds, rather than just law or finance.
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What’s Next for the USDA?
If you're looking for actionable takeaways, keep an eye on your local school board and your grocery receipts. The shift toward "real food" means we're going to see a lot more state-level bans on synthetic additives in 2026.
Steps you can take to stay ahead:
- Check the new labels: The USDA and FDA are working on front-of-package labeling that will call out high sugar and salt levels more clearly.
- Watch the Farm Bill: Negotiations are always ongoing, and the 2026 focus is heavily on "mechanization and automation" to lower labor costs.
- Support local: With the "Farmers First" push, there are more grants than ever for independent meat processors and local supply chains.
The role of the Secretary of Agriculture USA has shifted from a background administrative post to a front-and-center cultural and economic powerhouse. Whether it's through $12 billion in emergency checks or changing what's in a school chicken nugget, Brooke Rollins is making sure the USDA is felt in every kitchen in America.
To stay updated on the specific "bridge payment" schedules or the upcoming definition of "ultra-processed foods," you should monitor the official USDA press room or the Federal Register throughout the spring of 2026.