Texas, Barrel Racing + FFA: FarmHER Champions Heartland Values in Washington

 

As the second woman to serve as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, once confirmed, the Honorable Brooke Rollins promises “to explore how we truly unleash the power of U.S. farmers and ranchers,” with Congress in her new role at the helm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

From Small-Town FarmHER to Fierce Ag InnovatHER

The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee confirmed a new leader this week: The Honorable Brooke L. Rollins. Rollins and her two sisters were raised by their single mom in the small agricultural community of Glen Rose, Texas. She spent her summers growing corn, potatoes, and soybeans on her family’s farm in Minnesota. She spent her weekends barrel racing, raising and showing livestock, and participating in 4-H and FFA.

“Growing up in the small agriculture town of Glen Rose, Texas – is where my own story begins,” Brooke said in her opening statement at her Senate Confirmation Hearing on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. “My world revolved around Future Farmers of America, 4-H, and the endless cycle of hay baling, livestock shows, and rodeo seasons that still constitute the calendar of our days in our corner of Texas.”

The Honorable Brooke Rollins
The Honorable Brooke Rollins (Photo courtesy of the America First Policy Institute)

I HEART Texas Ag

Rollins studied agriculture development at Texas A&M University, where she was the first woman elected student body president. She pursued a graduate degree in law, graduating with honors from the University of Texas School of Law with a Juris Doctor, and served as a policy director in Texas Governor Rick Perry’s administration before working in the private sector.

“It was there where I got my first direct leadership role in big-state agricultural policy. It was an awesome responsibility for a young woman still in her twenties — and I loved it, because I loved Texas agriculture,” she explained.

Brooke led the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), a state-based think tank, for 15 years before her first tour of duty in Washington. Between the president’s first and second term, she served as the CEO/President of the America First Policy Institute, another conservative think-tank concerned with shaping state- and national public policy in ways that prioritize rural and hard-working Americans.

Brooke and her husband, Mark, now live in Fort Worth, Texas, where they are raising their four children with the same rural values and lifestyle: a life of baseball games, 4-H, FFA, livestock shows, piano lessons, and Aggie football games. They also keep livestock at their home and raise chickens.

‘I wouldn’t be here, of course, without the love and support of my family,” Brooke said. “My husband Mark and my four wonderful children, Luke, Jake, Anna, and Lily, who have always been with me whenever the country calls — and they know that my work for America is an expression of my love for them. My sisters, Helen and Ann, and their families know how much they mean to me. And my mother, Helen Kerwin, who raised three girls in a small Texas farm community as a single mother, is the living example who led me to this.”

Photo courtesy of Marci Schnitker
Photo courtesy of Marci Schnitker

The Next Secretary of Agriculture

Rollins will oversee U.S. agriculture programs nationwide and advocate for American producers abroad as the next Secretary of Agriculture. However, this is not the first time Pres. Trump has tapped her for key policy roles within his administration.

“All Americans are important,” she said. “But the farmer, the worker of the land, who makes all the others possible, is the American important to all Americans.”

In Trump’s first term, Rollins served as the former Director of the Domestic Policy Council, Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives in the White House, and Director of the Office of American Innovation. She helped execute the Administration’s vision through transformational domestic policy initiatives through these roles.

As the next Secretary of Agriculture, the Honorable Brooke Rollins outlined four major policy priorities:

  • Improve the speed and efficiency with which Congress deploys disaster and economic assistance
  • Working with the USDA and stakeholders to eradicate animal diseases like High-Path Avian Influenza (HAPI/H5N1) and the New World Screwworm.
  • Passing a comprehensive Farm Bill
  • “Reconstitute, rebuild, and revivify” the USDA in ways that put “America first” and mobilize its thousands of public servants to serve “all American agriculture – and all the American people.”

She goes on to specifically highlight the need in rural communities to be “equipped and supported to prosper not just today, but tomorrow.” And she came up with a plan. She said: “This includes exploring improvements to the Department’s rural development programs, demanding strong and steady domestic and export markets for our beautiful agricultural bounty, eliminating burdensome and costly regulations that hamper innovation, ensuring nutrition programs are efficient, and putting in the work to make sure we have a healthy and prepared next generation of farmers, ranchers, and entrepreneurs for the next century of American greatness.”

While her resume is impressive, Brooke remains humble – charming senators on both sides of the aisle and the Rural Americans watching her on television alike.

“The purpose of recounting all this is neither to tout my own achievements,” she said before the Senate Ag Committee. “I’m just a small-town girl from Glen Rose, Texas, who was blessed with everything God and America had to give — and I have always felt a responsibility to give back. And across each role in my public life, I have been able to showcase my love for America, a focus on the forgotten, a talent for organization, a drive for action, and most importantly, a responsibility to serve.”

Photo courtesy of Marci Schnitker
Photo courtesy of Marci Schnitker
Photo courtesy of Marci Schnitker
Photo courtesy of Marci Schnitker

Everybody Eats

At the heart of every meal is a story—a tale of dedication, nurture, and the enduring spirit of those who tend the land. Everybody Eats is the place where the narratives of food and agriculture converge. In partnership with FarmHER, we meet courageous women who embody not just the power of nurturing but also the strength of leading in transforming our food systems. They are the unsung heroes, educators, and compassionate souls who have relentless commitment and extraordinary care embedded in cultivating our food. Feed your curiosity, nourish your understanding, and grow your appreciation for the stewards who make sure that Everybody Eats.

Nationwide, a leading provider in farm and ranch insurance, acknowledges that more than half of all farming operations in the United States have at least one female operator. These women constitute the fastest-growing segment of farmers and are known for their innovative approaches. Given the current challenging circumstances, it is critical to assess your insurance coverages and financial services to ensure comprehensive protection and stability for your farm or ranch operations. Find a Nationwide Agent.

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2 thoughts on “Texas, Barrel Racing + FFA: FarmHER Champions Heartland Values in Washington

  1. Congratulation, we are very excited to have you as the new Secretary of Agriculture, from the thing that we have read about you not only are you capable we believe that you will work to improve what is needed to move agriculture forward. looking forward to meeting you in the future.

    Frances Gibson

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