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During confirmation hearings, Agriculture nominee Brooke Rollins told senators that USDA would be prepared to provide aid to farmers if they face retaliatory tariffs. Rollins said Trump sees tariffs as a negotiating tool with other countries. U.S. Agriculture currently has a $45 billion trade deficit.

Rollins explained that she consulted former Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, who oversaw $23 billion in trade aid, to plan a similar strategy. After questioning from Senator Adam Schiff about previous heavy tariffs imposed on specialty crop exports, Rollings committed to ensuring tariff relief is distributed equitably.

Addressing concerns about farmworkers being deported, Rollins told senators that she supports Trump’s border policies, but also said she was willing to work with the Department of Labor and Congress to reform the H-2A migrant-labor program.

Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois expressed concern stating 40% of agricultural workers nationally are undocumented.

Read more on Agriculture Secretary Nominee Brook Rollins’ confirmation hearings here.