Today, the Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—which includes the Food and Drug Administration—and Brooke Rollins to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) , officially putting into place two of the individuals who will have the most power over American food and agriculture under President Trump.
Kennedy was one of Trump’s most controversial picks because of his anti-vaccine advocacy and history of spreading (sometimes dangerous) conspiracy theories. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) was the only Republican who voted against his confirmation, along with all Democrats. Kennedy is an outspoken critic of ultra-processed foods and has vowed to “Make America Healthy Again” by focusing health policy on how nutrition and chemical exposures impact chronic disease risk. He has also said he will root out pharmaceutical and food industry influence at HHS and is an advocate for regenerative agriculture.
Rollins is a close Trump ally and the founder of a conservative think tank, and despite her lack of professional experience in agriculture, she garnered bipartisan support. All Republicans voted for her confirmation, along with 19 Democrats. During her confirmation hearing last month, she said that as Secretary of Agriculture, she’d prioritize tackling bird flu, “modernizing” the USDA to align with Trump’s principles, and getting disaster aid for farmers out the door. Some of the first things on her desk will undoubtedly be addressing the growing number of farmers and farm groups seeking answers about USDA’s freeze in grant funding and how Trump’s tariffs may impact farmers. (Link to this post.)
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