Secretary Rollins Presents Vision for Restoring Rural Prosperity

Addresses the National Association of Counties

Washington, DC, March 4, 2025 — Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins delivered remarks to hundreds of community leaders at the National Association of Counties. She previewed her vision for restoring rural prosperity in America. She discussed the importance of the President's efforts to rein in runaway government spending and federal overreach in order to put more power back in the hands of the people. She also addressed the wildfires in the Carolinas and provided an update on the Department's distribution of the economic and disaster relief package passed by Congress in December.

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See the prepared excerpts below:

On the wildfires in North and South Carolina:

“The brave men and women of the U.S. Forest Service are working closely with our state and local partners to extinguish the fires. We have deployed hundreds of firefighters, and we will deploy more if necessary. To all the leaders here from North and South Carolina… Please tell the citizens of your states that we support you.”

On the importance of rural communities:

“America’s rural towns have been and always will be the beating heart of our nation… Families moved west to start new lives in a new land. They joined together to build churches, schools, and town halls. They settled fields and forests and withstood hardships beyond our comprehension. They risked everything they had to open storefronts and erect main streets. They celebrated life’s joys together and cared for those who fell on hard times…

“That’s why I truly believe that restoring rural prosperity isn’t just about bringing back jobs, although that’s important. It’s about restoring hope to our communities. It’s about protecting and preserving the quintessential American way of life.” . »On USDA optimization:

“We are returning the Department of Agriculture to its core mission of supporting farmers and ranchers. I am proud to work with the Department of Government Efficiency to streamline inefficiencies across the department…

“At the same time, I understand that this review process has raised concerns among some of your farmers who participate in USDA’s long-standing farm programs. In many cases, they had no way of knowing whether these programs were funded through the farm bill or through IRA funds. We are working to review these programs as quickly as possible.”

On economic and disaster relief:

"To provide short-term relief to rural communities that have been impacted by the challenging economic circumstances of the past four years, we are also working around the clock to distribute the $30 billion in economic and disaster relief that Congress passed in December.

“Congress has given us 90 days to begin distributing the first $10 billion in economic relief, and we are on track to begin filing applications on or before March 20.

“This program will be called the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, or E-CAP, and I have directed my team to develop a simple, fair, and user-friendly application process.

"We are simultaneously working to quickly implement the $20 billion in disaster relief for weather-related conditions beyond the control of farmers."

On tax reform:

“As President Trump works with Congress to extend and perhaps even expand the tax cuts, I will work with him to repeal the estate tax to perpetuate the proud legacy of family farms. I also welcome your suggestions to encourage businesses to move their production out of foreign countries and back to small towns across America.”

On the agricultural bill:

“I am also committed to working with Congress to get a new farm bill across the finish line this year. We have a tremendous team of members in the House and Senate leading this effort, and I stand ready to help them. Together, we can avoid delaying a five-year farm bill for a third time and, instead, provide farmers with the certainty they need to plan for the future.”

On rural prosperity:

“Finally, and most importantly, in the coming weeks, I will unveil a new initiative to work with our federal, state, and local partners to develop a bold strategy to revitalize rural communities. We will discuss these details more in the coming weeks, but here are some principles that will guide our work:

"We will ensure that USDA's rural development programs operate as effectively and efficiently as possible to support the people they are designed to serve. We are thinking carefully about how we can improve the programs to encourage greater growth."

"We will invite the private sector to participate in this national endeavor, encouraging innovative solutions such as satellite internet, new and better healthcare options, and excellent childcare and schools, among other ideas.

"We will also recognize that the federal government is not always the best solution, and we will look for ways to empower you, the local leaders who know your communities better than anyone in Washington."

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