In a surprise pick, President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Brooke Rollins as his next US department of agriculture secretary. President-elect Donald Trump has named Brooke Rollins as the next US secretary of agriculture in a surprising choice that defies weeks of speculation favouring other high-profile contenders for the role such as Glenn Thompson and Charles Herbster. “As our next secretary of agriculture, Brooke will spearhead the effort to protect American farmers, who are truly the backbone of our country,” Trump said in a statement on last Saturday (23) evening. Taking over from current agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack, Rollins’ nomination must be confirmed by the Republican-controlled senate when Trump assumes office in January 2025. Wine industry concerns The wine industry has voiced pressing concerns in the lead-up to this appointment. These include uncertainty around the expired Farm Bill, which funds vital USDA programmes, such as crop insurance, research grants, and international marketing initiatives. Michael Kaiser, executive vice president of WineAmerica, recently told db that the industry relies heavily on these programmes. “There are a lot of wineries that apply for grants to support promotion, as well as research facilities conducting work on issues like pest and disease management. These programmes are crucial.” Labour is another critical issue. Trump’s immigration policies, including plans for mass deportations, have raised alarms about the potential impact on vineyard labour. Kaiser described this as “the biggest elephant in the room” for the sector, pointing out the legal and undocumented workers could both be affected. Who is
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