Rollins to Reopen FSA Offices

OMAHA (DTN) -- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said she will reopen USDA Farm Service Agency offices on Thursday and announce $3 billion in aid to farmers.

The Trump administration is looking to reshape some narratives tied to the U.S. taxpayer currency bailout of Argentina as well.

In multiple posts on social platform X, Rollins said FSA offices will resume "core operations, including critical services for farm loan processing, ARC/PLC payments, and other programs. Rollins referenced "over $3 billion in assistance farmers have counted on in their business planning decisions."

Meanwhile, after hearing from cattle producers, several Republican U.S. senators also spoke to President Donald Trump and other senior officials to discourage Trump from increasing beef imports from Argentina as a way to lower consumer prices.

Rollins also touted in interviews on cable news channels that she would be making an announcement tied to beef prices on Wednesday as well.

AID PLAN EXPECTED

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the White House had released $3 billion in aid funds that had been frozen as a result of the government shutdown. The Wall Street Journal article said the aid money would come out of the Commodity Credit Corp.

The partial U.S. government shutdown has now gone on for three weeks, forcing USDA to idle most operations and agencies.

The WSJ, citing unnamed officials, said the FSA offices "will be staffed by two office employees, five days a week, the officials said. The workers will be paid by carry-over balances and administrative funding, one of the officials said," the WSJ reported.

In her post on social media, Rollins blamed congressional Democrats for the shutdown that has affected services for farmers during harvest.

The secretary's push to reopen FSA offices comes as Congress remains gridlocked on passing a funding measure. The U.S. Senate continues its attempt to get the support of enough Democrats to reach 60 votes. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has kept the House out of session since before the shutdown began.

Before the shutdown, lawmakers had set up $13 billion to replenish the Commodity Credit Corp., so USDA could prepare for a larger aid package to crop farmers affected by low prices, high input costs and tariff disputes with China.

Earlier this month, more than 200 farm organizations wrote the president pressing the need for financial aid. The letter highlighted rising bankruptcies and called on the president to continue championing both greater exports and domestic market expansion.

The American Farm Bureau Federation also wrote a separate letter to the president pointing to financial challenges facing family farmers and the need for aid.

SENATORS MEET WITH TRUMP OVER ARGENTINA, BEEF

Several Republican senators met with Trump and other senior administration officials to discuss trade and agriculture.

"We had productive discussions about trade, rising input costs and other challenges facing rural communities. We appreciate President Trump and his administration's commitment to support our producers, including their announcement today that USDA will resume critical FSA services for our farmers and ranchers," said Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., who chairs the U.S. Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.

Sens. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., also each issued statements Tuesday about meeting with Trump, Rollins, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

Among the topics was discouraging the president from increasing beef imports from Argentina.

The past few weeks have led to some complaints within agriculture after Bessent moved to spend $20 billion propping up Argentina's currency. The move prompted China to then buy 7 million metric tons (258 million bushels) of soybeans from Argentina. Trump then suggested over the past week that the U.S. could buy more beef from Argentina to bring down beef prices for American consumers. That led cattlemen's groups this week to write the president, urging him not to import more beef into the country.

Lawmakers also quickly moved into action to get Trump to back off the idea of increasing beef imports from a country that needs a U.S. bailout.

Rounds said he had heard from hundreds of producers in his state about the president's suggestion to increase beef imports from Argentina. Rounds said more emphasis should instead be placed on helping create better conditions for farmers and ranchers to drive down prices by increasing supplies. Rounds also encouraged producers to voice their opinions on the issue.

"I spoke with President Trump and Secretary Rollins today about the concerns I've heard from hundreds of South Dakota ranchers over the last two days regarding importing additional Argentinian beef," Rounds said. "We agree that we need an America First game plan that prioritizes American ranchers. After today's meeting, I am encouraged by the desire of President Trump and Secretary Rollins to do right by the American producer. I encourage patience as we await final details to be released, and in the meantime, continue to share your opinions with the administration."

Rounds also called for reimplementing mandatory country of origin labeling on meat, as well as reinforcing the Packers and Stockyards Act. Rounds noted "four companies, two of which are Brazilian-owned, monopolize the beef processing market." He added, "This issue cannot be resolved by displacing American beef with foreign beef. It will only be resolved when consumers are able to differentiate where their product is coming from."

Ricketts, in his statement, noted livestock producers in his state are finally seeing profits. Ricketts said he and others had spoken to Trump while he also had talked with U.S. Trade Ambassador Jamieson Greer, as well as Bessent and Rollins.

"Nebraska ranchers are making money for the first time in years," Ricketts said. "We must continue to stand with them while we look for ways to lower grocery prices. Our focus should be on market-based solutions. I have advocated to administration officials to invest in more mitigation efforts to be able to normalize trade with our long-time partner Mexico. The New World screwworm has disrupted beef trade with Mexico this year. We should continue working to address this issue to help stabilize beef prices and normalize trade."

See, "AFBF President: Conditions Are Becoming Too Much For Family Farms to Bear," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Also see, "Ag Economy Under Pressure," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Also see, "Fact Check: Can Argentine Beef Really Lower U.S. Prices?" https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Chris Clayton can be reached at Chris.Clayton@dtn.com

Follow him on social platform X @ChrisClaytonDTN

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