Rollins spars with Democrats over glyphosate, SNAP, farm income

In a series of heated exchanges on Capitol Hill, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins defended the Trump administration on thorny topics such as glyphosate, food aid and the reorganization of USDA.

 

On glyphosate, the world’s most widely used weedkiller, Rollins said any sudden move away from U.S. production of the farm chemical would undermine food security. 

 

“Glyphosate has been proven safe when used correctly,” Rollins said in a House Ag Committee hearing on Thursday. “If we were to move away from glyphosate overnight, we would completely destroy our food supply system in this country.” 

 

The safety of glyphosate, the ingredient in Bayer’s Roundup herbicide, is the focus of intense debate in Congress and across the U.S. 

 

The Environmental Protection Agency has deemed glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic, but is currently reviewing its position in response to a court order. The Supreme Court is deliberating a case related to glyphosate, with Bayer as a defendant. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic of such pesticides, faces criticism from the "Make America Healthy Again" movement for defending President Donald Trump's executive order seeking to boost domestic production of glyphosate. 

 

Division among Republicans on glyphosate and other ag chemicals centers on pesticide labeling laws. House Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., supports a provision that was stripped from the House farm bill to essentially make EPA the "sole authority over pesticide labels and shield manufacturers from certain lawsuits if they follow federal guidance," according to the Modern Ag Alliance, which supports the language.

 

Bayer and other backers of the language say a hodgepodge of state rules need to be streamlined and that if the U.S. stops making glyphosate, it would open the door to a flood of unreliable imports from China. Opponents argue the change would strip legal protections from Americans and protect companies from liability. 

 

Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., asked Rollins if the proposed law is needed, even though she said glyphosate is safe if used correctly. 

 

“Listen, we cannot destroy our farmers and ranchers’ ability to plant and make a living every day,” Rollins said. “If we are enacting policy that allows China to be our sole source of crop protectant, we will lose freedom in our country.” 

 

“It causes cancer, madam secretary,” McGovern said. “It causes cancer.” 

 

"Secretary Kennedy and I, you know, obviously we have to take a good look at it," Rollins said. "Regenerative farming is a big part of this."

 

On cuts to national food aid programs, McGovern cited a recent study from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities that says more than 700,000 children in 12 states have lost benefits since the Republican-led One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law in July 2025. States are under pressure from new requirements in that law to lower their SNAP error rates or become responsible for increased costs of the program. 

 

Rollins said the number isn’t correct and is from a partisan source. She also defended the idea that it’s a good thing for fewer people to receive food assistance 

 

“Wages are at the highest rate they’ve been in American history,” she said. “Our unemployment is at the lowest rate. We have more people working. The result of that is less people on government programs.” 

 

“Costs have never been higher,” McGovern responded. “Go to a grocery store. People are putting groceries back on the shelf because they can’t afford to pay their bill.” 

 

Rollins also had a tense back and forth with Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig, the committee’s top-ranking Democrat. 

 

Rollins took issue with Craig saying that U.S. farmers lost $28 billion last year, saying it depends on how you calculate the losses against various federal ag safety-net programs. 

 

The committee's minority, in response to a question from Agri-Pulse, cited analysis from the American Farm Bureau Federation. 

 

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“Even after including this ad hoc support along with support from crop insurance, returns above total costs are estimated to remain negative from the 2023/24 through 2025/26 crop years at -$9 billion, -$17 billion and -$28 billion, respectively,” John Newton, AFBF vice president of public policy and economic analysis, said in November. 

 

Craig assailed the Trump administration over cuts to food aid and U.S. war in Iran that’s led to surging fertilizer and fuel costs, as well as trade policies that she says are hurting farmers. 

 

“Over the last year I’ve watched you brag about taking food away from millions of people,” Craig said in prepared opening remarks. “You’ve put on some big show about a `golden age’ for agriculture? It’s disgusting. The only person this has been a 'golden age' for is the president himself.” 

 

The controversial issue of shifting some SNAP costs to states with program payment error rates above 6% also led to verbal sparring. 

 

Rollins rejected Craig’s claims that SNAP has the lowest fraud rate of any federal program. 

 

“You can’t be serious when you say that,” Rollins responded. 

 

The ag secretary said Craig wasn’t asking questions but trying to score political points, a jab at Craig’s bid this year for a U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota. 

 

Also in focus was USDA's plan to move many employees from headquarters in Washington to five hubs, Kansas City, Missouri, Salt Lake City, Indianapolis, Raleigh, N.C., and Fort Collins, Colorado. 

 

Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., pressed Rollins on why California, the biggest U.S. agriculture state, isn’t part of the new locations. 

 

When asked if she might reconsider the plan, Rollins said she’d “welcome” a discussion. She also noted that the USDA has already made some changes in its reorganization strategy based on feedback.