U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins made her first official visit to Iowa since her appointment by President Donald Trump. It came just days before Trump has promised to roll out more tariffs.
At the Iowa Ag Leaders Dinner in Ankeny on Monday, Rollins said the Biden administration “sat on the sidelines for trade negotiations,” which gave other countries an advantage.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts the agricultural trade deficit will reach $49 billion later this year, which Rollins said is “completely unacceptable and unsustainable.”
For nearly 60 years, U.S. agricultural exports exceeded imports. That shifted in 2019 with higher demand for “high-valued imported goods — such as fruits and vegetables, alcoholic beverages and processed grain products,” according to the USDA.
Rollins said Trump’s plan to create a level playing field includes balancing trade deals, increasing export markets for U.S. products and holding bad actors accountable.
“As you remember from President Trump’s first term, he will not forget our farmers when he’s negotiating with our foreign leaders,” Rollins said. “He is the ultimate deal maker, and he is going to ensure that our farmers are being treated fairly by our trading partners.”
However, many mainstream economists and ag groups worry that escalating trade wars could harm American farmers. Corn and soybeans are the top two export commodities in the U.S., representing nearly a quarter of the $176 billion of U.S. agricultural exports in 2024.
During Trump’s first term, retaliatory tariffs from China and other countries resulted in an estimated loss of more than $27 billion in U.S. agricultural exports from mid-2018 to the end of 2019. To offset losses, the USDA distributed $23 billion to farmers.
Trump's plan to 'unleash American energy'
Earlier in the day, Rollins announced the release of $537 million under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program for 543 projects in 29 states.
“These projects will provide the crucial and critical infrastructure needed to support the increased capacity for higher biofuel blends, allowing our gas stations to add pumps and storage tanks for E15 and E85. So, we’re doing some good stuff in Washington,” Rollins said.
Rollins said it’s part of the administration’s efforts to “unleash American energy.”
She said the USDA is working alongside the Environmental Protection Agency to establish targets for the volume of renewable fuels that must be blended into the national fuel supply. The agency is also supporting the EPA’s review of potential waivers to allow the nationwide, year-round sale of E15.
Iowa leads the U.S. in ethanol and biodiesel production. According to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, the state has 42 ethanol plants capable of producing over 4.7 billion gallons annually and 10 biodiesel plants, with an annual production capacity of 416 million gallons.
IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw called the release of obligated funds through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program “very good news” in a news release.
“E15 is the largest untapped domestic market for American agriculture. Today’s announcement means farmers will benefit from higher demand and consumers will benefit from lower-cost options at the pump,” Shaw said.
This story first appeared on Iowa Public Radio. It’s being distributed in partnership with Harvest Public Media, a collaboration of public media newsrooms in the Midwest. It reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues.
