Rep. Salinas Grills Agriculture Secretary Rollins About Rising Costs for Farmers

Click hereto watch the exchange.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) grilled U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins about harms farmers in the Willamette Valley and across the country are experiencing because of President Trump's affordability crisis. Congresswoman Salinas used Secretary Rollins' appearance in front of the House Committee on Agriculture to question her about the cost of fertilizer, fuel, and other farm inputs, as well as the trade deficit and the impact Trump's war in Iran has had on farmers.

A transcript of the questioning is available below:

REP. SALINAS:

Good morning, Madam Secretary. Thank you for being here. I really want to just get across the harm and the despair that my growers are feeling in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. You know this. They're getting squeezed - low crop prices, high input costs, and a trade war that has decimated our export markets. And I wish I didn't have to blame this Administration, but I do, and this Congress. On top of all that, prices of urea - a major nitrogen fertilizer - have gone up 30% since the war in Iran began. That's over $250 more per ton. And thank you for your comments about the Louisiana plant. I think that's great. Are you aware - just a yes or no answer - are you aware that roughly 30% of the world's fertilizers move through the Strait of Hormuz?

SEC. ROLLINS:

The yes-and-nos are so hard. Yes. But little of that comes to America. However, the reason the prices increased is because so many other countries use it through the Strait, and that's caused the prices to go up.

REP. SALINAS:

Okay. And I'm sure - again, yes or no - are you aware that fertilizer prices have risen sharply since the war in Iran began?

SEC. ROLLINS:

For nitrogen, yes. For some of the others, no. But for nitrogen, yes.

REP. SALINAS:

Okay. So, what advice did you give the President on the agricultural implications before the strikes on Iran began?

SEC. ROLLINS:

Thank you for not making that yes or no. Very quickly, though, because I know you have more questions. The President is acutely aware of the farm economy. It is why he's fighting so hard for these 19 new trade deals, a 40% decrease in the ag deficit. We're going to have record-breaking exports this year - had some record-breaking last year. The inputs we inherited, and even though the fertilizer is high after the Iranian conflict, it will go back down. But that actually doesn't even reach nearly the peak of the increase in the cost of fertilizer in the last Administration, for other reasons as well. So this is a long-running problem with fertilizer, which is why the onshoring is so important.

REP. SALINAS:

But did you give the President any advice before he struck Iran on the impact to American agriculture?

SEC. ROLLINS:

I am constantly talking to this President. I have to believe - we laugh that there's been more conversation about fertilizer, screwworms, and soybeans in this Oval Office than perhaps any Oval Office in the history. He is aware and has talked about the short-term challenges to make sure that America is safe for the long term.

REP. SALINAS:

Okay. My growers - and I think American growers - are really feeling the impact. If you haven't seen the Farmer and Rancher Policy Sentiment Survey, I just want to read some of the most striking findings. This is 1,000 growers across 44 states. Input costs are crushing American farmers. 78% of farmers name machinery and input costs - fertilizer, fuel, seed, and chemicals - among the top three challenges facing their operation. This goes back to the war in Iran. It's hitting farmers in the wallet. Another finding: 94% of farmers say the war with Iran is impacting their business by raising fertilizer costs, energy costs, or both. Are you aware that diesel prices in Oregon are over $6 a gallon right now and are really harming my farmers?

SEC. ROLLINS:

There is no doubt that these inputs are causing more struggle in farm country. I do want to be fair, though, and say that in the last Administration, the cost of input…

REP. SALINAS:

I am reclaiming my time. We are not talking about the last Administration. I am comparing 2026 over 2025, and 2025 over 2024. Our baseline is 2024. We have not improved.

SEC. ROLLINS:

Actually we have…

REP. SALINAS:

Reclaiming my time - because I want to make sure we get this on the record as well. The Section 232 tariffs have been in place for 14 months. And I just read that President Trump has lowered those tariffs on tractors, combines, and other farm equipment to 15% from 25% as part of the Section 232 tariffs. However, the ag trade deficit hit $43.7 billion in 2025. That was a 37% increase over 2024.

SEC. ROLLINS:

But ma'am, that's because of the policies from 2024. This year we're making up for it. We've cut that deficit in half. We are going to have record export years.

REP. SALINAS:

But it increased in 2025. And China's retaliatory tariffs reduced ag exports by $14.9 billion in a single year. And we have a promise from China to purchase more soybeans in the future. That is not flying with my farmers right now. A hollow promise from China. My grass seed losses in Oregon are big, and we cannot continue to afford this.

SEC. ROLLINS:

Well, again, exports are up. We've cut the trade deficit in half. What was $45 billion is now down to about $22 billion. Corn's up, dairy's up, tree nuts are up, ethanol's up, sorghum's up, soybeans are up. China agreed to purchases -

REP. SALINAS:

Thank you. I want to reclaim my time.

SEC. ROLLINS:

- 5 million metric tons, $17 billion, plus we've opened up 19 other markets.

REP. SALINAS:

The President promised to lower costs for farmers. Fertilizer's up. Farmers are losing money on their crops. And your department has no timeline for fixing it.

SEC. ROLLINS:

Oh, no - we have a massive timeline, actually. We'll follow up with the timeline. We've got a really good timeline.