Sierra Club Statement on Confirmation Hearing for Brooke Rollins’ Nomination as Secretary of Agriculture

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry held hearings on the nomination of Brooke Rollins as Secretary of Agriculture. Rollins previously held roles as President Trump's domestic policy chief during his first term and deputy general counsel for former Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

Rollins is one of the architects of President Trump's tariff plan, has pushed heavily for mass deportation, and has publicly dismissed climate change concerns as hysteria.

In response, Athan Manuel, director of Sierra Club's Lands Protection Program, released the following statement:

"Rather than installing someone with experience and background navigating agriculture and forestry issues, President Trump has chosen Brooke Rollins, whose background is in criminal law and has a history of defending fossil fuels in her policy roles. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is in need of strong leadership that can advocate for American farmers against large-scale corporate farm operations, support sustainable local agriculture to bolster food security in our communities, and preserve America's federal forests as carbon sinks, which are one of the few proven ways to mitigate the impacts of fossil fuels and climate change."

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.