U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced President Donald Trump’s nominations of key USDA leadership at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 9. There were three nominees in total, which Rollins described as rounding out the senior leadership of USDA. She additionally praised the nominees for having hit the ground running.
“Glen, Mindy and Yvette are proven leaders who will serve America well at USDA, ensuring the American people have restored trust in our services and they will drive policy that increases rural prosperity. When our farmers and ranchers succeed, all of America succeeds,” Rollins says.
The nominees and their potential roles are:
- Mindy Brashears, undersecretary for food safety — From West Texas and professor of food microbiology and food safety at Texas Tech University. Brashears served in this role during the first Trump administration. The role oversees the Food Safety and Inspection Service among other duties.
- Yvette Herrell, assistant secretary of the Office of Congressional Relations — Herrell was previously the 51st District representative in the New Mexico Legislature, then the U.S. representative for New Mexico’s Second Congressional District. The role of assistant secretary of the Office of Congressional Relations aids in liaising with members of Congress on USDA priorities.
- Glen Smith, undersecretary of rural development — From Atlantic, Iowa, Smith was designated chairman and CEO of the Farm Credit Administration during the first Trump administration. The role of undersecretary of rural development focuses expanding economic opportunities, creating jobs and improving the quality of life for rural Americans via loan and grant programs.
In the same announcement, Rollins also announced five appointments within the agency. The appointments and their roles are as follows:
- Jason Allen, senior adviser for the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement — From northern Michigan, Allen is a former Michigan state congressman and previously served as the state director for USDA Rural Development in Michigan. In this new role, Allen will advise the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement on potential solutions to issues faced by rural Americans and areas for public-private partnerships.
- Michael Pape, chief of staff for rural utilities service — Pape worked for over 21 years as the district director for Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01) where he focused on agriculture, energy, telecommunications, transportation, healthcare and many other issues impacting rural communities in Kentucky. As the chief of staff to Karl Elmshaeuser, the Rural Utilities Service administrator, Pape will organize in the daily functions of the service that offers funding programs to update, maintain or build key rural utilities infrastructure, including water.
- Anna Pilato, chief of staff for the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement — Pilato previously served as the deputy assistant secretary for external affairs during the first Trump administration. She has an extensive history managing communications in federal and state government, as well as consulting for Christian health groups. In this new role, she will organize daily functions of the office focused on liaising with rural communities.
- Anthony Priest, chief of staff for the Rural Housing Service administrator — A graduate of Georgia Tech, the Harvard Business School and the University of Virginia, Priest has worked in a variety of industries, including real estate. As the chief of staff to George Kelly, the Rural Housing Service administrator, Priest will organize in the daily functions of the service that offers funding programs to build or improve housing in rural areas.
- Neal Robbins, deputy undersecretary for rural development — From Asheboro, N.C., Robbins aids in rural development’s efforts to help rural Americans via financing programs. He previously served in the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and recently as publisher of the state’s newspaper, the North State Journal.
“At USDA we are ensuring American agriculture will be strong, secure and resilient by safeguarding our food supply, strengthening critical infrastructure and defending U.S. agricultural innovation from foreign adversaries,” Rollins adds. “We need all of our Senate confirmed nominees in the building as soon as possible, we have no time to waste to save our family farms.”
