USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins on Food Prices, Beef Supply, China Soybean Deals, and New Farmer Aid Package
A Mornings with Maria Q&A on affordability, cattle herd rebuilding, U.S./China trade, and USDA’s farmer aid plans
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins joined Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria for a wide-ranging conversation on food prices, beef supply pressures, China’s renewed soybean buying, and the administration’s forthcoming farm aid package. In a moment when Thanksgiving costs are falling but beef inflation remains a top concern for American families, Rollins detailed the factors behind today’s market swings — from cattle-herd rebuilding and the Mexico screwworm shutdown to shifting global demand and new U.S. trade deals. She also previewed USDA’s new “bridge” support program for farmers, which she said would be announced next week and be paid in January. She also explained President Trump’s focus on affordability, and outlined how the administration plans to diversify agricultural exports while strengthening America’s food and nutrition programs.
Thanksgiving Prices, Affordability, and the Turkey Pardon
Maria Bartiromo: “Walmart just announced that the cost of its standard Thanksgiving meal is 25% lower than last year. USDA reports show turkey down 33%, potatoes down 13%, ham down 15% from a year ago. President Trump emphasized this during the White House turkey pardon. The American Farm Bureau says a 10-person Thanksgiving dinner costs $55.18, down 5% from last year. Secretary, you’ve got a good story to tell.”
Secretary Brooke Rollins: “It is a good story. Yesterday was a wonderful day at the White House — Gobble and Waddle got their second chance. I picked them myself at a North Carolina farm. With 6,500 turkeys there, choosing two wasn’t easy! But beyond the fun, the real story is affordability. Prices for major Thanksgiving staples are down significantly, and that reflects the work being done to make America affordable again.”
Rising Beef Prices and the $10-a-Pound Warning
Bartiromo: “But Americans remain worried about food costs. We had the CEO of Omaha Steaks on recently and he warned that beef could hit $10 per pound by Q3 of 2026 because of heifer retention and shrinking supply. That’s alarming. Your reaction?”
Rollins: “He’s impressive, and I plan to reach out to him. But our numbers do not show a $10-a-pound scenario. Beef is an outlier right now because the U.S. cattle herd is at its lowest level in 75 years—and it’s not just here; it’s global.
“A few reasons:
1. The previous administration waged what I would call a ‘war on cattle’—linking cattle to climate change in ways that discouraged production.
2. The New World Screwworm outbreak in Mexico forced border closures. We normally import ~2 billion pounds of lean trim for ground beef; that supply has been disrupted.
“We have now implemented a comprehensive herd-rebuilding plan. Eggs, turkey, and other proteins are already coming down in price. Beef will lag a few months, but by next spring or summer, prices should stabilize.
“President Trump is laser-focused both on affordable beef and on supporting ranchers — and those goals are not mutually exclusive.”
China Soybean Purchases and New Trade Deals
Bartiromo: “President Trump said after speaking with Xi Jinping that the U.S. has completed “a very important deal” for farmers and that China purchased at least 10 cargoes of soybeans—$300 million worth — since Tuesday (see next item for details). The U.S. exported $24 billion in soybeans last year, with $13 billion going to China. And USDA is preparing an aid package in the next two weeks. What’s happening with soybeans and with that new package?”
Rollins: “This all goes back to Liberation Day (April 2), when the President said America would no longer bow to foreign tariff regimes. Under the prior administration, we saw zero new trade deals and a swing from an agricultural trade surplus to a $50 billion deficit.
“President Trump has changed the entire landscape:
• Dozens of new trade deals are being opened.
• Markets long closed to U.S. agriculture are reopening.
• And critically, the President made it clear farmers will never again be used as leverage in trade disputes.
“China historically buys 65–70% of U.S. soybeans. They are the best beans in the world. But relying on one buyer is unhealthy. So while we welcome the $300 million soybean purchase last night — and the strongest soybean prices in 18 months — the bigger goal is diversifying buyers. With new trade deals, soybean exports will expand to many countries beginning immediately and accelerating next year.”
USDA Produce Purchases: Oranges, Grapefruit, Mandarins
Bartiromo: “Your department plans to purchase up to $30 million in American produce — $15 million in oranges, $10 million in grapefruit, $5 million in mandarins. What’s the goal here?”
Rollins: “These are specialty crops, and USDA uses its purchasing power to move them into food banks, school lunches, and nutrition programs. It supports farmers and gets healthy American food to families.
“This aligns with Make America Healthy Again, championed by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Americans face a chronic disease crisis. USDA spends $400 million per day across 16 nutrition programs. As we reform SNAP and other programs, we are shifting toward healthier, locally produced proteins—beef, chicken, pork—and fresh produce.
“More reforms will be announced early next year.”
The New USDA “Bridge” Farmer Aid Package
Bartiromo: “What can you tell us about the farm aid package? How large is it, and when does it take effect?”
Rollins: “It’s a bridge package — a temporary support designed to get farmers through to next year while the President’s broader reforms take shape. We are finalizing the details with Treasury Secretary Bessent — literally updating it daily as new data comes in. The announcement will come next week.
“On timing:
• The Biden USDA took nearly a year to distribute similar support.
• Under President Trump, we’ll move immediately.
• We expect payments to begin in early January.
“Farmers planning 2026 crops need certainty now — their banks are calling, and it has been a difficult few years across the farm economy. This package provides that clarity.”
