Trump agriculture secretary shocked by her agency’s own data at live hearing
Alternet • • nation
Key Points:
- Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins faced difficulty answering basic questions about her department's data during a House Agriculture Committee hearing, particularly regarding SNAP fraud rates and farm failures.
- Rep. Angie Craig challenged Rollins on the number of farm failures and the affordability of fertilizer, highlighting that 70% of farmers reportedly struggle with fertilizer costs due to the president's policies.
- Craig emphasized that USDA data shows a low SNAP fraud rate of 1.6%, contradicting Rollins' claims that the data is unverifiable or a "joke."
- Rollins argued that some states restrict federal verification efforts, but USDA fact sheets confirm that SNAP fraud is infrequent and among the lowest of any federal program.
- The exchange grew tense as Craig stressed the personal impact of these issues, while Rollins accused her of not seeking legitimate answers.