During Tuesday’s hearing, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told senators the administration’s supplemental farm assistance request is intended to help farmers weather today’s difficult economic conditions while longer-term policy changes take hold. Rollins cited rising input costs and declining commodity prices, noting seed costs have increased 19 percent, fertilizer more than 50 percent and fuel nearly 33 percent over the past five years. “Farmers want to farm for their products, not for a government check,” Rollins said. “They want to be free from dependency and free to innovate.” Rollins added the supplemental assistance provides “a bridge and extends a hand to Americans who need it.”
