MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
Kansans with deep agricultural roots have been tapped for influential roles within the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Trump administration, reflecting a continued emphasis on experience and rural values in federal policymaking, according to Senator Roger Marshall.
Senator Marshall praised the administration’s decision to appoint individuals with strong ties to the land. “I was proud to nominate several people with rich, multi-generational agriculture backgrounds,” Marshall said, highlighting that many of his own former staff members still actively farm or ranch.
Among those appointees is Tucker Stewart, a fourth-generation rancher from Washington County who previously worked with the Kansas Livestock Association. Stewart now serves in a senior advisory role in the USDA, working closely with Secretary Brooke Rollins.
“He’s in her office every day. Whenever I’ve got a USDA question, he’s in there,” Marshall said. “They still run a very active ranch, and he goes back whenever he can to help, especially during their annual bull sale.”
Another Kansan, Ken Selzer, former state insurance commissioner, now holds a top position at the USDA's Risk Management Agency, which oversees crop insurance programs critical to farmers across the Midwest. “He’s doing his best to make sure they’re using sound policy,” said Marshall.
However, as rural areas watch these appointments with interest, some uncertainty looms over potential cutbacks at USDA field offices, particularly those in remote counties. The USDA is considering consolidations and staff reductions as part of a broader federal push to improve efficiency and reduce spending.
“I think the FSA [Farm Service Agency] offices are going to be okay, especially with improvements in technology,” Marshall said. “But we may lose some NRCS [Natural Resources Conservation Service] conservation personnel, especially given the Biden administration’s over-hiring.”
He criticized the federal government's ballooning deficit, pointing to a $2 trillion annual gap between revenue and spending. “The government needs to tighten its belt just like every farm family does,” he said.
He also placed blame for bureaucratic delays on a lack of in-person work in Washington. “Until recently, only 6% of USDA employees were physically in the office. That’s where the logjam has been — not in rural Kansas, but in D.C.”
Despite the uncertainty, Kansas agriculture leaders remain optimistic that their voices are being heard in Washington. “These appointments show we have people at the table who understand what it’s like to live with the policies we make.”