Speaking before producers and agribusiness leaders in Kansas City, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins confirmed the administration is preparing a plan to expand beef production, but made clear it will not involve direct payments to cattle producers. Amid soaring cattle and beef prices, Rollins said the government would avoid interfering with the market through subsidies designed to retain breeding stock.

"We have no current plans to offer any payment to beef producers," said Rollins at the Ag Outlook Forum, hosted by Agri-Pulse and the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City. "We see how the government getting involved can completely distort the markets, and so currently, there will be no plan - no plan is even under consideration - to insert ourselves through payments into the beef cattle industry."

The remarks come as beef prices surge due to a historic contraction in the U.S. cattle herd and disruptions from the closure of the Mexican border, triggered by an outbreak of New World screwworm. Market analysts have raised concerns that producers are still selling off cattle rather than rebuilding herds, exacerbating supply issues.

Rollins said the USDA's upcoming plan, expected next month, will focus on opening up more working lands, leveraging partnerships with the Interior Department and other federal stakeholders. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is expected to join her in announcing the initiative, which could include expanded grazing access across 245 million acres of federally managed land in the West.

"The administration is working on short- and long-term solutions that address the cattle shortage and deliver rapid relief," Rollins said. "We are developing a robust plan to revitalize and diversify the U.S. beef industry, alongside our great partners in that industry."

At the same event, Rollins also revealed a new memorandum of understanding between the USDA and the Department of Justice, aimed at protecting farmers and ranchers from price volatility across key ag inputs, including fertilizer, seed, energy, and equipment. The MOU marks a coordinated step to address market concentration and ensure competitive pricing in the farm supply chain.

Additionally, she confirmed the release of the final $2 billion in payments under the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, funded by Congress last December. The USDA has already disbursed $8 billion through the program, targeting farmers impacted by drought, floods, and other disasters.

In a follow-up press conference, Rollins said USDA remains committed to its plan to reorganize department staff around five new regional hubs: Raleigh, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Fort Collins, and Salt Lake City. While the public comment period on the plan ends Tuesday, Rollins indicated there are no anticipated changes.

"We have no plan to change the five hubs," she said. "We spent six months researching that, and we feel very confident in those five."

Rollins' remarks underscore a broader approach by the Trump administration: resisting direct market intervention while leveraging land policy, regulatory coordination, and regional restructuring to support producers facing one of the most turbulent livestock markets in recent history.