Key facts
- US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins testified to lawmakers on Thursday.
- Rollins stated that reliance on China for food and fertilizer is an existential threat.
- She framed food security as a national security issue.
- Her remarks defended the White House's reduced fiscal 2027 budget request.
US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins informed lawmakers on Thursday that the United States' reliance on China for essential agricultural inputs, including food and fertilizer, represents an 'existential' threat to the nation. Rollins articulated this position while defending the administration's proposed reduced fiscal 2027 budget. She emphasized that food security is intrinsically linked to national security, asserting that dependence on China for these critical supplies could undermine the country's liberty and freedom.