With the new year underway, a new president to be sworn in soon, and a new cabinet, many in agriculture are wondering what to expect from Ag Secretary nominee Brooke Rollins.

National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles says the administration appears to be more organized this time around.

“When you look at the tempo of the nominees that have come out, and you know some nominees people are going to love and a few of them they’re not going to like, but there has been a very, very organized operation to vet these nominees and get them out publicly to the satisfaction of the Trump administration.”

As for Rollins and her nomination, Quarles says the timing was good.

“That is different than eight years ago when, this time around, we had a Secretary of Agriculture nominee in late November. Eight years ago, it was in the middle of January before we had an Ag nominee. And that, I think, speaks to the fact that they were organized this time around.”

So, Quarles says we need to be patient, and time will tell.

“You know, you need to see the policies that come with that, but I think it is a different structure that the administration is employing this time around.”

While she may not have the experience some expected, Rollins does have experience working with the President-elect.

She’s been very important in President Trump’s world. She worked in his White House during the first term. She currently runs his Super-Pac, which to me would mean she’s got more of a direct line to the President than perhaps some of the other nominees for other agencies. So, I think that’s a positive.”

Quarles says we’ll see, adding he’s braced for everything.