Easter Egg Roll Spotlights Real Eggs, Real Ag Challenges

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says the USDA’s downsizing plan due in May could include some consolidation.

Recording at the White House Easter Egg Roll, Agri-Pulse Newsmakers asked Rollins about the department’s plans to address bird flu this spring, her thoughts on the timing for trade assistance, and whether she’s confident Congress will provide needed funding through the Commodity Credit Corporation.

Newsmakers also spoke with Emily Metz from the American Egg Board, Cathy Burns from the International Fresh Produce Association, and Philip Good from the United Soybean Board to discuss the commodities on display at the event.

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Please note: This transcript has not been edited.

Lydia Johnson: Welcome to “Agri-Pulse Newsmakers,” where we aim to take you to the heart of ag policy. I’m your host, Lydia Johnson. We’re bringing you a special edition of the show today from the White House South Lawn. 30,000 real American eggs are being used at this year’s White House Easter Egg Roll. Farmers are at the heart of the tradition, donating and hand-dyeing the eggs used at the event. We’ll take you to the eggs, Ohio-grown soybeans, fresh cut flowers, and baby carrots on display at the event.

Brooke Rollins, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

But first, we spoke with Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins about the 100-plus year tradition of the White House Easter Egg Roll.

Brooke Rollins: It was an awesome day at the White House. We call it the Super Bowl of Eggs at the US Department of Agriculture, but it was the annual Easter Egg Roll, and that has been going on since 1878, which is pretty amazing. President Rutherford B. Hayes is the one who started it, and I think it’s probably grown through the years, because I think we had maybe almost 5,000 people in the entire South Lawn, from rolling eggs and having fun competitions to a reading nook where I got to read “Barnyard,” a barnyard book about Easter, which was amazing. And then one of my favorite parts was meeting so many egg farmers at the egg board. They had this beautiful sort of hands-on experience set up for all the kids that were coming through, how we feed the chickens, how you have a hatchery, where the eggs come from, what happens once they lay the eggs, where does it go, how do you test for quality, and then how you package the eggs. But that was a real joy for me to get to meet so many egg farmers from around the country who are bringing their craft to the White House of all places, and working to support and honor them is one of the best parts of my job.

Lydia Johnson: And we had real American eggs here at the event.

Brooke Rollins: We had real American eggs.

Lydia Johnson: We did, however, egg prices are still high and could get higher as bird flu outbreaks have the potential to surge under that warmer weather. USDA announced a five-prong strategy. How do you plan to adapt that strategy in the spring as cases could potentially surge?

Brooke Rollins: They could potentially surge. So here’s what’s important to know. We rolled out that five-point plan about maybe five or six weeks ago, right here at the White House. And in that time, almost immediately, you began to see the wholesale cost of a dozen eggs go down, and it’s gone down almost 58, I think 56, 57, 58% per dozen from $8, and I don’t know, some change, down to $3 and some change per dozen. I mean, that’s a remarkable, I think, success story. The market reacted to our plan. You will soon see the retail prices across the country adjust in many places, including my home state of Texas. They adjusted almost immediately. So while some parts of the country haven’t seen the relief yet, a lot of that are the blue states that have a ton of regulations in place, but more of the red states, you’ve already seen the retail price come way down.

Lydia Johnson: Bird flu researchers have been cut from USDA staff, and some were brought back, as well as some influenza researchers at the CDC. What are you doing to ensure that you have the most experienced staff in place to address these outbreaks now and into the future?

Brooke Rollins: I think that’s so important, and I will tell you that in those initial round of DOGE cuts, at least at USDA, when we heard that there was a bird flu facility, or a bird flu researcher that had been part of that, we brought them back immediately. So at least at USDA, I can’t speak for the CDC, but at least at USDA, we have prioritized the health of our American consumers and the bird flu, and frankly of our American chicken and dairy, et cetera. So those should be completely back in place as we continue to research. And in fact, part of the five-point plan was 100 million dollars vaccine therapeutic research to try to get to the point where we can solve for this in more than just biosecurity and repopulation measures, so I feel fairly confident that we’ve gotten the right people back if we did let them go. And we are full steam ahead.

Lydia Johnson: You mentioned meeting with the soybean growers this morning. They could potentially be hurt very badly by these tariffs. You’ve mentioned that you’re considering aid for these producers. What’s the timeline for that aid, and when should they expect an announcement from you on that?

Brooke Rollins: That’s right, well, we are watching very, very closely what is happening, literally right behind me, probably right at this moment. The president is himself in very intense negotiations with most of our trading partners around the world, and new trading partners. We believe that those new deals that are coming, even hopefully with China, but if not, that’s okay too, that our row croppers, our sorghum farmers, our wheat farmers, those who have been most hurt in the last round of negotiations in 2019, that we will be putting some program in place to mitigate a lot of that damage. But our hope and our fervent prayer is that won’t even be necessary. However, if it is, it’ll probably be a little closer to harvest before we fully understand the implications, which will be later this summer. But we’re preparing for that just in case.

Lydia Johnson: The Commodity Credit Corporation, which was used to make those payments last time, is running very low. How do you plan to fund it and to supply those producers with aid when it’s running dry?

Brooke Rollins: So I am in, obviously, that is a fund that is funded through Congress. And so the conversations with Senator Hoeven, and Senator Bozeman, and Chairman Thompson, and our key leaders on the Hill continue. They are hyper aware as agriculture leaders that we will need to make sure that we have the funding necessary, again, if it is necessary based on the conversations and the deals that are about to be announced and struck, but if it is necessary, we have the right partnerships in place, and feel really, really positive about the ability to ensure that the funds are there, and that we will be able to distribute those, again, if necessary.

Lydia Johnson: Are you confident that with some of the Republican budget hawks in Congress right now, that if needed, they could replenish that fund?

Brooke Rollins: I am very confident in our elected leaders on the Hill, both Republican and Democrat, but to your point, the Republican budget hawks that we all understand that food security is national security, that when specific industries within the agriculture community, like wheat and soy and corn and others are hit particularly hard, or even pork on the livestock side, that we have to ensure that these farms will continue, because the last thing we wanna do is rely on China or Brazil or Argentina for our food. The national security implications of that are profound. So everyone on the Hill, I believe, understands that completely, and that I think there will be a lot of support for our farmers.

Lydia Johnson: USDA will soon release the RIF plan. Can you detail how many staff took that deferred resignation program in your plans to restructure and relocate the agency?

Brooke Rollins: Well, I think that those conversations are ongoing. There is obviously a realignment of the federal government by this president and by our cabinet, which we fully support. I think that the idea that USDA, at 106,000 employees in 2300 offices around the country in 29 different divisions, that’s a big, big, big agency, and so taking the time, bringing in really, really smart people to look at all that. Are we modernizing, you know, our technology? Do we need 100 communication offices? Could we bring those down to maybe a dozen from 100? Do we need 100 IT departments? Could we bring that and source it either in-house or outsource it? Could we bring in more private sector partners? Could we look at grants that fund things like transgender farming and food justice in San Francisco? Is that really a good use of our dollars? Probably not. So looking at all of that as we realign and refocus the agency around what it was intended for, which is supporting farmers and ranchers, is a massive priority at USDA. Now, having said that, we sent an email out last week saying, if you are a frontliner, if you are engaging with our farmers, if you’re part of the FSA, that helps us distribute the funds that are needed to these farmers and ranchers, there is no early retirement for you, like there are people on the front lines that are absolutely necessary. So we are adjusting as we move forward, and there’s more information coming on all of that.

Emily Metz, President and CEO of the American Egg Board

Lydia Johnson: 30,000 real American eggs are being used at this year’s White House Easter egg roll. Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board, says the group has a law history of providing eggs for this historic tradition.

Emily Metz: Well, we’re actually the longest standing partner of the White House and the White House Historical Association on this amazing event. We’ve been doing it for more than 50 years and providing real eggs every year. This year is no exception. We made a little bit of adjustment providing small and medium eggs this year that are not going to retail stores, but we’re really proud to have real eggs on the lawn for the the 50th year. And of course, this morning presented first Lady Melania Trump with her with the 48th commemorative egg for America’s First Lady. So we’re really honored to do that this morning as well.

Lydia Johnson: And what’s the significance of, you know, having the real eggs here for your organization and for egg farmers across the country to really have those real eggs at the event?

Emily Metz: Well I think first and foremost there’s really no other commodity that gets showcased in the way that eggs do at the East Egg roll. This is the largest public event that the White House does every year. So to have more than 40,000 people on the lawn celebrating with eggs and coming through the Hen to Home exhibit where they can talk to a real farmer and learn about how an egg gets from farm to table, that’s huge for us. And when we’re talking about the marketing and demand building organization of the egg industry, you can’t have anything that’s more important than having a prominent place at this prominent event.

Lydia Johnson: And you mentioned that Hen to Home display. Can you describe the eggs here, where they came from or the story of how they got from the barn to the White House here?

Emily Metz: Sure, it’s a really fun story. Every year our farmers decide who’s gonna donate. This year we actually had three different farms come together to donate those small and medium eggs. And then our staff at the American Egg Board and a bunch of farmer volunteers spent five days hand dyeing those eggs that are used for the roll. And then of course, we do have some plain white hard boiled eggs that are being used in the decorating tents today as well. But all told, about 2,500 dozen eggs on the lawn today.

Lydia Johnson: And you said there’s over a hundred egg farmers here at the event today. What’s the message that they’re sharing and the significance of having them at this event as well?

Emily Metz: Sure, well I think the biggest message that they’re sharing, and you’re gonna see it on the back of their t-shirts, is keep calm and crack on. We know consumers are frustrated. We know that it’s been challenging for them. Our farmers are frustrated. They’ve been battling bird flu, they’ve been in the trenches. And so our keep calm and crack on has kind of become a mantra for us to really say we’re gonna get through this. Farmers are the original innovators. They’re resilient and we’re gonna get through this together. And we appreciate consumers’ patience as we normalize our supply after bird flu outbreaks.

Lydia Johnson: Yeah, keep calm and crack on. You know, while today is all about fun, the AG industry has seen skyrocketing prices lately due to supply shortages from the bird flu. You know, with some of those protocols, biosecurity practices in place, including importing eggs now. You know, could we see prices stabilize this spring at the grocery store?

Emily Metz: I think we’re very optimistic. You know, this administration has taken really swift and decisive action. We’re working incredibly closely with Secretary Rollins. She’ll be here later with us in the Hen to Home exhibit. And our farmers are working with her to execute her five point plan that she rolled out about a month and a half ago. And I think we are seeing wholesale prices coming down, but that plan is all about the big solutions and solving this disease once and for all and making sure that we can have a stable supply for the future, which is really what we need to have happen.

Lydia Johnson: Americans seeing that, you know, real eggs are being used at the event might be concerned that this could drive up their grocery bill. Is that true?

Emily Metz: It is not. So we eat and consume 9 million dozen eggs a day in this country. And so we’re using 2,500 dozen here today. And so this is not gonna drive up your price. We’re also using small and medium eggs that are not making it into your retail store.

Lydia Johnson: And you know, you talked a lot about the bird flu. The response Secretary Rollins being here, wanted to get your take, you know. Do you think that the bird food outbreak is being taken seriously enough by scientists, by the academic community, and you know, what more can be done to support egg producers?

Emily Metz: I think we’re feeling very supported right now. I think we’re looking for those big solutions. That’s gonna take all of us coming together. The industry has invested a huge amount in research and understanding how this virus has evolved in working on big solutions. We have a vaccine task force within our industry that we’re really working on with USDA to try to see if vaccines are a viable long-term solution. So we just need to have everyone at the table looking at big ideas.

Lydia Johnson: And Emily, a final question for you. How do you like your eggs and do you know how the president likes his eggs?

Emily Metz: Well, I like my eggs any which way. I like ’em all day long, in every meal occasion. Eggs are not just for breakfast. What I would say is probably today how I like my eggs best is gonna be in an egg white foam in a whiskey sour at the end of a very long day here on the lawn. We know that the Egg McMuffin celebrated its 50th anniversary just about a month ago. Obviously very close friends and partners with McDonald’s. We sent the president some egg McMuffins for the anniversary and I have it on good authority, he liked those very much.

Cathy Burns, International Fresh Produce Association CEO

Lydia Johnson: Fresh flowers and baby carrots are on display at the White House Easter Egg Roll. International Fresh Produce Association CEO, Cathy Burns, tells us about the display.

Cathy Burns: We are so excited to be here, Lydia. Obviously, this is sponsored by the White House Historical Society. And here at our booth, we have over 80,000 flowers that we’re giving away to, obviously, children and their families when they come here for the Easter Egg Roll. We also have carrots, both bagged carrots and bunches of carrots that young people, again, and their families get to take home with them. So it’s been a really special day, the energy is contagious. And people, the lines for both the carrots and the flowers are unbelievable. So very, very excited to be a part of this event this year, for the first time I might add.

Lydia Johnson: So what’s the history of IFPA being involved in events at the White House in general? I mean, it’s just an incredible turnout here today, and all the people, seeing people excited about all this fresh produce.

Cathy Burns: Yeah, if you think about what the White House is trying to do around Make America Healthy Again, you can’t be healthy without eating fresh fruits and vegetables. And also, flowers are really, really great for your mental wellbeing. So we started last year for Halloween. We actually were here and we provided pumpkins and mums. And after the success of that, and I think the White House Historical Society saw how the public responded, we started talking to them about other events. And Easter was the next event that we could be a part of. And as you can see here, it’s been a raving success.

Lydia Johnson: You began to talk about the Make America Healthy Again. The big role that food can play in that. What’s IFPA’s message as the White House’s HHS Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, you know, begin to craft this message? How do you all play into that?

Cathy Burns: Yeah, personally, we think we’re a huge component of bringing that to life. We actually have put several recommendations in front of Secretary Kennedy and his staff for consideration. And we’ve been working on this, even prior to this administration. I mean, this is what we get up and do every day. We advocate for people to eat fresh fruits and vegetables and to buy floral products. So as I said, you cannot be healthy without eating fresh fruits and vegetables. So we have existing programs that are already in place that we wanna scale and amplify, like produce prescriptions for example, or the fresh fruit and vegetable program that is happening in schools, school lunches. There’s so many opportunities for, again, existing programs that we have in place in order to scale to ensure that children, actually, everyone in the US, is only eating 1 in 10 servings that are recommended fruits and vegetables every day. And that will not make America healthy again.

Lydia Johnson: Outside of all the fun happening at the Egg Roll today, the tariffs have kind of been dominating the headlines recently. A lot of those delayed, some still enacted. Can you kind of overview where your industry sits within all those tariffs?

Cathy Burns: Yeah, I mean, obviously, as you look at trying to drive consumption of our fresh fruits and vegetables, cost is really an important factor for consumers on a day in and day out basis. So our position has been, I mean, obviously, we’d love full exemption of our products. USMCA, most of our products are protected under that. So it’s been good for the North American market. But if you think about tariffs, writ large, we really need to be in a position where we can exempt products that just cannot be grown here in the US, but the consumer demands them 365 days of the year. In addition, we are really encouraging other countries to come to the table and negotiate with the United States, because at the end of the day, free trade market access is what’s ultimately going to drive our industry forward in a very profitable way.

Philip Good, United Soybean Board Chair and Mississippi Farmer

Lydia Johnson: Mississippi Farmer Philip Good is chair of the United Soybean Board. He shows us how American soybeans are on display at the White House Easter Egg roll.

Philip Good: Well, we’re very excited to partner with the American Egg Board, and so we’re able to educate and also share in the story about the importance of soybeans and soybean in our partnerships with our great consumers. Poultry is our number one domestic consumer of US soybeans, and so we’re able to educate young people because Easter seems to be all about the eggs. And so we’re able to tell them the story of where the egg comes from and the important part that US soybeans play with the egg.

Lydia Johnson: You know, Philip, what’s the importance of having soy represented here? Of course, being at the White House is a big stage for your commodity.

Philip Good: Well, it’s a great opportunity for us to educate the young people, but also parents as well about the importance of protein, protein in the diet, protein in the diet of our animals, poultry, but also in humans as well. And so the questions and the one-on-one interaction has been absolutely fantastic. We’ve appreciated this opportunity. It’s part of educating and telling our story as a US soybean farmer.

Lydia Johnson: It’s been funny standing here watching the booth with you and some of the other USB board members. Some of these kids are picking up the soybeans and actually asking what are they.

Philip Good: For the first time, for many of ’em, they’re able to actually see a soybean, put their hands in soybeans, play in the box with soybeans. And so it’s been great to just see their light bulbs go off and say, I never knew that. I never realized the importance of soybeans. So it’s a great opportunity for us.

Lydia Johnson: We’re on the White House South Lawn right now. I hear that you and your board of directors were actually in the White House this morning meeting with President Trump. What was the message that he shared with you all?

Philip Good: Well, the message that they shared with us was the importance of US farmers and his effort to make it better. And so he did touch on trade and domestic consumption, and so he is very optimistic about the future. And so it was great for us as US farmers to hear his plan and what he desires to see us in the country and with trade. So yeah, it was a great honor and we’re very thankful for our partnership with USDA.

Lydia Johnson: And of course lots of talk of tariffs and trade recently. Did he provide some needed reassurance to calm the nerves of you and your board members?

Philip Good: Well, definitely. Trade is so important to us because, you know, only 60% of our soybeans are consumed domestically. The rest are involved in export and in trade. And so that’s everything from whole soybean, soybean meal, soybean oil, all those are very important. We really do believe in, feel like we are feeding the world. We’ve had the opportunity in the last few months to visit Central America, see soybeans and poultry production there. Very thankful for our partners around the world that are great customers and consumers of US soy.

Lydia Johnson: When we talk about trade, diversifying trading partners is very important. You mentioned traveling to Central America already this year. Where do you and the United Soybean Board look to diversify markets for soy?

Philip Good: So when we look at our partners both North, we have Canada and we also have Mexico. We’re very grateful for those partnerships that we’ve gotten those that are close neighbors to us. Also Central America’s very important. The European Union is also a good customer of ours. You know, we’re glad to share our sustainability story. It’s something that we’re very proud of in the US.

Lydia Johnson: Well, thank you so much for joining us.

Philip Good: Well, thank you. Appreciate your time and what you do for us.

Lydia Johnson: Thanks again for joining us on this special edition of Agri-Pulse Newsmakers from the White House Easter Egg Roll. Next week, Congress will be back in session after a two week recess over the Easter holiday. Check our website for the latest on all things Capitol Hill, and there’s still time to register for this year’s Agri-Pulse Food and Ag Issue Summit, June 10th in Sacramento, California. Early bird rates are available through May 10th. For Agri-Pulse, I’m Lydia Johnson, thanks for watching.

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