USDA Puts America First in Energy Policy Shift

The United States is finally putting America first when it comes to energy. On August 21, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins made a bold and much-needed announcement. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now prioritizing American energy production on our National Forest lands. This new policy is simple, clear, and long overdue: we will use our land wisely to power our nation, free from foreign control and wasteful government programs.

For too long, past administrations pushed bad policies that made us rely on weak and unsteady energy sources like wind and solar. Many of these so-called “green” projects were built using parts made in China, a country that does not have our best interests at heart. Even worse, these projects often took up valuable farmland and forest land that should be used for food, timber, recreation, and wildlife. That era is over.

Secretary Rollins’s new memorandum changes course in a powerful way. It directs the U.S. Forest Service to come up with better rules for reviewing energy projects. These rules will focus on how much energy is created for every acre of land used. In other words, we will now measure success by efficiency and real results, not by political slogans or foreign agendas.

This is common sense. America has 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands across 43 states. These lands are a treasure. They belong to all of us, and they should serve the American people—not foreign governments, not global corporations, and not radical environmental groups who want to lock them away from use.

By focusing on reliable, high-output energy sources, we can do three important things at once: lower energy costs, strengthen national security, and protect more land for future generations. When we produce more energy here at home, we don’t have to beg foreign countries for oil or depend on China for solar panels. That means lower prices at the gas pump, more jobs for American workers, and safer communities.

Secretary Rollins also made it clear that the USDA will no longer fund solar or wind projects on productive farmland. This is a huge win for our farmers and ranchers. Productive farmland should grow crops and raise livestock, not be covered with giant solar panels that do little and take up space. Our farmers feed the world—they should never be pushed aside in favor of foreign-made green energy schemes.

This shift in policy is part of a bigger return to common sense governance. Under President Trump’s leadership, agencies are finally working for the American people again. We are cutting red tape, ending waste, and putting America’s land and resources to good use. Energy should be strong, steady, and American-made. That’s what this administration is delivering.

Let’s not forget: energy independence is not just about economics. It’s about liberty. A nation that can power itself is a nation that can stand on its own. We don’t want to be at the mercy of other countries, especially those that don’t share our values. We want to be free. And freedom starts with the ability to produce what we need, right here at home.

The USDA’s new energy memo is a step in the right direction. It respects our land, honors our workers, and puts America first. Let’s support this effort and keep moving forward. We must never go back to the days of weakness and foreign dependence. The land is ours. The power is ours. The future is ours.