Staff in both Pingree and Gillibrand’s offices told Civil Eats that they have not yet received a response to their letters. It does typically take federal agencies some time to respond to inquiries from Congress, but multiple sources have told Civil Eats off the record that overall, the agency has not been communicating with lawmakers in the way that has historically been typical of the relationship.

However, a spokesperson for Senate Agriculture Chair John Boozman (R-Arkansas) said that Boozman has had “recent conversations with Secretary Rollins about issues important to farm country” and that Senate Republicans struggled to get timely responses from former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, who dismissed their concerns. Boozman is likely referring to an October 2022 letter to then-USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack asking for details about how the agency was using COVID-related funding for non-COVID-related programs. But Democrats are stressing the urgency of their current concerns, such as funding for emergency food purchases that organizations had been expecting to pay farmers and use to feed hungry people.

In response to written questions, a USDA spokesperson echoed that sentiment. “Secretary Rollins prioritizes serious, timely engagement with Congress. The idea that there’s a lapse in responsiveness—based on letters sent just days ago—is simply absurd. Juxtaposed with the Biden Administration, where Secretary Vilsack took months—plural—to respond to even the simplest of inquiries, the Trump Administration values its relationship with Congress.” (Link to this post.)