Former New Mexico Congresswoman Yvette Herrell was confirmed Thursday night as Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Congressional Affairs, securing a key role in the Donald Trump administration as the U.S. Senate confirmed roughly 100 nominees in a late confirmation push in a 53-43 vote.
Herrell, who represented New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District from 2021 to 2023, was confirmed following months of committee consideration. During her confirmation hearing in early November, her nomination was advanced by the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry on a 13–10 vote, reflecting partisan divisions but enough support to move her nomination to the full Senate.
The position places Herrell at the center of congressional relations for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one of the federal government’s largest agencies. USDA employs nearly 100,000 people nationwide and oversees major divisions including the U.S. Forest Service, rural development programs, nutrition assistance, agricultural research, and conservation initiatives. As assistant secretary for congressional affairs, Herrell will serve as a primary liaison between USDA leadership and lawmakers on Capitol Hill, helping shepherd legislation, budget priorities, and policy initiatives through Congress.
Herrell replaces Adrienne Wojciechowski, who stepped down in January after President Trump took office. The department is currently led by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who has signaled a shift in federal land and agriculture policy under the Trump administration. During a June meeting of the Western Governors Association in Santa Fe, Rollins announced plans to repeal a rule that prohibits road construction and logging on roughly 91,000 square miles of U.S. Forest Service land, a move closely watched in Western states like New Mexico where federal land management plays an outsized role in local economies.
Herrell brings both legislative and policy experience to the post. During her tenure in Congress, she served on committees and caucuses focused on border security, energy development, agriculture, and rural issues. Representing a district that spans southern New Mexico—from Las Cruces to Carlsbad and the Permian Basin—Herrell frequently emphasized support for farmers, ranchers, oil and gas producers, and small businesses, while opposing what she characterized as federal overreach affecting land use and energy production.
Before her time in Congress, Herrell served four terms in the New Mexico House of Representatives, representing Alamogordo. Supporters argue her background positions her well to navigate the often-contentious relationship between Congress and federal agencies, particularly at a department as expansive and politically sensitive as USDA.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.) praised the Senate’s confirmation efforts, highlighting the significance of filling leadership posts at the department. “The Senate confirmed a historic number of administration officials this year including 12 leaders to key USDA roles,” Boozman said in a statement. “We are eager to work together in support of farmers and a stronger rural America.”
Herrell’s confirmation is being viewed by many Republicans as a notable return to federal leadership for New Mexico, particularly for southern New Mexico, which has long sought stronger representation in national agricultural and land management policy. With debates looming over forest management, rural development, nutrition programs, and federal land use, Herrell is expected to play a central role in advancing the administration’s priorities on Capitol Hill.