Squawk Pod – Affording Food: Agriculture Sec. Rollins & Chef Lidia Bastianich

CNBC | November 24, 2025

Episode Overview

In this special Thanksgiving week episode, the Squawk Box team—Joe Kernen, Becky Quick, and Andrew Ross Sorkin—explore the intersection of politics and everyday life with a focus on food affordability. Features include interviews with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who discusses trade policy, farmer aid, and inflation, and chef Lidia Bastianich, who offers practical tips for cost-conscious, nourishing, and community-minded holiday meals.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Geopolitics, Trade, and U.S. Agriculture

• Aid for Farmers & Trade Policy

  • Secretary Rollins highlights the Trump administration's approach to restoring and expanding trade deals, reversing what she describes as stagnation under the previous administration.
  • Trade negotiations and new deals with countries such as Indonesia, Australia, Japan, EU, and England are boosting U.S. agricultural exports.
  • Ongoing talks with China over soybean purchases are framed as a central concern; recent commitments from China are expected to result in significant buys, though some skepticism remains until deals are inked.

    “We have every indication that those [soybean purchase] orders will continue to move. Even if the purchase order comes in before the end of December, those will move early next year.”
    — Brooke Rollins (23:57)

  • Removal of certain tariffs (e.g., on Brazilian coffee and beef) is explained as a return to pre-existing baseline tariffs, not a full opening of markets.

• Food Production Costs and Farmer Aid

  • Rollins recounts dramatic increases in input costs under Biden-era inflation: interest rates up 73%, fertilizer 36%, labor 47%.
  • Administration is finalizing a $15 billion aid package for American farmers to mitigate challenges from evolving trade negotiations.

    “We are looking at the aid right now... We'll have an announcement probably in the next week or two.”
    — Brooke Rollins (21:17; originally previewed at 01:25)

• Diversification Away from China

  • Historic reliance on China for soybean exports has shifted; current policy prioritizes diversification of export markets to Japan, the EU, Argentina, and others.

2. Inflation, Food Prices, and Affordability

• Is Food Becoming More Affordable?

  • Secretary Rollins claims early success in reversing food inflation, citing statistics:
    • Average Thanksgiving meal cost: down 5%
    • Turkey: down 17%
    • Dinner rolls: down 22%

    “We’ve seen food prices come down. The average Thanksgiving meal is down about 5% now. Turkey’s down 17%.”
    — Brooke Rollins (26:09)

  • Administration expects continued progress with further implementation of new policies, deregulation, and the forthcoming tax cut bill.

• Real Impact for Consumers

  • Andrew Ross Sorkin points out that actual price declines are rare—what most consumers feel is the decrease in the rate of inflation, not outright price cuts.
  • Rollins emphasizes focus on not dictating public sentiment (“We’re not going to tell the American people how to feel”), but on delivering structural improvements to the economy and food system.

3. Politics & Populism: Broader News Recap

• Political Dynamics

  • Cordial yet complex Trump–Mamdani meeting signals pragmatic politics across party lines, though skepticism lingers (“I think he thinks he’s a nice fascist”—Kernen, 05:49).
  • Marjorie Taylor Greene resigns from Congress, prompting spirited debate about the changing landscape of party politics.

• Healthcare Costs

  • The panel touches on anticipated administration actions to make healthcare more affordable, with an announcement expected soon.

4. Lidia Bastianich: Cooking Affordably and Building Community

[From 30:39 onward]

• Food as Community Glue

  • Bastianich, chef, restaurateur, and PBS host, showcases food as a tool for human connection, especially in challenging times.
  • Her PBS special “A Nation of Neighbors” spotlights American communities helping each other through acts of sharing and neighborly support.

• Practical Cooking Tips for Hard Times

  • Bastianich advises:
    • Buy seasonal ingredients for both cost and flavor.
    • Use legumes, dried goods, and secondary meat cuts for budget-friendly meals:

      “Use a lot of the kind of legumes, the dry things—you know, things that I remember my grandmother cooking...”
      — Lidia Bastianich (32:08)

    • Employ long-cooking techniques like braising cheaper cuts.
    • Embrace communal, family meals—even simple soups and pastas are nourishing and satisfying.

• A Festive Yet Frugal Thanksgiving Turkey Tip

  • Her signature twist: Reduce inexpensive store-bought balsamic vinegar with honey and rosemary, and brush the glaze on the turkey in the last half hour of roasting for a mahogany, slightly sweet Italian finish:

    “I take balsamic vinegar, I reduce it...with a little bit of rosemary or honey to like molasses. And in the last half hour...I brush the turkey with that kind of balsamic molasses...”
    — Lidia Bastianich (35:53)

• Stories of Resilience and Solidarity

  • Vivid examples from across the country (Denver’s “same restaurant” pay-what-you-can model; Los Angeles post-wildfire community dinners) illustrate ways Americans come together and share, reinforcing hope and neighborhood spirit.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We can’t be so reliant as Americans producing American products on one country, a foreign adversary...Next year, I think you’ll begin to see an incredible move toward these opening markets...”
  — Brooke Rollins (21:49)
• “Food is up all over for the restaurants, wholesale, retail, and everybody’s feeling the pinch...Cooking, knowing how to cook, cook the right thing, buying the right thing in season could all sort of help you through this process.”
  — Lidia Bastianich (31:32)
• “People are caring about the neighbors. Whether it’s in California...Denver...at the basis of our life is sitting together at the table and nourishing each other if we can and helping those that have maybe less than us.”
  — Lidia Bastianich (33:17)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:25 – Brooke Rollins previews pending farmer aid announcement
• 16:51 – Secretary Rollins on food cost trends and inflation
• 20:20 – Rollins on new trade deals and impact on farmers
• 23:57 – China’s soybean purchase commitments, timeline questions
• 26:09 – Rollins details food price statistics for Thanksgiving
• 30:39 – Chef Lidia Bastianich’s segment begins
• 35:53 – Bastianich's Thanksgiving turkey glaze tip

Episode Tone & Style

The episode combines the lively banter and pointed debate typical of Squawk Box with accessible, practical advice from its guests. Secretary Rollins delivers optimistic, efficiency-focused talking points, while Lidia Bastianich offers warm, familial, tradition-rooted wisdom for coping with tough times. The episode maintains its signature mix of economics, politics, and relatable lifestyle content, all with a touch of Thanksgiving gratitude.

This summary captures the key topics and voices in the episode, providing both a roadmap for the discussion and practical takeaways for listeners concerned about food costs, policy, and the power of sharing a table.