Joel Salatin, the self-proclaimed “Christian libertarian environmentalist capitalist lunatic farmer,” has used a recent podcast episode to categorically deny rumors that he might be taking a role within the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In true Salatin fashion, his tone oscillated between bemused and exasperated as he dismantled the notion that he’d ever trade in his pitchfork in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley for a desk job in D.C.
Yet while he was quick to point fingers at social media run amok, the confusion seems to stem from a November 6 blog post where Salatin himself teased: “I’ve been contacted by the Trump transition team to hold some sort of position within the USDA and have accepted one of the six ‘Advisor to the Secretary’ spots. My favorite congressman, Thomas Massie from Kentucky, has agreed to go in as Secretary of Agriculture.”
Predictably, this statement triggered a wildfire of speculation. Homestead Living and Reddit forums, for example, lit up with claims that Salatin had secured a USDA appointment courtesy of Massie, a Republican U.S. congressman. Some outlets even took his words at face value, cementing the idea that Salatin was bound for the bureaucratic trenches.
However, speaking on the Beyond Labels Podcast (which Salatin runs with nutritional scientist Sina McCullough), Salatin firmly put the brakes on these rumors. He painted a colorful picture of how the “gossip chain” had morphed his name being floated for consideration into an outright federal appointment.
“I have not been contacted, I have not accepted anything, and frankly, I don’t want to move to Washington,” he stated plainly, adding, “I’m not a bureaucrat.”
Yet, the blog post — written with what can only be described as suspiciously uncharacteristic precision — stands in stark contrast to his podcast claims. Sarcasm? Satire? A momentary lapse in Salatin’s typical disdain for federal institutions? It’s anyone’s guess, though he offered no clarifications on why he penned such a definitive statement.
Of course, Massie was not President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of agriculture, either — that honor went to Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute.
On the podcast, Salatin doubled down on his critique of the USDA. He lamented that the leadership pipeline is too often clogged with candidates tied to industrial agriculture giants like Monsanto and pharmaceutical companies. “Agency capture” was the term he used, adding that these appointments erode the agency’s ability to regulate with integrity. He saved some choice words for the eventual nominee, Rollins, whom he labeled an “agricultural lightweight” susceptible to influence due to her limited policy experience.
Salatin says that he did entertain the idea of an advisory role — one that wouldn’t require him to don a suit or navigate Washington’s bureaucracy — but clarified that his heart remains firmly rooted in Polyface Farms and his advocacy work.
Salatin is well know for despising “big ag” and biotechnology in agriculture and for supporting his own brand of organic-style farming. He’s frequently featured in organic-promoting films and has butted heads with people because of his apparent undertones of bigotry and racism and his ridicule of the impact of COVID-19 on human health. Despite his fondness for Massie, who he hopes continues pushing initiatives like the PRIME Act in Congress, Salatin seemed relieved that his connection to the USDA rumor mill had run its course.
In the end, Salatin’s message was clear: He’s staying put on his farm, and the USDA will have to muddle along without him. Whether his blog post was a joke, a strategic move, or simply a misstep, one thing is certain — Salatin’s disdain for bureaucracy is as sharp as ever.
