Yvette Herrell, a former New Mexico congresswoman, has been appointed by the Trump administration as an assistant secretary for congressional relations in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Her nomination is currently awaiting confirmation by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, which includes U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján from New Mexico.
Herrell, who has worked as a real estate broker in Alamogordo since leaving Congress, confirmed she will not run for her previous seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026 due to her new role. The New Mexico Business Coalition (NMBC) expressed support for Herrell's appointment, highlighting her history of pro-business advocacy during her time as a state representative and congresswoman.
"New Mexico Business Coalition congratulates Assistant Secretary Herrell on the appointment! We look forward to a continuation of her proven record of pro-business advocacy that she displayed as a New Mexico State Representative and a member of Congress," said NMBC.
The NMBC urged Senators Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich to prioritize state and national interests over party politics by supporting Herrell's swift confirmation. If confirmed, Herrell would succeed Adrienne Wojciechowski, who resigned in January following Trump's inauguration.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, led by Brooke Rollins, oversees nearly 100,000 employees and manages entities like the U.S. Forest Service. Rollins recently announced plans to repeal restrictions on road construction and logging across 91,000 square miles of Forest Service land during a meeting with the Western Governors Association in Santa Fe.
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