Policy Update
A coalition of family farmers and meat companies launched the American Meat Producers Association (AMPA) to defend state animal welfare laws, complicating efforts to include federal preemption in an upcoming farm bill.
Released yesterday, Virginia Tech’s 2025 Global Agricultural Productivity Report reveals concerning trends in agricultural productivity, especially in the United States.
For the first time since 2019, the federal government has shutdown, immediately hitting farm operations by halting key USDA payments and services across the country.
In a new memorandum of understanding, the Department’s antitrust division will work with USDA to investigate rising costs of farm inputs such as fertilizer, seed, fuel, and equipment
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced yesterday that the U.S. will provide financial assistance to Argentina in an effort to stabilize its struggling economy, a move that has sparked anger among American soybean farmers who see Argentina as a major rival.
Yesterday, farmers from across the country sent a letter urging USDA to release funding for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Normally announced in March, this year’s call for proposals wasn’t issued until September 11, leaving host institutions little time to process applications before the fiscal year ends.
China has turned to Argentina for soybean supplies, booking at least 10 large shipments—and possibly more—after Argentina temporarily removed export taxes on grains yesterday.
On Friday, the Trump administration announced cancellation of USDA’s annual Household Food Security Report, which has tracked hunger in the U.S. for decades. The move comes just months after President Trump signed legislation reducing food assistance programs.
With key commodity purchases well below past averages, lawmakers have introduced House and Senate bills to transfer the former USAID program from the State Department to USDA.
A survey released yesterday sounds the alarm on widespread financial strain facing corn farmers.
Yesterday, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing focused on the unique challenges facing specialty crop producers and discussed tailored policy solutions.