U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA says Trump’s executive order suspending phosphate duties could cut fertilizer prices by about 22%, saving U.S. farmers an estimated $1.82 billion annually across 97 million planted acres.
The Executive Order signed by President Trump Monday comes after years of farmer lobbying against phosphate duties, with Texas A&M estimating $6.9B in added costs since 2021 tied to sharply higher DAP fertilizer prices.
The change implements provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and updates long-standing Farm Service Agency rules that had capped many entity-based operations at a single payment limit.
USDA’s Great American Cotton Plan aims to boost demand for U.S. cotton through domestic manufacturing incentives, traceable supply chains and the Buying American Cotton Act.
As the federal government settles with Agri Stats over data-sharing, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Secretary Brooke Rollins launch a high-stakes investigation into beef market concentration and potential price-fixing.
Despite daily volatility, cattle markets are still driven by strong demand and tight supplies. Rising fuel costs could pressure consumers, but slow herd expansion keeps the long-term outlook bullish through the decade.
USDA expects to announce payment rates for its $1B specialty crop aid in a few weeks after closing acreage reporting, which will determine how relief is distributed across eligible crops.
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says a multi-agency Trump administration effort will target fertilizer costs and boost U.S. production, with a major announcement expected yet this week.
Following a major stakeholder meeting, USDA is boosting survey sample sizes and moving data-focused offices out of D.C. to rebuild farmer trust and improve the accuracy of its agricultural reports.
In a candid conversation with Farm Journal, USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden says USDA’s message to fertilizer companies is simple: “Be part of the solution, don’t be part of the problem.”