Agriculture Policy News
From federal agencies to state governments, actions taken by elected officials and policymakers have a direct impact on America’s farmers and ranchers. Stay up-to-date on all things related to policy, including cabinet leadership, the farm bill, farmer-support programs, market access, environmental regulations, labor availability and the health of the ag economy.
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Latest Agriculture Policy News
Unrelenting inflation continues to weigh down the U.S. economy and agriculture. Still, CoBank says it believes the Fed will stick with its decision to cut interest rates three times in 2024.
USDA is Discontinuing A Major Cattle Report, And it Could Now Spur More Volatility For Cattle Prices
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announced it’s canceling the July Cattle Inventory Report. In the announcement, NASS blamed budget cuts from the most recent appropriations bills.
Lance Honig, acting director of the NASS methodology division, says budget constraints led to the agency’s decision. The County Estimates data was used over the years, in part, to determine federal farm program payments.
The second USDA Crop Progress Report of the year shows farmers are already ahead in planting the 2024 crop with six states pacing ahead of the five-year average.
The first look at a new farm bill could happen as early as next week. It’s long overdue after nothing was released out of Committee in 2023. Now, there’s growing doubt a farm bill will even be passed in 2024.
Consider these tips to ensure you’re complying with federal regulations when it comes to pesticide disposal.
As most of the U.S. is still prepping for spring planting, USDA’s weekly crop progress report shares Texas growers have already planted more than half their corn acres.
USDA says farmers intend to plant 90 million acres of corn this year, which is lower than the trade expected prior to USDA’s big Prospective Plantings report.
USDA says genetic sequencing revealed the mystery illness impacting Texas dairies is the same strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) that’s been in the U.S. The virus is carried by wild waterfowl.
Odds of a new farm bill in 2024 are declining, with Senate leadership continuing to spar over climate funding and redirecting climate funds into the commodity title of the new farm bill.