Policy
After years of losses, debt is piling up and new government payments won’t fill the hole. At a breaking point, more farmers are expected to leave the business this year, some by choice, others forced out by lenders.
Climate change driving increase in intensity and frequency of wildfires.
The December Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows the farm economy will likely stay strained into 2026. As crops face tight margins, biofuels policy — especially E15 and biomass-based diesel — could influence recovery.
One possibility is the country’s vast oil reserves could offer long-term potential to ease diesel prices and help reduce other input costs.
Heading into 2026, markets hinge on EPA biofuel rules, global fertilizer supply and acreage shifts. StoneX warns tight inputs, policy delays and weather risk will shape crop prices and farm margins.
Rice at $132.89 and cotton at $117.35 will receive the highest per-acre rates, but some have called payments a bandage in the midst of current farm economic crisis.
As he finishes up his term as American Soybean Association president, the Kentucky farmer’s key takeaway from his time in the spotlight is the importance of farmers banding together to influence policy.
“You can’t just look at ‘ag’ or ‘farm policy’ any longer,” says Jim Wiesemeyer. “It’s interrelated.”
Arkansas farmer Nathan Reed says irrigation, insurance limits and global competition are deepening the downturn as Southern producers are now deciding what to plant based on what will lose the least amount of money.
South Texas farmer Brian Jones says years of missed water deliveries from Mexico have cut his planted acres in half, forcing tough planting decisions as a new agreement brings both hope and skepticism.
Farmers weigh in on the pros and cons of federal aid programs and what they believe is needed to adopt regenerative practices in today’s environment of tight margins.
At a White House roundtable with farmers, a rice producer’s candid message stole the spotlight. Meet Meryl Kennedy, the rice producer who had a powerful message for President Trump last week.
New research is literally testing the waters to see if post-harvest fields offer an untapped profit opportunity for farmers.
Farmers need to be prepared to pay substantially more for their coverage in 2026, unless Congress acts now to address the impending price surge.
Record corn exports are tightening stocks and lifting prices, but long-term strength depends on expanding domestic demand. Could year-round E15 overcome legislative hurdles in Washington and change the market trajectory?
Commodity prices have not kept pace with rising costs, leaving many row crop growers struggling to keep their operations on positive footing headed into the new year.
During Monday’s roundtable with farmers, Trump said he’ll cut environmental requirements on tractors and other farm equipment, pushing manufacturers to lower prices and make machines simpler to operate and repair.
USDA will deliver $11 billion in one-time bridge payments to help farmers offset 2025 trade disruptions and rising costs. Eligible producers must verify 2025 acreage reports by Dec. 19, with payments expected by Feb. 28, 2026.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says China is making progress on its commitment to buy U.S. soybeans, hitting the “correct cadence,” with purchases expected to wrap by February 2026 — underscoring ongoing trade commitments and support for farmers.
Paul Neiffer provides an update on SDRP as well as ARC-PLC payments. Plus, are you aware the IRS has released guidance on new bank loan interest deductions? The Farm CPA gives a quick overview of that opportunity, too.
USDA’s Brooke Rollins says the financial details will be unveiled next week. Some groups estimate payments could total in the neighborhood of $12 billion. “There’s people that can really use them. Everyone can use them…but we’re not getting real solutions,” says one Iowa farmer.
China’s pledge to buy 12 MMT of U.S. soybeans is facing questions over timing, storage capacity and price competitiveness, leaving markets uncertain whether the full promise can be met before year-end.
Going into the final weeks of the year, many growers across the country are shouldering significant financial strain from land rent payments, rising input costs, and efforts to stay in business and viable until commodity prices improve.
Is EPA Reversing Course on RFS Proposal? Agency Pushes Back on Rumors as Ag Sector Awaits Final Rule
EPA’s frustration was on full display when asked about a media report suggesting the administration is considering delaying proposed cuts to incentives for imported biofuels — a key piece of EPA’s June proposal that was intended to prioritize domestic production.
USDA Under Secretary Richard Fordyce says USDA’s new phase of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program expands eligibility, requires in-person enrollment and targets losses from the 2023 and 2024 weather disasters.
In an exclusive interview, EPA Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi says EPA’s new WOTUS definition fully reflects the Sackett ruling, simplifies compliance and delivers the certainty farmers have been demanding for years.
The change reverses part of a July trade action that had imposed elevated import duties on multiple categories of Brazilian goods and is the latest effort by the Trump administration to bring grocery prices down.
The companion piece to the Senate’s Fertilizer Research Act of 2025 has the same, ultimate goal: to provide U.S. farmers with more clarity on the pricing of crop nutrients, lawmakers say.
Farmers who suffered losses from natural disasters that occurred in calendar years 2023 and 2024 can sign up for the aid. It is also available to farmers participating in the On-Farm Storage Loss Program and the Milk Loss Program.
Ag products not grown or produced enough in the U.S.—including coffee, fruit and some fertilizers—are being removed from Trump’s reciprocal tariff list. The move also lifts tariffs on one major ag import: beef.