Policy
The April Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor found most agricultural economists think it could be 2026 before we see Congress final pass a new bill. One reason why is the fact Congress passed $10 billion in ECAP payments late last year.
While 56% of farmers say they believe the ongoing trade disputes with China and other countries will hurt them financially this year, 70% say they believe the U.S. and agriculture specifically will benefit in the long-term.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins testified in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, fielding questions on everything from USDA’s bold budget cuts and frozen funding to the fate of the nearly $21 billion in disaster aid.
The agency plans to cut staff to Reagan administration levels and shift research to office run by political appointees. Advocacy groups are concerned about scientific independence.
Accounting for about 15% of USDA’s total workforce and representing FSA, NRCS, FSIS, APHIS and other departments, 3,877 staff signed contracts in February for the first deferred resignation program and 11,305 in the second round in April.
The stakes are high with the latest trade war. While the risks of losing more market share into China are a concern, the upside potential of a trade deal with China could be monumental.
Agriculture is an export dependent business. At peak uncertainty, the industry could go either way: Gain ground with new trade deals or take a big hit as exports further decline.
Dozens of speakers told EPA and the Corps that ag has borne the brunt of unclear, inconsistent regulations for too long.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joined Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins on a tour of Texas, including a stop at a family farm. USDA says the trip focused on food security and learning how farmers are working to make America healthy again.
Following the announcement that criminal charges against Charles and Heather Maude were being dropped, USDA asks any other individuals or businesses to submit their concerns and experiences so the agency can address their situation.
U.S. officials and lawmakers have complained that Mexico’s failure to meet its obligations under the treaty is harming Texas farmers. Mexico has argued that it is under drought conditions that have strained the country’s water resources.
John Block shares an insider’s perspective on the challenges faced by farmers and policymakers alike.
Before the White House’s 90-day pause on higher tariffs for other countries expires on July 9, India is one country rushing to negotiate a trade deal with the U.S.
A new report from Bloomberg Law shows family farm bankruptcies had already increased by 55% last year compared to 2023, and to start 2025, the number of bankruptcies is already exceeding the same time last year.
The administration created a “top 10 list” that includes the fishing industry, agricultural land deforestation in Brazil that impacts beef and soy production and Mexican avocados produced on illegally deforested lands.
The original proposal would have resulted in millions of dollars of fees per vessel, thus lowering commodity prices. The revisions, however, have some key exemptions that are net positive for U.S. agriculture.
Growers are grappling with a second consecutive year of waning demand and no home for their grapes. The issue is complex with non-tariff trade barriers hitting the wine industry especially hard and a flood of imports that are creating cheap wine with which U.S. grape growers can’t compete.
Ocean shipping transports about 80% of global trade — from coal and corn to bananas and cement. The revisions tackle major concerns from the global maritime industry that feared virtually every cargo carrier could face steep, stacking fees.
On a recent trade mission to Vietnam, South Dakota farmers found out the tariffs being proposed by the Trump administration are a huge concern for exporters.
Soybeans and cotton are currently taking the brunt of Trump’s still-developing trade policies, and one ag economist thinks its still too early to tell how the situation will impact renewable fuels and land ownership.
The initial round of ECAP payments will only amount to 85% of the per-acre payment to ensure enough funding is available for all farmers who sign up for the program.
On her list of issues to tackle, says Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, is deciding if farmers will need another round of assistance payments later this year and if USDA headquarters should be relocated.
The tit-for-tat on tariffs between the U.S. and China continues, with China announcing on Friday a new rate of 125%, which is up from the 84% announced earlier this week. That pushes the tariff on U.S. pork and pork variety meat to 172%. The new soybean tariff is more than 150%.
Although vague, Trump’s comments during his Cabinet meeting are the most detailed the administration has provided on the fate of farmworkers without legal status — who make up half the farm sector’s workforce — under his plan for mass deportations.
Kurt Kovarik, vice president of federal affairs, Clean Fuels Alliance America, says it is a historic agreement.
After China retaliated with its own tariffs, the U.S. said on Tuesday that 104% duties on imports from China would take effect shortly after midnight, even as the Trump administration moved to quickly start talks with other trading partners targeted by Trump’s sweeping tariff plan.
The senior senator from Iowa is renewing a long-standing legislative effort to wrestle back authority on trade deals and tariffs from the executive branch.
The 34% reciprocal tariff announced by China on Friday is in addition to the original 20% retaliatory tariff China issued in March, which targeted 15 products including beef, cotton, grain sorghum, pork, corn, dairy and fresh fruit.
Of all the directions President Trump could have gone on “Liberation Day,” Canadian Shaun Haney says it was a real win for Canada and a step closer to Canada, Mexico and the U.S. being more entrenched than ever before when it comes to trade.
Farmers and farm groups have mixed reactions and lingering questions following President Trump’s announcement of sweeping reciprocal tariffs. Will farmers receive aid to offset tariff impact? How will U.S. trading partners react?