POLICY

Kicked Out of the Farm Bill: What's Next for E15?

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 21:49:31 GMT

When Congress returns from recess May 12, advocates hope E15 will get another chance in Washington. The measure was removed from the Farm Bill Wednesday following heated debates.

Legislation to allow year-round, nationwide E15 sales is now moving forward as a standalone bill. If the bill passes the House, it will likely be reintegrated into the broader Farm Bill.

The push for E15 has been a long-fought political struggle. However, Washington insiders believe the odds of passage are currently high. This is due in part to a renewed focus on biofuels and domestic energy security following recent global conflicts.

A Critical Vote on the Horizon

Industry leaders remain optimistic about the upcoming legislative schedule. Troy Bredenkamp, Senior Vice President of Government & Public Affairs for the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), expects movement soon.

“I believe we will get our vote on the E15 measure on May 13. So things are still on track,” Bredenkamp says.

Despite the momentum, many farmers remain cautiously optimistic. The industry has seen similar measures fail at the finish line several times before.

“I mean, we get it right to the edge and then and then off it goes again. So, it’s been extremely frustrating,” Brent Johnson, president of the Iowa Farm Bureau says.

Reaching a Compromise

To advance the bill, an E15 task force consisting of refining and ethanol interests reached a compromise. The deal provides exemptions for the smallest refiners regarding blending obligations under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS).

Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the RFA, explained the criteria for these exemptions: “If you can prove to EPA that you are at imminent risk of closure, and you can make that disclosure publicly, and you can show that the reason that you’re at risk of closure is the RFS itself, then you can have access to a capped amount of exempted volume.”

Additionally, a provision was added for other small refineries facing emergencies. This includes a 150 million RIN category they can tap into if they face an imminent threat of closure.

Economic and Environmental Impact

The industry is confident that these compromises will secure enough support for passage. Bredenkamp noted that the coalition of support is broad and bipartisan.

“We are probably three to one, almost four to one, support versus opposed to the E15 measure. We have over 60, almost 70, Democrats that are in support. So I think we can more than offset the amount of Freedom Caucus Republicans that may be in opposition to this,” Bredenkamp says.

While E15 remains voluntary, proponents say it will significantly boost corn demand. Bredenkamp estimates a massive shift in the market over the next several years.

“Within five years, you can move E10 to E15. That’s an additional 7 billion gallons of ethanol demand. That’s going to be an additional two-plus billion bushels of corn grind that is going to be needed,” he noted.

For farmers and consumers, the benefits are clear. Beyond market demand, the move is seen as a win for the environment and the American wallet.

“To, you know, help increase production, lower fuel costs for every consumer out there and really to start to take care of ourselves more domestically when it comes to our our fuels and it’s cleaner for the environment and it’s, I mean there’s just so many positives about it. It’s frustrating that the politics gets in the way,” Johnson says.

“E15, with the kind of production that we have the ability to do, it’s time to get it done,” adds Tim Recker, a farmer in Northeast Iowa.

House Passes 2026 Farm Bill: The Impact on U.S. Farmers

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:22:57 GMT

With a bipartisan vote of 224-200, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7567 , the bipartisan Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, on April 30. In addition to extensive updates to food and agriculture programs in a budget-neutral package, this vote marks the farthest a farm bill has made it in Congress since the most recent reauthorization was signed into law in 2018.

After a series of floor debates and last-minute amendments, the bill now moves to the Senate with some notable changes, including:

Year-round E15 sales removed from bill to be voted on in two weeks
Late amendment includes language to strengthen the domestic supply of fertilizer
Pesticide liability protections were stripped from the bill

My amendment passed! Pesticide liability protections have been stripped from the farm bill. 🔥⚔️🔥
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) April 30, 2026

“Working in Congress on behalf of our nation’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities is an honor — even when the work requires debating the farm bill through the night,” says House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15). “I can think of no more important work than championing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, and I am extremely pleased to see this bill pass out of the House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan vote.”

With a vote of 14 Democrats in favor, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 obtained the highest number of votes from the minority party on a House farm bill since 2008. Similarly, with over 96% of the GOP Conference voting in favor, this is the highest level of Republican support for a House farm bill in history, affirming the commitment of House Republicans to rural America.

“I especially want to thank all parties who were involved in the negotiations that allowed the farm bill to proceed to the floor and secure a future vote on year-round E15,” Thompson says. “Members of the Biofuels Caucus are tireless champions for rural America, and I look forward to joining them May 13 in advancing that important legislation.”

Swift Senate Action Needed

As the bill heads to the Senate for debate, Thompson reinforces that “farm country needs updated policy” that reflects current challenges in U.S. agriculture.

“The 2026 farm bill fills that gap,” Thompson says. “I look forward to seeing Chairman Boozman and the Senate make progress on this important legislation so we can get the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 sent to President Trump’s desk as soon as possible.”

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, along with all of the Democrats on the committee, says the committee looks forward to working with Senate Republicans on a bipartisan Farm Bill that can be successful on the Senate floor.

“We have been clear that the Farm Bill must address the needs of American farmers and families,” Klobuchar says. “With a five-year high in small farm bankruptcies, the Farm Bill must address rising input costs, provide new opportunities for domestic markets, and fight for a trade agenda that works for everyone. Senate Democrats are committed to ensuring all states are treated equally by delaying the new SNAP cost shifts and addressing the needs of farm country.”

Pesticide Amendment Passes

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s (R-Fla.) highly debated bill passed the House, stripping the farm bill of pesticide liability provisions. Before the amendment, the bill’s original language reaffirmed EPA as the sole agency capable of determining the information listed on a pesticide label. Critics, including Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) advocates, worried the language would shield pesticide manufacturers from liability claims.

D.C. consultant Callie Eideberg, with the Vogel Group, saysthe provision’s controversy means the bill will likely have an uncertain future moving forward.

“This means that pesticide companies, the chemical companies, are now still going to be dealing with the status quo, dealing with different requirements from different states,” Eideberg says.

In a post on X, Rep. Luna reaffirmed her disapproval of glyphosate and other pesticides.

“I do not support giving blanket immunity to corporations at the expense of American families. Pesticides are linked to a 30% increase in childhood cancer and over 170 studies corroborate the evidence,” Luna says.

In a press release following the bill’s approval in the lower chamber, the Modern Ag Alliance, a group backed by chemical company Bayer and over 100 agriculture companies wrote, “Today, the House turned its back on the farmers who feed, fuel and clothe this country. By gutting common-sense crop protection provisions from the farm bill, lawmakers caved to anti-science MAHA activists instead of standing with those who grow our food.”

Iowa farmer Mark Jackson says it is “unfortunate” Congress could not give farmers support for chemical weed control products. Jackson said farmers should be allowed the “freedom to farm” and said glyphosate’s scientific approval process, and the product’s 50-year registration history make it a credible product for farmers to use.

“I think we need to rally around science, follow the science,” he adds.

Eideberg says as the bill moves to the Senate, the MAHA movement could continue to influence debates. She believes the smaller body of the Senate will bring a different dynamic to the issue.

“I think we’re going to see those MAHA influencers feeling very emboldened by this win today and pushing even harder in the Senate to get more of what they’re looking for,” she says.

Farmers Praise Passage of Farm Bill
Ohio farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower says USDA programs are important to the success of corn farmers and rural communities, particularly as growers face their fourth year of net losses and struggle with high input costs.

“We look forward to working with our allies in Congress over the next two weeks to secure passage of the E15 legislation,” Bower says. “Thanks to continued efforts on this issue from our biofuel champions, Speaker Johnson promised a vote on E15, and we refuse to allow a handful of multi-million and multi-billion-dollar energy companies to derail our efforts. Allowing the year-round sale of E15 would help our growers by expanding ethanol sales while also saving consumers money at the pump at a time when fuel prices are on the rise.”

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is looking forward to the Senate taking up the farm bill without delay as farmers face unprecedented challenges.

“The House-passed 2026 Farm Bill supports the farm safety net, preserves existing conservation programs that include opportunities for dairy and livestock producers, bolsters trade promotion programs while protecting common food names, recognizes the important role of dairy in nutrition, and supports animal health programs,” said NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud. “All of these are important priorities to dairy farmers and the broader industry, and we appreciate the leadership shown by House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson and other dairy champions to get this legislation through the House.”

U.S. pork producers are praising a very significant section that provides “much-needed relief from the misguided California Proposition 12 ” in addition to expanding the Animal Health Protection Act to include improving animal disease traceability and requiring thorough documentation on USDA’s ability to protect producers from significant economic losses due to a foreign animal disease outbreak.

Prop. 12 is creating uncertainty for pork producers and raising costs across the supply chain. Congress has a role to restore regulatory clarity.

It’s time for a fix. #FixProp12

🎥 Video credit: @HouseAgGOP pic.twitter.com/lkAmG1bmAw
— NPPC (@NPPC) April 30, 2026

“Today’s House farm bill passage is a testament to the power of rural America when we stand up for our farms and future generations with a unified voice,” said Rob Brenneman, National Pork Producers Council president and pork producer from Washington County, Iowa. “We wholeheartedly thank our champions—House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson, Rep. Ashley Hinson, and others—for not backing down from the fight for what is right for rural America. He and congressional supporters on both sides of the aisle heard our plea to help America’s pork producers.”

Eideburg points out that opposition to the farm bill pork provisions in the House are coming from several fronts.

“First, it’s coming from animal welfare groups that want to see those requirements in place,” she says. “We want to see minimum standard requirements for gestation rates. This other opposition is coming from companies and farmers who have already complied with Prop 12 and they don’t want that requirement removed because then they are going to be a) at a competitive disadvantage and b) out a ton of capital investment that they made on their to comply.”

The bill reflects many of wheat farmers’ top priorities from modernizing farm credit and safeguarding international food aid programs to enhancing export competitiveness, says National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President Jamie Kres.

“These provisions will help ensure America’s wheat farmers can remain resilient and globally competitive,” Kres says.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane appreciates how Thompson and House leadership took the time to listen to real farmers and ranchers.

“Instead of caving to attacks on the livestock industry from shell activist groups that impersonate real producers, a bipartisan group of lawmakers advanced a bill that will provide certainty and important policy fixes for cattle country,” Lane says. “We look forward to engaging with the Senate to advance this farm bill to the president’s desk.”

Industry Says This Farm Bill is Needed Now

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) CEO Ted McKinney says this legislation supports farmers, ranchers and consumers while providing economic growth opportunities for rural communities. H.R. 7567 prioritizes provisions that strengthen local food purchasing programs, enhance international market opportunities, reauthorize the three-legged stool for foreign animal disease prevention and preserve the viability of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

The American Veterinary Medical Association says the inclusion of the Healthy Dog Importation Act is just one of the many key veterinary provisions they applaud in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. This would improve importation standards to ensure a dog is healthy when imported into the U.S., which is especially important considering New World screwworm in Mexico continues to move closer to the U.S. border.

“The AVMA applauds the House for advancing a Farm Bill that will strengthen dog importation standards, fund and assess federal programs vital to veterinary medicine, and protect the country’s animal and public health,” says Dr. Michael Q. Bailey, AVMA president. “Enacting the Farm Bill is essential to advancing research into effective recruitment and retention strategies for veterinarians serving in rural and underserved communities. With the legislation now moving to the Senate for consideration, we look forward to working further with Congress and will continue to underscore the importance of including veterinary priorities in the final version of the Farm Bill.”

Now, Not Tomorrow

After voting in support of the bill, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) says, “Rural America needs a new Farm Bill now, not tomorrow. With today’s passage of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, House Republicans have once again reaffirmed our commitment to American agriculture and delivered for hardworking growers and producers.”

Eideburg says funding for SNAP program will likely be a major fight in the Senate. The “One Big Beautiful Bill” shifted some costs within the program to state governments. She says the funding restructure and the combined potential vote to ban soda from SNAP could cause tension in the upper chamber.

She also says year-round E15 provisions, which were taken from the farm bill and punted for a vote in the House next week, could see as much opposition in the Senate.

“This really is a big hurdle to get E15, year-round E15 over the line.”

The State of Global Fertilizer Markets-Fragile

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 01:20:44 GMT

About two years, I wrote a blog that looked at the level of concentration in global fertilizer markets, and how that matter was drawing the serious scrutiny of U.S. policymakers for the first time ( https://www.agweb.com/opinion/concerns-grow-over-concentration-u-s-and-global-fertilizer-markets ). That blog came about a year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which disrupted global fertilizer trade due to sanctions being placed on Russia and its close ally, Belarus. Prices had fallen considerably since their peak immediately after the invasion, but were still somewhat elevated.

Fast forward to April 2026, where we again see global fertilizer trade flows (and prices) disrupted by conflict. Shortly after the joint U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran in late February, that country retaliated by imposing restrictions on ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The impact on global oil, natural gas, and gasoline prices of that action was almost immediate. The Brent crude oil price was about $63 per barrel on February 27, 2026, and jumped to as high as $113 per barrel on March 20, though that price has fallen somewhat over the last few weeks with the uneasy ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran that is currently in place.

What was less well known to the general public at the time was the important share of global fertilizer trade, particularly nitrogen-based products, that also typically moves through the Strait of Hormuz. In recent decades, starting in the mid-1970’s, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman have become significant exporters of nitrogen fertilizers, due to the low cost of natural gas being captured at their oil extraction and processing fertilizers. Prior to establishing this industry, those countries simply flared their natural gas into the atmosphere as a waste product, which contributed to greenhouse gas emissions. Since natural gas as the main feedstock for this product accounts for between 70 and 90 percent of the cost of producing nitrogen fertilizer, these Middle Eastern countries have become strong competitors in the global market in recent decades and now account for about 35 percent of urea (a liquid form of nitrogen fertilizer) being traded globally.

Not only has the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz shut down a significant share of nitrogen fertilizer trade for the past seven weeks, some of the manufacturing facilities making the fertilizer have been shut down or even damaged by Iranian missile or drone attacks. Even if the war ends in the next few weeks, it will take some time for production and delivery of nitrogen fertilizer from this region to resume normal trade flows.

While U.S. crop farmers are not as reliant on fertilizer imports from the Middle East as other parts of the world, such as Asia (including India), Brazil, and much of Africa, fertilizer products are priced at the global level and U.S. farmers are now facing prices that are as much as 50-70 percent higher than they were two months ago. While Agriculture Secretary Rollins asserted publicly a few weeks ago that 80 percent of U.S. crop farmers had pre-purchased their fertilizer products, the actual picture is far more nuanced. According to a survey conducted earlier this month by the American Farm Bureau Federation, they found that 70 percent of respondents indicated they could not now afford all the fertilizer they will need this year. The percentage of farmers who had pre-purchased their fertilizer varied considerably by region, at 67 percent in the Midwest but at less than half that rate in the Northeast and the West.

After shutting down most of the antitrust investigations into the agricultural sector that had been initiated during the Biden administration, Trump’s DOJ has recently shown renewed interest in this area, first within the meatpacking sector and more recently looking at potential concentration problems and antitrust activity within the fertilizer sector. In addition, in recent weeks, USDA officials have reportedly met with major fertilizer manufacturers, trying to convince them to hold down price increases in the United States. It is not clear how long it would take for any of these steps to generate meaningful price relief for fertilizer users.

About five years ago, the U.S. government imposed a nearly 20 percent countervailing duty on imports of phosphate fertilizers from Morocco, after determining that Moroccan exporters used unfair trading practices. Although the prices of phosphate and potash fertilizer products have not spiked as much in recent months as have nitrogen fertilizers, U.S. farm groups have seized upon the current 5-year sunset review to urge the government to withdraw that CVD on phosphate fertilizers to reduce input costs for farmers. However, the original initiators of that case, the Mosaic company and Simplot, favor keeping the CVD in place.

Farmers do have some options to reduce their fertilizer costs for this crop year. The easiest would be to simply apply a lower rate of fertilizer per acre, but the downside of this option would be the risk of lower yields. Other options would include adoption of split fertilizer applications, which prescribes applying fertilizer multiple times during the growing season to better match availability with plant demand, or expanded use of biological products such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which help fertilizer function more efficiently. Another option is to plan oilseed crops rather than grain crops, which require less use of nitrogen fertilizer. The Perspective Plantings report issued by USDA on March 31 projected that 4 million fewer acres of corn would be planted in the 2026/27 crop year than in last year, switching over to more planting of soybean acres. If fertilizer prices remain high as spring planting proceeds in the Midwest, more acres could shift from corn to soybeans over the next several weeks.

It appears that USDA will be announcing a plan sometime this week to use resources from tariffs collected on U.S. imports over the past year, up to tens of billions of dollars, in an apparent effort to ‘re-shore’ fertilizer production in the United States. Details of this plan are not yet available.

Can Congress Pass a New Farm Bill in 2026?

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:23:33 GMT

On December 20, 2018, President Trump signed the Agricultural Improvement Act, commonly known as the 2018 farm bill. Like most recent farm bills, it was scheduled to expire in five years, on September 30, 2023. No new farm bill was enacted at that time, and Congress Has had to extend the authority of the 2018 farm bill three different times, not just for fiscal 2024, but also for the following two fiscal years in subsequent legislation.

It has not been unusual in recent decades for Congress to take more than one year to complete a farm bill. In fact, until the 2018 farm bill, that full legislative process, starting with Agriculture Committee hearings and ending when the bill is signed into law, had lasted for one year or more the previous four farm bills, due to delays for a variety of factors, including figuring out to cut funding to generate budget savings (in 1996 and 2014) or how to obtain new funds to address farm policy concerns of stakeholder organizations (2002 and 2008).

The current process has gone on for more than three full years, with Congressional hearings held in both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees in advance of anticipated legislative action as early as the spring of 2022. In April 2022, the Senate Agriculture Committee held a field hearing in Michigan (the home state of the then-Committee chair, Senator Debbie Stabenow), to start to document farmer feedback on the previous farm bill. The House Agriculture Committee held its first hearing nearly a month earlier, in March 2022, although after Republicans took over control of the House of Representatives in the 2022 mid-term elections, the new Chairman Glenn Thompson (R, PA) basically restarted the hearing process from scratch in early 2023.

The House Agriculture Committee was able to report a bill out of Committee in the spring of 2024, but never attained the next step of having that bill debated on the floor of the House by the end of the 118th Congress. The Senate Agriculture Committee didn’t even get that far, their activity limited to the chair and ranking member putting out dueling farm bill frameworks late in 2024, but no formal committee action was taken. Bitter partisan disagreements over how to generate additional funding to address improvements to the farm safety net as urgently sought by farm stakeholder groups was the main reason for the ongoing stalemate in 2023 and 2024.

In 2025, the Republican majorities in both the U.S. House and Senate enacted legislation under the Congressional budget reconciliation process, officially called the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ (OBBB), which included a number of legislative items that are normally included in traditional farm bills. These were provisions that made changes to existing nutrition and conservation programs that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) determined would save approximately $190 billion over ten years, of which about $65 billion was retained within farm bill programs to bolster funding primarily for commodity, crop insurance, and disaster relief programs. Using this reconciliation process allowed the GOP majorities to pass the bill due to an exemption from Senate filibusters under Congressional rules. However, those same rules limited the extent to which the OBBB could encompass farm bill provisions not directly linked to federal spending. More details on the farm bill provisions included in this bill were covered in a blog I wrote in July 2025, shortly after the passage of that legislation (https://www.agweb.com/opinion/farm-bill-process-drags)

Early last month, the House Agriculture Committee again marked up and passed a farm bill, entitled ‘Food, Farm, and National Security Act of 2026’. Chairman Thompson has referred to this bill many times in public comments as a ‘skinny’ farm bill, although that does not qualify as a valid reference to its length, which clocks in at 802 pages. That adjective can be applied to its cost, however, which according to CBO, had a 10-year score of -$1 million in estimated outlays.

Lacking new resources from outside the Agriculture Committees, Chairman Thompson was not able to further augment spending on farm safety net programs beyond what was included in the ‘OBBB’ provisions last summer. Only four of the twelve titles included in the legislation had any mandatory scoring implications according to CBO, and that mainly consisting of diverting roughly $1 billion from the EQIP program in the conservation title, and using those savings for the following purposes:

Conservation title

• Establishes new forestry conservation easement program (estimated to cost $240 million over ten years)

• Provides funding for the Feral Swine Eradication program ($56 million)

• Expands eligibility and increasing the cost share for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP–$228 million)

Trade title

• Re-tasks funds provided for the new Agricultural Trade Promotion and Facilitation Program under ‘OBBB’ to augment existing trade promotion programs, such as MAP and FMD (no change in net funding)

• Gives the Secretary of Agriculture full authority over the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, which had no resources in it as of the end of FY25 ($70 million over five years)

Commodities title

• Expands eligibility for Tree Assistance Program ($5 million over five years)

Energy title

• Moves resources from the biorefinery program to the biobased products program (no net change in spending)

Other provisions included expanding loan limits on FSA loan programs, streamlining access to beginning farmer programs, establishing a rural childcare initiative, making purchase and use of precision agriculture applications eligible for cost-share in conservation programs, moving operation of the Food for Peace international assistance program from the now-dismantled USAID to USDA, and establishing limitations on states’ ability to impose production requirements on livestock producers as well as regulate pesticides.

Chairman Thompson has stated publicly that he has been assured by the House GOP leadership that his farm bill will get debate time on the floor later this spring, and the Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Senator John Boozman (R, AR), has committed publicly to marking up a farm bill in his committee ‘within weeks’. It remains to be seen whether these efforts will result in a new 2026 farm bill being enacted by the end of the year, as the 60-vote Senate filibuster threshold will be in effect for this legislation.

EU Progress Possible When Sound Science Used to Grow More Food

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 18:31:44 GMT

Europe has finally taken a step forward in crop technology. As it begins to accept the sound science of modern agriculture, it may allow struggling farmers like me to grow the food that my country and our continent needs.

Late last year, the European Union reached an agreement on how to regulate gene-edited plants. Rather than rejecting New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), as some activist groups had demanded, negotiators developed a system that will treat some plants as conventional crops while others will require special labels when sold as food.

They say that politics is the art of compromise and the NGT agreement looks like a great compromise. It marks the first time in more than two decades that Europe has allowed a new use of molecular biology in plant genetics.

As an Italian farmer who grows a rotation of maize, soybeans, wheat, and barley, I’m pleased by the news. For years, my fellow farmers and I have watched much of the rest of the world pass us by. They’ve embraced new technologies, including NGTs and their incredible promise, as European politicians and regulators have dawdled.

Now the EU has finally begun to act—and farmers can start to catch up, using sound science to grow more food on less land in a sustainable way.

European farmers need this boost. It’s getting harder for us to make ends meet.

As we’ve suffered from climate change, reduced farm support, and restrictions on crop-protection tools, we’ve lost our competitiveness in global markets. Europe is risking its ability to engage in staple food production.

Worst of all, our governments have prevented us from planting GMOs, which are openly accepted around the world. Farmers in North and South America and in other regions have watched their yields soar because they can grow safe crops that have a special ability to fight weeds, pests, and disease.

Here in Italy, however, I’m totally banned from planting GMOs. Last year, an outbreak of black cutworm ravaged my maize. These voracious pests damaged 50 hectares. I had to replant 25 hectares.

Farmers on the other side of the ocean don’t have to worry about such problems. They can grow crops that carry a genetic resistance to the black cutworm. Their governments have embraced sound science, empowering farmers to grow more food with fewer resources.

In Europe, however, GMOs are a taboo. We don’t even talk about them—not even the scientists who know they are safe. We’ve pushed them so far out of our conversations and even our minds that when the black cutworm was spoiling my fields, I had forgotten that GMOs already offer a solution.

The EU’s hostility to GMOs is simply incoherent. We import GMO crops all the time. We can feed our animals with them. We can even use them to produce the delicious food for which my country is so famous.

But I can’t grow them. It makes no sense.

So while I was hoping for good news on NGTs, I was ready for more disappointment.

To my delight, the EU’s rules on gene editing mark an important reversal. Instead of an unthinking rejection of something new, they open the door to progress. The rules impose more limits than I would like, but that’s the nature of compromise.

This is progress that holds the promise to help farmers.

We can’t take it for granted—nor can we assume the fight is over. The enemies of modern agriculture are determined. They will try to claw back what they think they’ve lost.

I remain optimistic.As a farmer, I believe we should focus more on the characteristics of a plant instead of the techniques applied. One day, I hope we will be able to evaluate a plant for taste, and nutritiousness, the safety they have and the lower amount of water and energy they require to grow.

We must use our voices as farmers to celebrate this breakthrough. We must speak up and let consumers know that gene-edited crops are safe. We must insist that our leaders make good on their new commitment. And we must push forward into a farming future that helps us all.

Marco Aurelio Pasti grows corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, sugar beets, potatoes, some wine grapes and walnuts. They also breed beef cattle and have a biogas plant for electricity production in the north-eastern part of Italy along the Adriatic coast.Marco is a member of the Global Farmer Network. www.globalfarmernetwork.org

Farmers Could See Increased Farm Program Payments With Eligibility Changes

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 01:27:12 GMT

The One Big Beautiful Bill changed eligibility requirements for farm programs, including ARC and PLC, which could increase payments for farmers, depending on their business entity. USDA is clarifying those eligibility requirements for farmers and qualified pass-through business entities.

The bill raised payment limits to $155,000, but new rules will allow for additional farm program payments, according to Richard Fordyce, USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation.

“The bill does allow for members of business entities, such as partnerships, S-Corps, LLCs, joint ventures, general partnerships and the like, to qualify for their own unique payment limit if that were to be the case, say for an ARC or ARC county or PLC payment.

This will allow more farmer-owners to receive farm program payments, says Paul Neiffer, Farm CPA.

“LLCs or any entity taxed as a partnership or an S-corporation, those entities are going to be treated the same as a general partnership. If you had four equal owners, you get four payment limits instead of one payment limit,” he explains.

Navigating Business Structure Changes

As a result, Neiffer says some farms are changing their business structure.

“As long as you’re under the AGI limit, switching from a C-corp, which is still going to be stuck with one payment limit, to an S-Corp will get you multiple payment limits, if you have multiple owners. I’ve told people that if you’re a general partnership, you do not want to be switching over to an LLC yet until we have confirmation on the AGI limits,” he says.

Fordyce clarifies that FSA offices will be allowing entity changes after June 1, so farmers can be eligible for any benefits for the 2026 crop.

The definition of “actively engaged” in farming is also changing.

“They are going to still need to be actively engaged, but in some cases with these business entities, the payment limits to multiple members was limited. This changes that,” Fordyce says.

Base Acre Updates and Implementation Timeline

USDA is also updating 30 million base acres, which will be allocated based on 2019 to 2023 plantings, but only for new acres.

Neiffer says this could also enhance payments.

“Right now, we have about 245 million base acres. If we add in 30 million, that’s about a 12% increase, and remember, you’re paid based on base acres. You’re not paid based on planted acres.”

He reminds farmers the changes start with the 2026 crop with payments going out in the fall of 2027.

It’s Time To Abolish the Jones Act

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 22:09:13 GMT

By Tim Burrack: Arlington, Iowa USA

Let’s stop trying to keep up with the Jones Act.

President Trump wisely suspended it last week for 60 days in response to surging fuel prices caused by the war in Iran. “This action will allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow freely to U.S. ports,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

I’m grateful for this temporary relief, which will help farmers like me as we move into planting season this spring. In just the last three weeks, my input costs have jumped by 20 percent.

The next step is obvious. The suspension of the Jones Act should continue for more than two months. It should go on forever. Let’s make it permanent. The time has come to repeal this costly and outdated law for the sake of all Americans.

Formally known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 , the Jones Act requires any vessel that transports goods between U.S. ports to be built in the United States, registered in the United States, and owned and crewed by Americans.

Perhaps that served a worthy purpose when President Woodrow Wilson signed it into law more than a century ago, when radios were a new technology. It may even sound patriotic. But it makes no sense in the 21st century’s world of international shipping and global supply chains. Today it’s a protectionist relic that increases the price everyone pays at gas pumps, grocery stores, and more.

It also leads to absurdity: To get around the Jones Act, gas refined in Texas and Louisiana often travels to the Bahamas before it goes to its true destination of California, according to the New York Post . This detour may add time and miles to the journey, but it’s more efficient than following the dictates of the Jones Act.

Advocates of the Jones Act always insist that the law is necessary for national security. How ironic, then, that President Trump has suspended it during Operation Epic Fury. This appears to be a national-security law that harms national security.

President Trump is by no means the first wartime president to suspend the Jones Act. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt waived it less than a week after Pearl Harbor. He knew that its strict rules on shipping made it harder for the United States to fight and win World War II.

The Jones Act also makes it more difficult for the United States to recover from natural disasters. President George W. Bush suspended it in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and President Barack Obama waived it in the wake of Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

President Trump followed their example in 2017, when he suspended the Jones Act after Hurricane Maria thrashed Puerto Rico, which of course is a U.S. territory. The late Sen. John McCain made a powerful case for Trump’s action: “It is unacceptable to force the people of Puerto Rico to pay at least twice as much for food, clean drinking water, supplies, and infrastructure due to Jones Act requirements.”

The suspensions of the Jones Act kept on coming. President Joe Biden waived it for fuel shipments on the eastern seaboard after a cyberattack shut down a major pipeline. He did it again in 2022, after Hurricane Fiona battered Puerto Rico.

And now we have a new suspension. It seems that whenever there’s a crisis that involves shipping vital natural resources, presidents suspend the Jones Act.

For years, I’ve been forced to pay for the Jones Act. Because of the way it inflates transportation costs, I spend more for the diesel fuel that powers my tractors, more for the fertilizer I use in my fields, and more for the shipments that deliver my harvest.

More, more, more: This hurts my bottom line. It also causes food inflation for consumers.

Abolishing the Jones Act shouldn’t take a war or a disaster. Times are always tough—and the last thing Americans need is another bad law that makes it harder to make ends meet. Today, it costs four times as much to build a ship in the United States than in South Korea .

We can wipe out these reckless costs to our economy. The legislation to end the Jones Act is ready.

Let’s stop trying to keep up with the Jones Act. Let’s get rid of it for good.

Tim Burrack raises corn and soybeans on a NE Iowa family farm.He is a founding member of the
Global Farmer Network. www.globalfarmernetwork.org

President Trump to Announce Actions to Help U.S. Farmers on Friday

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:33:25 GMT

President Donald Trump on Thursday said his administration will announce actions to help U.S. farmers on Friday, as the White House prepares to host hundreds of farmers, ranchers and executives for an event highlighting the agricultural sector.

.@POTUS Trump LOVES America's farmers and our farmers LOVE him back!!

Our Administration is working around the clock to to deliver real relief and boost the farm economy and make necessary long term structural changes to our trading relationship, putting our farmers first.… pic.twitter.com/bVGgdzFfna
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) March 26, 2026

The move comes as the administration is expected to release long-awaited biofuel blending quotas under the Renewable Fuel Standard, a policy closely watched by corn growers, ethanol producers and oil refiners that dictates how much renewable fuel must be mixed into the nation’s gasoline and diesel supply.

Reuters reported that the Trump administration will release its 2026-27 biofuel blending volume obligations this week, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The rule will not differ materially from volumes proposed by the EPA prior to the onset of the Iran war , the sources said.

Trump, speaking to reporters at a cabinet meeting on Thursday, said U.S. farmers had been mistreated by some countries and touted the multibillion-dollar bailout farmers received to help offset losses related to tariffs .

The biofuel decision ‌comes ⁠at a fraught moment for both the oil and farm sectors, with the White House balancing pressure from refiners worried about gasoline prices and farmers counting on stronger biofuel demand to support crop markets.

(Reporting by Steve Holland, Doina Chiacu and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Daphne Psaledakis and Caitlin Webber)

Growing Marijuana Legally—A Snapshot of a New Business Model

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 16:05:12 GMT

In the United States, marijuana is legal to grow and consume for recreational purposes in 24 states, and can be prescribed for medical purposes only in another 16 states. The main holdouts are in the South and a handful of Republican-dominated states in the Midwest and the West. California was the first state to authorize medical use of marijuana in 1996, and Colorado and Washington state were the first to legalize its use for recreational purposes in 2012.

Marijuana remains a Schedule 1 drug under federal law (the Controlled Substance Act of 1970), defined as possessing “a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use”. However, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) over recent years has chosen to not enforce this law in states where legalization has taken place, and the Trump Administration is now in the process of conducting a rulemaking to change marijuana’s status from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3, which would legalize the substance for medical use at the federal level and relax restrictions on research in this area. This step comes after President Trump issued an executive order on this subject last December. Legalization of marijuana for recreational use on a national basis would require Congress to modify existing law.

In 2022, it was estimated that nearly 18 million Americans used marijuana on a daily basis, a figure 20 percent higher than the estimated daily users of alcohol in this country. More than 60 million Americans reported using the drug at least once during the prior year, either as a joint for smoking or consuming THC-laced edible products such as brownies or gummies. The legal marijuana industry recorded revenues of more than $30 billion in 2024 in the United States, although this sector’s output is not included in official U.S. estimates of agricultural production value because of its current illegal status at the federal level. It is believed to be the sixth largest cash crop grown in the United States, just behind major row crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat, and cotton, as well as hay.

Last January, I had an opportunity to tour a facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico devoted to growing marijuana legally and producing a variety of THC-infused edibles and other products for direct sales to consumers. This tour was part of an event that Farm Foundation held in El Paso, TX. It has been legal for residents of New Mexico over the age of 21 to buy and consume such products since April 1, 2022, and this facility began growing its marijuana plants using a hydroponic system a few months in advance of that day so as to have product available when it became legal to sell.

The production of the marijuana crop occurs all indoors, in a facility formerly operated by the large agricultural cooperative Land O’Lakes that housed tens of thousands of egg-laying hens at any given time. The original owner was forced to shut down the facility several years ago due to persistent violations of state and local clean water laws. It was purchased by a family wanting to open up a ‘cannabis grow’ facility within the same premises, and named it the Baked Chicken Farm in recognition of its previous incarnation.

Since the plants are grown indoors under artificial light, this is essentially a year-round operation, and the owners have taken steps to ensure consistent quality and THC content by essentially growing cloned versions of plants of certified high quality cannabis strains, excluding male plants from the growing chambers so as to reduce the risk of diluting those strains.

In addition to the classic marijuana joints, the company manufactures a variety of other products that allow users to enjoy the THC experience legally. These include THC-laced beverages, hand-packed and dried cannabis flowers that allow users to roll their own joints or incorporate into other food products, cannabis concentrate products, THC-infused gummies of various flavors, and THC-infused sleep aids. They also have technicians who are constantly working on new ways to deliver THC to users.

The owner and manager of the facility, Tony Miller, was quite frank about some of the obstacles that his company faces. Although his products are legal to sell and consume in New Mexico, the facility is located within a few minutes drive of the state’s border with Texas, where marijuana use is still a violation of state law. If caught with two ounces or less of marijuana in Texas, users can be charged with a Class B misdemeanor, and subject to jail time of up to 6 months and $2,000 in fines if convicted. If vehicles containing his products are stopped and searched by federal agents at interior checkpoints, both the product and the vehicles may be subject to seizure.

Completion of the federal rulemaking shift for marijuana from a Schedule 1 to a Schedule 3 drug would be beneficial for Baked Chicken Farm (and other legal marijuana growers around the country) because it would make their financial transactions easier and less costly to conduct. Because of their crop’s ambiguous legal status, banks are able to charge these businesses relatively large fees to handle their banking activities (compared to other similar sized businesses), which Mr. Miller indicated would likely be reduced once this rulemaking process is finalized.

Mr. Miller acknowledged that his relatively new business has still not turned a profit, but believes that if some of the barriers described above are alleviated, that status would likely improve. The cannabis grow operation currently uses only a fraction of available space in the facility, but Mr. Wilson believes that a more favorable regulatory environment in the next few years would allow him to expand his operation, creating more jobs in Las Cruces, a town that was hurt financially by the closure of the Land O’Lake operation there, costing them a couple of hundred jobs.

House Ag Committee Starts Farm Bill Mark Up

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:24:40 GMT

The push to get a five-year farm bill has been renewed in the House Ag Committee as Chairman G.T. Thompson released language and mark up began on Tuesday.

One Big Beautiful Bill Omits Farm Bill Titles

While some question why a new long term farm bill is needed, a cross section of the nation’s farm groups explain the bill did not cover all the titles normal included in a long-term farm bill.

“We had a lot of the provisions of the farm bill that were included in the One Big Beautiful Bill — the increase in reference prices, some changes and improvements to crop insurance, etc. But there’s still some really important aspects of the farm bill that need to be passed,” says Steve Censky, chief executive officer of the American Soybean Association.

Sam Kieffer, chief executive officer of the National Association of Wheat Growers, points out the One Big Beautiful Bill did not touch the conservation title or reauthorize programs like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Nor did the legislation deal with credit or expand farm loan limits.

“It is time to give our folks some certainty when it comes to conservation programs, when it comes to credit. The cost of doing business is drastically different than it was in 2018. And the 2018 Farm Bill was based off of data from three, four years prior. So, we want to make sure that we improve the credit section of of the farm bill, get that finished,” Kieffer says.

Farm Safety Net Needed

Kieffer adds a farm bill is also needed to provide certainty to farmers and offer a farm safety net in times of negative margins.

“There’s three years of market loss that our growers are struggling with at the moment, and they’re making hard decisions. Some of them are reducing acres, some of them are letting land go and there’s a price to be paid for that as well,” Kieffer says.

House Ag Committee Language Includes Prop 12 Ag Labeling Uniformity Act

Chairman Thompson’s farm bill language includes a Ag Labeling Uniformity Act, which covers pesticide registrations, according to Censky.

“Which means that the EPA is going to have preeminence when they make a health and safety determination of a pesticide, a crop protection product. You can’t have a state adopt different rules,” Censky says.

The House language also includes a national fix to California’s strict Prop 12 sow production standards and the possible patchwork of rules in other states.

However, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) would lose around $1 billion in budget authority over the next four fiscal years under the House Agriculture Committee’s GOP farm bill draft, according to calculations by the Congressional Budget Office. EQIP was essentially used as a funding source for other priorities in the legislation.

Include Food for Peace Program

Kieffer says NAWG also wants Congress to move the Food for Peace Program to USDA in the language of the Farm Bill.

“USDA knows how to deal with farm commodities. USDA is already in the business of engaging in food aid programs globally. They have the infrastructure. They have the personnel and they understand agriculture. So, the farm bill that is ready to be moved in the house here soon has a provision that would include that,” Kieffer adds.

Senate Preparing for Farm Bill Mark Up

While the Senate Agriculture Committee has not released farm bill language or scheduled a mark-up, chairman John Boozman told Agri-Pulse his committee will take up a farm bill of its own in the coming months. Timing will be dependent in part on how debate over a House version proceeds.

Will Congress Pass a Farm Bill?

Still there’s uncertainty about the appetite for passage of a farm bill in Congress according to Tim Lust, chief executive officer of National Sorghum Producers.

“A lot of these details honestly have been negotiated for a year or two, and it’s maybe little tweaks to them, but a lot of the main things haven’t really changed. It’s a matter of how do we get that across the finish line and find a way to get it signed into law?” he says.

Farm Groups Say Increased Demand is the Solution to the Farm Economic Woes, Not Aid

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:47:37 GMT

After three years of low grain prices and low profitability, the nation’s commodity groups share a common priority for the year ahead: finding new demand sources, both internationally and at home.

While they are appreciative of recent farm aid, they want to get their income from the marketplace.

NCGA Pushes for Year-Round E15

For corn growers, that means securing year-round E15. Neil Caskey, CEO of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), says this is a vital tool for producers.

“This is going to be the most expensive corn crop in U.S. history. And so we’re looking for ways to keep them afloat,” Caskey says. “E15, in our opinion, is probably the easiest thing that Congress could do to signal that they understand our concern.”

Recent efforts to pass E15 failed. Additionally, a task force of biofuels and petroleum interests working on a compromise missed its February deadlines.

“I think that they’re starting to realize what we already knew. It takes a lot of time to find compromise on complex biofuels policy,” Caskey says.

Still, the group continues to push because its analysis indicates it will move the needle.

Caskey also says full implementation of E15 could eventually result in another 2.5 billion bushels of corn demand.

NCGA Backs USMCA Renewal

Caskey notes trade is the other critical demand component. This is why the renewal of USMCA is important, and NCGA supports a trilateral agreement.

“I think that we’ve got a really good deal in USMCA in its current form,” Caskey says. “So, I would urge the president and the administration to start there and extend that. And so that would certainly be our preference. But the single most important thing to us is ensuring that we maintain access to the Mexican and Canadian markets for U.S. corn.”

NAWG Also Backs USMCA

The nation’s wheat growers also support USMCA to boost exports. Sam Kieffer, CEO of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG), says the relationship with North American neighbors is vital.

“Mexico is the No. 1 export destination of U.S.-grown wheat,” Kieffer says. “So we certainly want to make sure we keep that relationship strong and going — and Canada’s a great partner as well.”

NAWG Asks for Food For Peace Certainty

Kieffer says while new trade deals are needed, they are also building markets through the Food for Peace Program. They want Congress to move the program to USDA as part of the farm bill.

“USDA knows how to deal with farm commodities. USDA is already in the business of engaging in food aid programs globally. They have the infrastructure, they have the personnel and they understand agriculture. So the farm bill that is ready to be moved in the House here soon has a provision that would include that,” Kieffer says.

And he says a long-term farm bill is needed to provide certainty to farmers and offer a safety net. They’re excited the House Ag Committee started its markup on March 2.

“The One Big Beautiful Bill did make some significant investments for the future, but there’s three years of market loss that our growers are struggling with at the moment, and they’re making hard decisions and some of them are reducing acres, some of them are letting land go and there’s a price to be paid for that as well,” Kieffer says.

Long-Term Trade Deal With China

For U.S. soybean producers, the trade relationship with China is critical. They are seeking a long-term agreement in writing when national leaders meet in April.

“We’re urging the Trump administration to make sure that we lock in, you know, a stable agreement with China,” says Steve Censky, chief executive officer for the American Soybean Association. “We had the 12 million metric ton commitment for this marketing year. We’d love to see that go up. If that went up by another 8 million tons, we would welcome that. And then of course there’s the commitment for 25 million metric tons for each of the next three years’ minimum purchase requirements.”

SCOTUS Tariff Ruling Presents No Threat

Censky’s not concerned with the Supreme Court striking down the IEEPA tariffs or that President Trump’s new tariffs will take away the leverage the U.S. has with China.

“The tariffs, of course, add to uncertainty in the whole trading relationship. But again, you know, I think the president talks about what a good relationship he has with President Xi, which is wonderful. And so we’re hoping, you know, that he will be able to have a deal with China that will be positive for soybean growers,” Censky says.

Diversifying Trade

While China imports more soybeans than the rest of the world combined, ASA is also looking at diversification of their exports.

“Trade remains so important to soybean farmers. We export over half of what we produce, and we’re still very much dependent on opening up foreign markets. So through the stabilizing, making sure that we’re keeping trade on a stable plane with China, is very important, but also opening up new markets is very important to us,” Censky says.

ASA Eyes Increased Biofuels

Increasing biofuels demand is also a top priority for ASA. The group is pleased the Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) moved to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) this week.

“EPA has proposed the highest volumes on record, and we want to make sure that in the final rule that’s adopted that those are brought home. Because that’s so important to soybean demand, soybean prices, but also the demand for the oil produced from soybeans. Over half of the oil that’s produced from soybeans goes into biofuels,” Censky says.

Censky says the EPA proposal for 5.6 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel would add 2 billion gallons to current levels.

“It would be over a 60% increase. We really think that in the previous RVOs that were set under the Biden administration, they really underestimated the capacity for us to produce,” Censky adds.

NSP Supports E15

The National Sorghum Producers (NSP) is also focused on biofuels, including E15. Tim Lust, CEO of NSP, says the industry needs an immediate boost.

“We need the demand now. With the softness in prices and profitability across all commodities, it’s something,” Lust says. “It’s one of the few things that we could do that would have an immediate impact that is good for farmers, good for demand, good for saving the government money.”

He says they hope Congress can find a legislative vehicle to move the policy forward soon.

“Obviously, we need a deal. We want a deal. Exactly how that goes is something that’s still got to be threaded through Congress. Nothing gets passed through Congress simply today,” Lust adds.

NSP Supports Trade

Sorghum producers are also looking to exports. While USMCA is key, they are also excited about new trade opportunities.

“From an international standpoint, where’s the trade opportunities and what’s that look like? [There are] a lot of new agreements going on. And so for our industry, it’s about that market access and long-term market access,” Lust says.

NSP is eyeing two of the world’s largest populations for the most immediate impact on sorghum demand.

“Most years we do about $1 billion worth of trade with China. So, it’s certainly a significant item. In the last about eight or nine weeks now, they’ve bought about 40 boats, and so certainly that’s very influential to our industry. One you know, the one with long-term potential for us is the India agreement, and sorghum being mentioned in there is important from a long-term [perspective],” Lust adds.

This industry-wide push for increased demand aims to secure better long-term prices for the nation’s grain producers.

Regulatory Nightmare: California Penalizes Trainer for Teaching Dogs to Avoid Rattlesnakes

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:59:48 GMT

Handcuffed, home searched by armed agents, and hauled to jail over training dogs to avoid rattlesnakes?

In a bureaucratic tangle, Jake Molieri, 27, has been taken to the brink of business ruin. Owner of SnakeOut, Molieri trains dogs to steer clear of native rattlesnakes. However, Molieri is in breach of California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) code because he uses live native rattlers and charges for his services.

“They shut me down in the name of regulations so contradictory their own officials can’t even make sense of them, but they’ll never admit it,” Molieri contends. “Logic doesn’t matter to them. Only the regulations matter.”

CDFW insists Molieri is an outlaw unless he either conducts training using non-native, albino rattlesnakes or charges no fee. Albinos or on the house, demands the state.

Molieri has drawn a line in the legal sand. In October 2025, repped by Pacific Legal Foundation, he sued CDFW for violations of the First and Fourteenth amendments. “I don’t want anyone else tossed in jail or to have their business at risk because they got caught up in the bureaucracy.”

The Hornet’s Nest
In August 2023, getting dressed and geared up at roughly 7 a.m. for a day of dog training in northern California’s Sacramento County, Molieri heard a knock on the front door.

On the stoop stood several armed CDFW officers, backed by a search warrant. “I’ll never forget opening the door to see a guy with a pistol on his waist. I was shocked. To this day, I can’t even remember how many guys were there. It was a blur and they searched for a couple of hours. They took my place apart, told me I couldn’t train dogs with rattlesnakes, and then left.”

CDFW declared Molieri’s training to be unlawful because he used live, native rattlers and charged for the training.

(Photo by SnakeOut)

“I didn’t hear anything from them for about a year and a half. I did everything I could to find out about what permits I needed and why I was apparently being prosecuted. I had a fantastic attorney, Kathy Raines, but basically, we heard nothing from CDFW.”

(Citing pending litigation, CDFW declined comment on all questions related to Molieri and SnakeOut.)

Molieri had unintentionally kicked a hornet’s nest. His crime? Training dogs in rattlesnake aversion—the bread-and-butter of his business. However, according to CDFW, he was an ecological outlaw.

Raised in the outdoors with a family heavily influenced by science and hunting, Molieri obtained a university degree in biology, and built SnakeOut , a one-man-show reptile removal business. Sacramento County is home to a host of wildlife, including an abundance of snakes—most notably Northern Pacific rattlesnakes, typically ranging as adults from 2.5’ to 4’ in length.

In response to heavy demand from farmers, landowners, and urban residents along city edges, Molieri advertised publicly and began teaching snake avoidance to canines. The training service was a massive hit.

“There’s a tremendous need for the service because of the emotional trauma to dogs and families. It can result in significant financial cost or even death.”

Molieri’s training utilizes live rattlesnakes to familiarize dogs with smells, sounds, and physical appearance of snakes, backed with a minimal vibration or static pulse via an electric collar. No harm to dog or snake. Molieri has trained 700-plus dogs, including police K-9 units. (Molieri also offers training sessions for children and families.)

“I never set out to sue anyone,” Molieri says. “But when the state goes overkill by searching my house, locking me in a cell, and making my business tough to operate, I’m left with no choice.”

(Photo by SnakeOut)

“We use live rattlesnakes and outfit them with a small muzzle. It’s a vital service. We teach the dogs basic avoidance and it’s the best equation for everyone with no harm to snakes or dogs. I’ve never been the only guy doing this type of training. Other companies do this and have been doing so for longer than I’ve been alive. But CDFW chose me to go after and almost ruined my life.”

Skin and Meat
It is legal to own up to two Northern Pacific rattlesnakes. It is illegal to commercialize Northern Pacific rattlesnakes. Thus, CDFW declared Molieri’s training to be unlawful because he used live, native rattlers and charged for the training.

“What the hell? That regulation is intended to keep people from catching dozens or hundreds of rattlesnakes and killing them for skin or meat or pets,” Molieri notes. “It’s got nothing to do with using a few snakes to train dogs and children on safety courses that ultimately help protect the snakes.”

(CDFW declined all questions related to SnakeOut litigation.)

Adding a layer of irony, CDFW told Molieri he could continue training and charging fees if he stopped using native rattlesnakes and switched to non-native albino rattlesnakes. In a nutshell, CDFW’s edict: Do it for free or do it with albinos.

“This is an appalling case of government overreach,” says PLF attorney Brandon Beyer. “I think it speaks to the American entrepreneurial spirit that you have this guy who’s grown up around reptiles, loved the outdoors his whole life, and found a way to help everyone involved.”

(Photo by SnakeOut)

Acquiring and caring for non-native albino rattlesnakes placed a financial burden on Molieri. Additionally, albinos are light-sensitive, significantly more dangerous to use in training, and not an assured substitute to teach dogs to avoid native Northern Pacific rattlesnakes.

“Training with native rattlesnakes and charging for the service was the heart of my business. That was how I made the bulk of my income,” Molieri explains. “But I tried my best to follow CDFW’s regulations.”

Facing business collapse, Molieri applied for a scientific collecting permit (SCP) in 2023, a 100-day wait (a mandatory timeline defined by state regs) to enable legal possession of native wildlife for educational use. However, even if he obtained the SCP, Molieri still was required by CDFW to either train dogs for free with native rattlers, or charge and use albino rattlers.

“The logic is beyond comprehension,” Molieri says. “No matter what I did, and no matter who I contacted at CDFW, every person had a different answer than the last person. Ask 10 people and get 10 different responses. The regulations are so senseless that CDFW’s own employees either produce different answers or have no answers at all.”

With no concrete boundaries regarding the regulations, no SCP permit issued, and Molieri’s SnakeOut business in limbo, state officials doubled down.

He was thrown in jail.

Snakes and Jumpsuits
Almost a year and a half after CDFW obtained a warrant and searched Molieri’s property, he arrived home in November 2024, to find two police officers waiting outside his residence. Bench warrant in hand, they told Molieri he’d missed his appointed court date.

Albinos or on the house, demands the state.

(Photo by SnakeOut)

Molieri was cuffed, arrested, and taken to Sacramento County Main Jail. “I had never received any notice, period, of a court date in way over a year since the search warrant. I’d heard nothing.”

“I asked the officers to just call my attorney, but they wouldn’t. They took my phone, put me in a car, and away we went, with nobody in my family having any idea I was arrested. It was insane. I told them, ‘Nothing ever came in the mail from USPS telling me about a court date; I never got any phone calls about court; and my attorney was never contacted.’ Didn’t matter what I said. They locked me up like a common criminal over rattlesnake aversion training. No wonder CDFW has such a hostile relationship with hunters and the outdoor community.”

Polo shirt and blue jeans atop a slim build, Molieri started a seven-hour stint beside outlaws in orange jumpsuits—repeat offenders incarcerated for robbery, assault, and drug dealing.

“The inmates were looking at me kind of curious and asking, ‘What are you in for?’”

“I’m here because of snakes. Snakes.”

The result? Facing four misdemeanors for reptile possession “violations,” from 2023, Molieri’s case was dropped. No criminal charges. Period.

“The district attorney dropped everything, but in so many ways, the stress was only just beginning,” Molieri says.

He was snared in the cogs of a bureaucratic machine that wasn’t about to let go.

Hitting the Gas
Legally, Molieri can own a Northern Pacific rattlesnake. By law, he can kill it, cook it, eat it, or turn its skin into a belt. But he can’t use the same snake to teach a paid class on safety for dogs and children. Such use is commercialization, according to CDFW.

“To CDFW, the facts don’t matter; logic doesn’t matter; reason doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is the regulatory book, no matter how tangled or outdated. If you challenge their regulations, they’ll hit the gas on you and go balls to the wall.”

“I don’t want anyone else tossed in jail or to have their business at risk because they got caught up in the bureaucracy,” Molieri says.

(Photo by SnakeOut)

“I’m providing a valuable service supported by farmers, conservationists, police officers, and homeowners that keeps harm away from dogs and snakes. But now I’m forced to use albinos and put my entire business in jeopardy. Why? CDFW’s regulations that they can’t even defend.”

In 2025, still not issued an SCP permit two years beyond CDFW’s mandated 100-day application process (per Molieri, CDFW claims to be “short-staffed”), Molieri took CDFW to court , represented by Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF), for a breach of the First and Fourteenth amendments.

“This is an appalling case of government overreach,” says PLF attorney Brandon Beyer. “I think it speaks to the American entrepreneurial spirit that you have this guy who’s grown up around reptiles, loved the outdoors his whole life, and found a way to help everyone involved.”

“Jake’s done everything the right way, but CDFW has doubled down behind the most confused and contradictory regulations. It’s been over two years and he hasn’t even gotten word about his SCP permit. Look at the absurdity of the state’s position: Do the training voluntarily or use albinos. None of that has anything to do with protecting wildlife.”

Molieri’s contentions regarding violations of his Fourteenth Amendment rights by CDFW are based on a denial of due process and a breach of equal protection. His claims of First Amendment violations stem from his inability to give information to people willing to pay for the knowledge.

“We want to reach the discovery process and ask CDFW, ‘Specifically, how do the regulations protect native wildlife and how has Jake not done that?’” says Beyer . “Confused regulations have consequences for business owners, particularly when they have irrational government interference around them. We want to vindicate Jake’s rights and allow him to provide these services and make a living out of protecting dogs and families from prevalent rattlesnakes across northern California.”

No Choice
CDFW doesn’t remove snakes. CDFW doesn’t train dogs in rattlesnake aversion.

“There are people in genuine need regarding snakes and safety, and who do they call? It’s not CDFW, it’s businesses like mine,” Molieri emphasizes. “We teach dogs to stay away from harm, and we save families a whole lot of anguish and expense, all while helping to protect the snakes themselves. Throughout this whole twisted story, if I hadn’t have had great attorneys, I might have a criminal record—all for training dogs illegally.”

“The state says that if I want to teach a little kid a few valuable facts about a native animal, or if I want to teach some dogs to stop touching a dangerous reptile that could kill them, that’s illegal by CDFW regulations, despite it being done for decades in California. It’s absurd.”

“I never set out to sue anyone,” Molieri adds. “But when the state goes overkill by searching my house, locking me in a cell, and making my business tough to operate, I’m left with no choice. And this should never happen again to anyone else.”

For more from Chris Bennett (@ChrisBennettMS or cbennett@farmjournal.com or 662-592-1106), see:

When Conservation Backfires: Landowner Defeats Feds in Mindboggling Private Property Case

Corn and Cocaine: Roger Reaves and the Most Incredible Farm Story Never Told

How the Deep State Tried, and Failed, to Crush an American Farmer

Game of Horns: Iowa Poacher’s Antler Addiction Leads to Historic Bust

Ghost Cattle: $650M Ponzi Rocks Livestock Industry, Money Still Missing

Why Did Chicago Public Schools Ban Pork?

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 23:43:52 GMT

UPDATE: Josh Maschhoff, current past president of the Illinois Pork Producers Association, is traveling to Chicago on Feb. 26 to address the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education. He will be calling for a formal review of the district’s pork prohibition impacting 630 schools that currently cannot serve pork at breakfast or lunch.

Of the 350,000 free meals served daily at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) through the Community Eligibility Provision, none include pork. Despite being a staple in Chicago households, an “illusive” vote during a virtual COVID-era board meeting quietly removed this nutrient-dense protein from the menu.

So why did CPS ban pork? That’s a mystery the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) is trying to solve.

“We found out in February 2025, really by accident, there is an all-pork ban at all the Chicago Public Schools in our state,” says Jennifer Tirey, IPPA executive director.

IPPA sent Illinois public school food service directors a new resource from the National Pork Board designed to help public schools prepare nutritious, tasty pork dishes for large audiences of people.

“We received a response back from the food service director at CPS,” Tirey says. “It said, ‘Well, thank you for this resource. However, we have a ban on pork and we can’t serve pork – not for breakfast, not for lunch. None of our meals can ever have pork in it.’”

According to the CPS School Wellness Policy , all menu items must be “pork-free.”

A Cultural Disconnect

That means 325,305 students across 634 schools are not allowed to have pork as an offering despite efforts to accommodate other religious, ethnic and personal beliefs of Chicago students.

A high demographic of CPS is Hispanic and African American – approximately 85% or 265,124 students. According to 2024-2025 data, 47.3% are Latino/Hispanic, 34.2% are Black/African American and 11.3% are White. Pork consumption is high among these groups in Chicago, according to data compiled by Numerator, with 79.6% of Hispanic households and 75.8% of African American households regularly consuming fresh pork.

“Those families probably don’t even realize that something they hold so culturally close to them is no longer accessible to their kids,” Tirey notes. “It’s not fair that their children cannot access this valuable protein.”

A Missed Opportunity

CPS participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and receives USDA Foods, which are provided to school districts at reduced or no cost to help meet federal nutrition requirements. Section 32 and Pork Eligibility Pork products are included in the USDA Section 32 purchasing program, which allows USDA to procure surplus and domestically produced agricultural commodities

“The district is unable to accept or serve USDA-provided pork, and CPS forgoes access to a nutrient-dense, high-quality protein available through federal procurement,” Tirey says. “On a weekly basis, CPS misses out on approximately $5.51 million in federal reimbursements because roughly 39% of students skip lunch and 56% skip breakfast.”

One of the major reasons kids skip meals is because they don’t like what is being served, Tirey points out. At a time when inflation is causing everyone to pull back on spending, can CPS afford not to take advantage of these opportunities to provide a high-quality protein to students?

“CPS’ long-term debt is over $9 billion as of June 30, 2025,” Tirey says. “CPS’s short-term debt is $450 million on top of that.”

Allowing pork within CPS meal planning could improve program flexibility and align with federal procurement systems already designed to help districts manage costs, she adds.

“For example, most people think of sausage as pork sausage,” Tirey says. “By swapping out a pork sausage patty for a beef sausage patty at breakfast alone, it would save CPS $1.2 million over 180 days.”

Nutrient-Dense Protein

CPS dietitians indicated to IPPA through emails they were unaware of the original reasoning behind the pork ban. Although religious accommodation was suggested as a possible basis, there is no evidence in the record this was ever a consideration. CPS routinely offers multiple entrée options.

“We met with CPS nutrition leadership to share that pork is a high-quality, nutrient-dense protein that is culturally relevant to CPS students while being affordable and operationally feasible,” Tirey says. “Despite initial openness to discussion, CPS later declined to pursue any consideration of pork menu offerings due to the existing CPS policy.”

The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued in January by USDA and Health and Human Services, emphasize the importance of adequate daily protein intake and encouraging consumption of nutrient-dense protein foods as part of healthy dietary patterns.

“Updated guidance reflects growing consensus that higher protein intake supports child growth, muscle development, satiety and overall health,” she says. “The guidelines recognize a range of animal and plant protein sources, including red meat — as appropriate components of a balanced diet when prepared and served in nutrient-dense forms.”

Pork qualifies as a nutrient-dense protein because it provides essential nutrients such as high-quality complete protein, iron, zinc and Vitamin B, including B12. It also provides choline, which is important for brain development in school-aged children.

According to a research article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America , high relative energy requirements for children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 years signify micronutrient density needs are below mean global nutrient density needs across all life stages for folate, zinc, and vitamins A and B12, though calcium density needs remain high to support skeletal growth. Entering puberty, adolescent girls ages 10 to 19 also show increased iron density needs (11% higher than the global mean).

Chicago Families Deserve a Choice

“Families should get to decide what works for their kids,” Tirey says. “We are asking for a policy review focused on choice and inclusion. Menus should reflect many cultures and preferences. Pork is a nutrient-dense protein option that is affordable and adds to a well-balanced meal that works within a school’s budget.”

IPPA is requesting the following action from the CPS Board:

Initiate a formal review of the Local School Wellness Policy provision prohibiting pork.
Direct staff to identify the original rationale and supporting documentation for the ban.
Consider input from nutrition experts, food service partners and community stakeholders.
Evaluate whether pilot programs or limited menu testing are appropriate.

What do parents want from school meals? According to Tirey, a mother of two, it starts with enough protein to keep kids full and focused and nutrients that support energy and learning. As a parent, she desires affordable options that don’t sacrifice quality. Most importantly, she wants meals kids will actually eat.

“Pork provides high-quality protein that helps kids stay full longer,” Tirey says. “Pork provides iron and B12 support brain development and energy, in addition to thiamin that is essential for growth and metabolism. In a time when school food budgets are stretched, pork provides an affordable option that doesn’t sacrifice nutrition.”

Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago), a former CPS student, is sponsoring SR 625 calling for CPS to review the ban along with Rep. Sonya Harper (D-Chicago), House Ag Chairwoman, who is sponsoring HR 625 . Both have districts that represent CPS.

The legislators say a policy review is warranted for five reasons: alignment with current nutrition science; cultural inclusion and equity; student choice and accommodation; fiscal responsibility and transparency; and governance.

(Photo by Taylor Flowe on Unsplash)

Inconclusive FOIA Requests

Since February 2025, IPPA has submitted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to CPS to find out why this policy was implemented. CPS declined to comment to Farm Journal’s PORK’s request for a response.

“The vote was made during a virtual board meeting, and the update to the wellness policy was voted on consent calendar,” Tirey explains. “There was no verbal discussion during that board meeting about that particular change. To be quite honest, a lot of the comments were about COVID and how to get students back to school. But in the middle of all that, this ban was implemented.”

The facts don’t add up. Even CPS board members haven’t been able to explain why there is a ban on pork, she says. Both FOIA requests filed with CPS came back with inconclusive findings.

“The last thing we want to do is approach an issue without having all the facts,” Tirey says. “What we are really hoping to find out is how we got to this point. At this juncture, we are working with the Illinois Attorney General’s office to help narrow our focus even further, because the second FOIA response said that the responses were too many for them to share because of the number of keywords.”

On Feb. 4, Tirey sent an email to every CPS Board of Education member regarding CPS’s policy that prohibits all pork products in school meals. Although IPPA was not selected through the lottery system to speak at the January board meeting, Tirey wanted to make sure the board was “aware of our position and concerns.” IPPA’s position statement can be found here on the CPS website.

IPPA will register again for the Feb. 26 meeting, of which five are in the lottery.

“We haven’t solved the issue yet,” Tirey says. “But I’m a pretty driven individual and I’m going to keep working until we get pork back on the menu in Chicago Public Schools.”

Life After DEF: What Rolling Back The Endangerment Finding Means for Farmers

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 04:33:25 GMT

EPA’s repeal of the endangerment finding could be the largest deregulation in history, and it will have a huge impact on agriculture and the biofuels industry.

If the agency no longer determines greenhouse gases a danger to human health and welfare, it will relax federal emissions standards for cars and trucks. However, it also changes emissions regulations on farm equipment and could get rid of the requirement to use diesel exhaust fluid.

So what will life be like after DEF?

Farmers Happy to See DEF Die

Dalton Kenning, a farmer in Shelton, Neb., says: “Taking DEF off the table, it would kind of just simplify things a little bit more.”

He explains it doesn’t help the engines in tractors, combines or semitrucks run any better.

“I think that’s why you’ve seen a lot of producers go away from it, whether that’s deleting something or, you know, because that machine’s built to run more efficient than without it,” Kenning says.

What Does it Mean for Equipment Manufacturers?

For equipment manufacturers, it will require a change in engineering and design on engines — but it’s easier than meeting the stricter Tier 5 requirements.

Brandon Montgomery, senior brand marketing manager at Fendt North America, says they will be ready.

“We had Tier 3 engines with DEF and without DEF for countries that don’t have that as a requirement,” Montgomery says. “So, we have the knowledge base how to do it.”

However, he says, they and all OEM manufacturers must comply with current and future EPA emissions standards. His company released this statement:

Fendt and AGCO are closely monitoring ongoing regulatory discussions related to emissions requirements. While Fendt has experience designing engines to meet a wide range of global regulations, the company has made no decisions regarding changes to North American products or retrofit offerings. AGCO and its brands, including Fendt, will continue to build machines that comply with all appropriate regulations in the markets they serve.

The company has produced engines in the past that were compliant without DEF, but doing it for the U.S. market again would require:

Various engine and vehicle architecture changes
Revalidation of hardware, software, and emissions systems
Full regulatory approval

He says it’s not possible to simply remove DEF components and expect the machine to operate properly or remain compliant with whatever EPA sets as the latest standard.

Retrofit for Older Machines?

Some farmers avoided DEF by buying older, used equipment. There may be some now who try to convert newer machines back so they don’t have to use DEF. It takes more than just changing the software, as most modern emissions systems are considered integrated ecosystems built around software, hardware, sensors and aftertreatment components. Then there’s the added costs of reegineering, testing and getting new regulatory approvals.

Overall, Montgomery says it’s possible but there are a lot of factors to consider. Can the industry go back to equipment without DEF? Yes, but it’s not simple.

Will it Lower Fertilizer Prices?

The other possible upside is the impact it could have on nitrogen fertilizer prices, according to Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer at StoneX.

“Obviously, a lot of nitrogen fertilizer is used to make this DEF product. The very, very long story short is, you do away with DEF, and that puts a lot of fertilizer back in the hands of the farmer who can go use that to grow our food,” he says.

He cautions that won’t happen overnight, but it could start to ease some of the supply and price pressure on nitrogen fertilizer products.

Linville says: “It’s not going to solve nitrogen. It’s very important to note that we will still ebb and flow with global pricing, but having more of that product not being put into this DEF marketplace means it’s more tons at home. It means we can disconnect longer. It means we don’t have to move to a premium quite as hard as what we normally would as we start moving in the spring.”

And more supply is a good thing.

Trump, Zeldin Announce 'Largest Deregulatory Action in U.S. History'

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 21:45:12 GMT

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the “single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history” alongside President Trump in the White House today.

EPA is eliminating both the 2009 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Endangerment Finding and all subsequent federal GHG emission standards for all vehicles and engines of model years 2012 to 2027 and beyond. The action also eliminates all off-cycle credits, including for the start-stop feature.

President Trump’s Day 1 Executive Order 14154 “Unleashing American Energy” tasked EPA with submitting recommendations on the legality and continuing applicability of this finding in the first 30 days of this term. On March 12, 2025, Zeldin announced that the agency was kicking off a formal reconsideration of the finding and resulting regulations. Zeldin formally announced the agency’s proposal to reconsider these actions on July 29, 2025.

“EPA’s historic move restores consumer choice, makes more affordable vehicles available for American families, and decreases the cost of living on all products by lowering the cost of trucks,” EPA said in a release .

Former President Barack Obama commented on X that because of the endangerment finding: “we’ll be less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change — all so the fossil fuel industry can make even more money.”

Today, the Trump administration repealed the endangerment finding: the ruling that served as the basis for limits on tailpipe emissions and power plant rules. Without it, we’ll be less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change — all so the fossil fuel industry can…
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) February 12, 2026

Saving Taxpayer Dollars
The administration says the final rule will save American taxpayers over $1.3 trillion in regulations, by removing the regulatory requirements to measure, report, certify and comply with federal GHG emission standards for motor vehicles, and repeals associated compliance programs, credit provisions, and reporting obligations that exist solely to support the vehicle GHG regulatory regime.

“Lee is also working on cleaning up the horrible situation with regard to farm equipment,” President Trump said. “You could use John Deere as an example and other companies where tractors are unbelievably expensive and don’t work as well because of all of the environmental nonsense that was put on them. But the people are going to be a beneficiary because the equipment is going to be a lot less expensive and most importantly it’s going to work much better.”

This major deregulatory process included ‘substantial public input and robust analysis’ of the law following the Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and West Virginia v. EPA. The agency held an extended 52-day public comment period, which included four days of virtual public hearings where more than 600 individuals testified. EPA received about 572,000 public comments on the proposed rule and made substantial updates to the final rule in response to comments.

“The Endangerment Finding has been the source of 16 years of consumer choice restrictions and trillions of dollars in hidden costs for Americans,” Zeldin said in a release. “Referred to by some as the ‘Holy Grail’ of the ‘climate change religion,’ the Endangerment Finding is now eliminated. The Trump EPA is strictly following the letter of the law, returning commonsense to policy, delivering consumer choice to Americans and advancing the American Dream.”

Affordable vehicle ownership is essential to the American Dream and a primary driver of economic mobility out of poverty in the U.S., the Agency explained. This action will result in average cost savings of over $2,400 per vehicle.

“As EPA Administrator, I am proud to deliver the single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history on behalf of American taxpayers and consumers,” Zeldin said. “As an added bonus, the off-cycle credit for the almost universally despised start-stop feature on vehicles has been removed.”

What Does This Mean for the Future?
Climate scientists say the overturning of the endangerment finding undermines decades of scientific progress and damages the credibility of U.S. institutions tasked with protecting the environment, the Associated Press reports. Scientists point out that rising global temperatures — the hottest years on record have all occurred since 2009 — cause more extreme weather that endangers people and causes billions of dollars in damage from more frequent and severe heat waves, wildfires, droughts and catastrophic flooding from more-intense storms.

The EPA action repeals all GHG emissions standards for cars and trucks, but experts believe it could trigger a broader undoing of climate regulations for stationary sources such as power plants and oil and gas facilities, AP reports.

David Doniger, a climate expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told AP that this could prevent future administrations from proposing rules to address global warming because they would have to restart the scientific and legal process to establish a new endangerment finding, which could take years and face legal challenges.

Preserving the Future: How Tennessee is Protecting Farmland While Driving Development

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:58:52 GMT

How is Tennessee, one of the fastest-growing states in the country, balancing economic development while still protecting farmland? Gov. Bill Lee says it’s one of the state’s greatest challenges, but he believes there is a way to do both.

Last year, Lee signed the Tennessee Farmland Preservation Act into law, tasking the Tennessee Department of Agriculture with developing a grant program to incentivize farmland owners to voluntarily enroll their land in a permanent conservation easement.

“We lose 9 acres an hour to development,” Lee said at the 2026 Top Producer Summit . “We recognize that agriculture is our No. 1 driver of our economy, so we have to preserve farmland. This act will incentivize farm property, and agriculture property in particular, to be put in land trusts so it can never be developed. This effort has been widely accepted by farmers and is beginning to take effect.”

Where is the Push for Economic Development in Tennessee?

Although economic development is taking place in many different forms, the state of Tennessee is seeing a big push for data centers. For some farmers, this could be the revenue generator they’ve been waiting on, but for others, it’s a contentious issue.

“If we are going to have a data center, it has to work for all of us,” Lee says. “Most important is that the impact on the grid for power is one that our state can effectively manage.”

He believes the data centers and the companies behind them should be partners with the state and with regulatory bodies.

“They should come in and say, ‘If we’re going to come here, this is what we will deliver to the state,’” Lee says. “Besides just the investment in dollars and what they will take from the grid, how will they deliver to the state?”

AI, a major data center and supercomputing facility in Memphis, is an example of a good partnership, he says.

“They are producing their own power and contributing to the grid. It’s a great partnership and model for things that we should be looking for in the future,” Lee adds.

How is Tennessee Helping Farmers?

Tennessee crop farmers are feeling pain right now like their peers across the country.

“It’s a tough environment for crop farmers,” Lee says. “We’ve seen the staggering losses some of our producers have experienced. But they’re very resilient people. They know that a few years ago, crop prices were good. Right now, they’re really bad. A lot of patience is required in farming, and they know that.”

Stability and predictability are nearly impossible to have in agriculture, he says. But he’s working to help provide stability and predictability from a federal standpoint through ag policy efforts.

“I think that’s what farmers look for more than anything,” Lee says. “They don’t want a rescue or an immediate solution to the problem they have. I think farmers want some indication of what stability looks like and what predictability looks like and what they can expect in the future.”

From a livestock standpoint, Tennessee has been investing heavily in the development of more local processing options.

“We do believe that locally sourced products are helpful to our own ag community,” he says. “To the degree that we can facilitate that in this state, we ought to do it. We’ve broadly expanded our ability to process beef in this state. We’re not nearly where we need to be, but we’re headed in the right direction.”

Creating a Pipeline for Agriculture

Lee is passionate about thinking about the future and creating pathways for skilled trades, especially in the agriculture industry. His experience running a company in the skilled trades business — plumbers, pipefitters, electricians and welders — has helped him see the need firsthand.

“One of the most important things we can do is recognize that kids’ giftings are really different,” Lee says.

Lee’s passion to better meet the demand for skilled labor came to fruition through the Governor’s Investment in Vocational Education (GIVE) Act.

“It created, initially, a $1-million program in high schools for vocational, technical and agricultural education programs,” he says. “It led to $500 million in middle school career and technical education programs, and ultimately $1 billion in our colleges of technology that deliver ag education, technical education and vocational education. We have removed the waitlist for our colleges of technology. We’re delivering 10,000 more workers a year who are skilled tradesmen.”

He believes it’s one of the reasons Tennessee has so many global companies making the decision to come to the state.

“We have a lot of activity here economically because the state with the workers is going to win every time,” Lee says. “We started seven years ago by creating a workforce that was much more diverse than what it had been previously, and that includes agricultural education.”

As a cattle producer and proud Tennessean, Lee says he’s most proud of how he’s helped support the state’s future in agriculture by investing in youth and the technologies that will be the future.

“It will be fun for me to look back years from now and say, ‘I’m really glad we did that. Ag was No. 1 in Tennessee when I was there, and ag is still No. 1 in Tennessee now that I’ve been gone,’” he says. “That’s what I hope for.”

What President Trump's Support Means for E15 and Corn Farmers

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 03:29:29 GMT

While speaking in Clive, Iowa, on Tuesday , the president said the passage of E15 will happen.

“I did. I promised E15 year-round if I got elected,” he said. “I want to let you know we’ll start right now.”

Trump said he is trusting House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune to broker a deal in Congress.

“We’ve got it for farmers, consumers and refiners, including small and midsize refiners. In other words, to get E15 approved, and they’re working on it, they’re very close to getting it done. I just wanted to let you know that,” he added.

President Would Sign E15 Bill Immediately

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a press release Tuesday evening that “yet again President Trump is honoring his commitment to America’s farmers and energy producers today in Iowa by announcing his support for the nationwide year-round sale of E15. As Congress continues to work through the details, the president has been clear — get a bill that allows nationwide E15 to his desk, and he will sign it to unleash American homegrown row crops for biofuels use like never before.”

Iowa Biofuels Groups Say President’s Support is Critical

Iowa biofuels groups, including the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), took out ads and wrote President Trump a letter prior to his visit to urge his support for E15. IRFA executive director Monte Shaw says the president directing Congress to get E15 done could be the key to finally getting it passed.

“He said he would sign it without delay. We think that was key. There are branches of government, you know the president is not Congress and Congress is not the president. But when he calls up the congressional leaders and says, ‘Hey, I want to get something done’, it’s usually gotten done and got to his desk,” Shaw says.

Legislative Path for E15

Shaw says the legislative path for E15 could be a delayed spending bill, or even a stand-alone bill, since the newly formed E15 council has been given a deadline of Feb. 15 to bring back a deal, with the hope of passage by Feb. 28.

“They did a rule that created the E15 council to keep working on it. This was before President Trump weighed in, and it gave them a date certain for a vote,” Shaw says.

Even if approved, Shaw admits the market impact won’t be felt overnight. But in five to seven years, E15 could mean another 2.4 billion bushels of corn usage annually, and the impact on corn prices could be substantial.

“Two billion bushels is not a small number, but I think people need to understand it won’t happen overnight. Even as penetration starts to grow, you start to grind a lot of corn very quickly,” he adds.

Iowa Farmers Speak To Trump

Kevin Ross, past National Corn Growers Association president, spoke directly with President Trump about E15 at the Machine Shed restaurant. He felt the president was listening.

“He’s said E15 more times in that setting than he has since probably back at the rally down at the [Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy] ethanol plant. I think he’s definitely focused on getting this across the finish line, doing what he can do and that’s really good to see,” Ross says.

He is excited about the possibility of E15 passage and what it could eventually mean for increased demand.

“I would assume the market’s going to take things positively, which we desperately need,” Ross says.

The Politics of the Plate: How Voter Sentiment is Reshaping the Ag Landscape

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 15:15:31 GMT

The road to the 2026 midterms runs directly through the dairy aisle. At the International Dairy Foods Association Dairy Forum in Palm Springs, Calif., Morning Consult’s lead U.S. politics analyst, Eli Yokley, delivered a high stakes briefing on the cultural forces currently driving the American voter. From the surprising bipartisan popularity of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement to a softening public stance on agricultural labor, Yokley’s data outlines how the dairy industry can leverage its position at the intersection of nutrition and necessity to navigate an increasingly complex political landscape.

The “MAHA” Momentum and the Milk Moment

Yokley began with a surprising revelation: While voters historically distrust the Republican party on general healthcare policy, the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) agenda is a notable exception.

“Voters just don’t trust Republicans on healthcare in the traditional sense,” Yokley notes. “But the MAHA agenda, specifically as it relates to food, is remarkably popular. It’s working on bipartisan territory.”

According to Morning Consult data, the favorability of the MAHA agenda remained steady throughout 2025. Voters associate the movement with improving food access and reducing harmful additives rather than vaccine skepticism. This “big moment for milk” is rooted in a return to natural, whole foods. Interestingly, Yokley points out a significant gender divide. Men across the political spectrum view whole milk as “generally good for you,” women, who still perform the majority of grocery shopping, are slightly more skeptical. However, a quarter of all grocery shoppers expressed a willingness to pay more for “natural” or “whole” products, a trend driven by high-earning suburban parents who will be the ultimate deciders of the 2026 midterms.

The Inflation Disconnect: Groceries as a Political Weapon

The most significant headwind for the current administration is the economy, specifically the “grocery store” voter. Yokley argues the administration’s focus on tariffs is increasingly out of sync with voter concerns.

“Voters perceive big price increases in groceries more than any other category,” Yokley says. “Groceries are the biggest driver of voter concern this year. It activates people across all income levels.”

For the dairy industry, there is a silver lining: Dairy products are still perceived as relatively affordable compared to bread, fruits and vegetables. And while, prices of fruits and vegetables have actually remained remarkably stable , dairy’s perceived “affordability halo” gives the industry a level of credibility when engaging with policymakers. Voters are far more likely to blame trade policies and immigration enforcement for rising food costs than they are to blame the farmers themselves.

The Immigration Leverage Point

One of the most delicate issues for the dairy industry is immigration, and Yokley’s data suggests a surprising shift in public sentiment. While the political rhetoric around border security remains fiery, the American public’s view on agricultural labor is softening.

“There is an openness among the American people to the idea that these kinds of workers are important to the economy, especially in this inflationary environment,” Yokley explains.

The share of voters who believe there is “about the right number” of seasonal or lower-skilled workers has increased, while the share of those who believe there are “too many” has stalled. This creates a strategic leverage point for the dairy industry to advocate for reform, framing it as a solution to food inflation rather than a purely political issue.

The CEO Conundrum: Public Silence Versus Private Action

Yokley also addressed the role of business leaders in this volatile climate, describing it as a pickle. Morning Consult data shows only a third of voters want to see CEOs speaking out publicly on issues such as trade or immigration. In fact, public attacks on the administration can be more harmful among a leader’s own base than helpful among the general public.

The solution? Private action and the power of trade associations.

“Voters are much more open to private action and lobbying,” Yokley says. “They get that this happens. It underlines the importance of trade associations like IDFA to provide the political cover that individual CEOs might not want to risk.”

Forecasting 2026 and Beyond

Looking ahead to the midterms, Yokley described a “split” reality. The Senate map currently favors Republicans, with high-profile races in Georgia (Jon Ossoff) and Maine (Susan Collins) serving as key bellwethers. The House, however, remains a toss-up, with Democrats needing only a three-to-four-point advantage on the generic ballot to reclaim control.

Finally, Yokley cast an eye toward 2028, noting that California Governor Gavin Newsom is a figure to watch. Newsom’s “fiery rhetoric” and “Trump-style” engagement are activating young voters in a way that feels authentic to the Democratic base.

The Bottom Line for Dairy

Yokley’s concluding message was one of optimism for the industry. In a deeply divided country, milk remains a “wholesome, accessible staple” that doesn’t trigger as much discord as other issues.

“The American people don’t hate milk,” Yokley concludes. “The industry is positioned at the intersection of nutrition and affordability — the two things voters care about most.”

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IDFA President Outlines Top 5 Priorities For The $800B Dairy Industry’s Future

How An ICE Raid Cut This Dairy's Workforce By More Than Half

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 17:53:19 GMT

Like many of their fellow dairy farmers, Rodney and Dorothy Elliott, owners of Drumgoon Dairy, grapple with securing reliable labor. Nestled in the small town of Lake Norden, S.D., their labor headaches intensified this past spring when their 6,500-cow dairy operation experienced a federal Department of Homeland Security audit that led to the immediate termination of 38 employees. The Elliotts were left with 16 workers.

“We didn’t just lose employees — we lost years of experience, skills, knowledge and a team culture that we had built over the past 10 years or more,” Dorothy says.

The audit findings revealed several workers had inaccurate, outdated or incomplete documentation regarding their U.S. citizenship status or work permits. For the Elliotts, the raid brought to light a critical issue that many farms and ag businesses face today: The complexities of immigration policy impact workforce availability.

The Elliotts fear for the future, not only for their own dairy, but for the industry at large. Immigrant workers are critical to dairy operations, representing over half of all dairy farm labor and contributing to 79% of the U.S. milk supply, according to the National Milk Producers Federation.

“Basically, we’ve turned off the tap, but we’ve done nothing to create a solution to find employees for the dairy industry,” Dorothy says.

(Drumgoon Dairy)

The urgency for immigration reform is exacerbated by the fact Americans are typically unwilling to undertake these demanding jobs, says Rick Naerebout, CEO of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association.

“This is bigger than just a dairy issue, this is a feeding America issue, which is national security. Roughly half of all on-farm labor in America is unauthorized. We cannot feed ourselves as a country without these workers,” Naerebout says. “One of the lessons we learned from WWII is that a country that cannot feed itself without imports is at greater risk from their enemies.”

(Drumgoon Dairy)

A Sustainable Future Requires a Sustainable Workforce

The Elliotts’ journey began in northern Ireland, where they managed a small dairy farm restricted by stringent government regulations. Frustrated by the limitations and lured by an enticing marketing campaign from the South Dakota Department of Agriculture, the family took a leap of faith. They left Ireland, aspiring to transform their modest 140-head operation into a modern, sustainable dairy farm.

Their vision extended beyond business growth — they also set their sights on building an operation that offered future generations a chance to return to farming.

“We’ve achieved our goals that we set out for ourselves: Build a dairy, milk cows and grow the dairy industry in South Dakota,” Dorothy says. “Is it a sustainable goal if there’s nobody to work on these dairies? No. All the time, money, effort, investment and hard work that has gone into it will be null and void if there isn’t a workforce.”

With firsthand experience, Elliott empathizes with her workforce, many of whom are Hispanic immigrants. Elliott gained citizenship shortly after relocating to the U.S., and her husband followed suit, becoming a citizen eight years after they moved.

“We’re facing a reality where all our employees are doing is working. They’re filling positions that are, at present, not being claimed by American workers,” Dorothy reflects.

Her statement sheds light on the essential roles immigrant laborers play across the agricultural landscape, highlighting the gap between workforce demands and available labor supply.

“I want people to understand that dairy farms don’t choose to hire undocumented workers. We all have to hire following state and federal guidelines,” Dorothy says. “Everyone who was hired on our farm had to have a state or federally issued ID card and a Social Security number. Some of these employees had been working without any flags being raised for over 10 years. They were paying all the state and federal taxes we are required to collect.”

(Drumgoon Dairy)

Automation Still Requires Human Touch

Despite adversity, the Elliotts push forward. Nearby farms offered temporary assistance following the raid, and they continue to heavily invest in both local and international workforce recruitment. Although automation seemed a promising alternative at one point, the prohibitive costs and disappointing results led to the sale of some equipment.

Drumgoon Dairy installed 20 robots in 2020. They hoped to recruit students and graduates from Lake Area Technical College’s robotics program to maintain the equipment. They’ve advertised maintenance positions, but the response has been disheartening. As of now, “no one,” according to Dorothy, has stepped forward to fill these roles.

Given the high costs associated with running and servicing the robots, the family decided to remove them.

(Drumgoon Dairy)

A National Security Crisis

Drumgoon Dairy’s challenges are not isolated. Since President Trump’s crackdown on immigration started a year ago, ICE Raids have happened all across the U.S. While numbers specific to the agriculture industry aren’t available, according to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement , the number of people in immigration detention in the U.S. hit an all-time high as of Dec. 14, 2025, at 68,400 people.

It’s been nine months since the ICE raid at Drumgoon Dairy. While the Elliotts now have a full workforce, they’re not operating with the same level of experience, skills and knowledge.

“I feel that the Republican Party has run on this promise of immigration reform and encouraging new businesses to come and set up businesses in the U.S.,” she says. “Since we started dairy farming in 2006, the only people coming to work on dairy farms have been from the Hispanic community. I now see local construction businesses, factories, landscaping businesses and other ag businesses all using Hispanic workers. Where is the reform? What has been done to facilitate a sustainable workforce?”

Your Next Read: What To Do If ICE Comes Knocking On Your Door

UPDATE: Supreme Court Did Not Issue Ruling on Tariffs Case, Decision Still Pending

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 13:45:25 GMT

UPDATE: The U.S. Supreme Court chose not to release its ruling on President Trump’s global tariffs Wednesday. A decision is still pending.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue one or more rulings on Wednesday in cases already argued before the justices as major legal disputes remain pending, including litigation testing the legality of President Donald Trump’s global tariffs.

The court is set to release rulings at about 10 a.m. ET (1500 GMT). The court does not announce ahead of time which rulings it intends to issue. The court issued one ruling last Friday but did not act in the tariffs case, which was argued on Nov. 5.

The challenge to Trump’s tariffs marks a major test of presidential powers as well as of the court’s willingness to check some of the Republican president’s far-reaching assertions of authority since he returned to office in January 2025. The outcome will impact the global economy.

During arguments in the case, conservative and liberal justices appeared to cast doubt on the legality of the tariffs, which Trump imposed by invoking a 1977 law meant for use during national emergencies. Trump’s administration is appealing rulings by lower courts that he overstepped his authority.

Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose so-called “reciprocal” tariffs on goods imported from individual countries — nearly every foreign trading partner — to address what he called a national emergency related to U.S. trade deficits. He invoked the same law to impose tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico, citing the trafficking of the often-abused painkiller fentanyl and illicit drugs into the U.S. as a national emergency.

The challenges to the tariffs in the cases before the Supreme Court were brought by businesses affected by the tariffs and 12 U.S. states, most of them Democratic-governed.

Other cases awaiting rulings include disputes concerning voting rights, religious rights, Trump’s firing of a Federal Trade Commission member, LGBT “conversion therapy” and campaign finance limits, among others.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham)

Sticky Fingers: USDA Fraudster Steals $200M in Stunning Scam

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:14:37 GMT

A crime “mere mortals wouldn’t even contemplate.” An astounding $210-million haul pulled out the front doors of USDA.

Who steals over $200 million in fake USDA loans, drives a Rolls, runs a chop-shop, and jet-sets the globe? Who attempts to escape in a chartered plane, carries on scheming behind bars, draws his wife into the action, and triples down with more swindles—all after pleading guilty?

Nik Patel. The Florida-based con artist steered a chain of astonishing agriculture-related scams, each more jaw-dropping than the previous, and racked up a whopping 52-year sentence in the federal pen.

Welcome to the manic reign of a brazen fraudster who forged his own fall. The biter got bit.

Life in the Fast Lane
In 2012, First Farmers Financial, helmed by CEO Nik Patel, was flying high with a flagship location in Orlando, Fla., and satellite offices in California and Georgia.

Twenty-nine years young and married with children, Patel hitched his wagon to USDA, specifically to the Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program, under the guise of helping rural communities. To ride USDA’s coattails, Patel and First Farmers COO Tim Fisher crafted a lie from whole cloth. They fabricated documents claiming a solid business structure, deep experience, and assets exceeding $20 million with Wells Fargo.

Fisher, later pinched by the feds and sentenced to 10 years, fessed up. “In order for us to establish the business, I assisted in creating falsified financial statements, falsified resumes, and falsified other background documents between our company, so that we could get a USDA approval from the United States, in order for us to do loans for the USDA.”

Translated: USDA bought the head fake and gave certification to First Farmers—based on Patel’s paperwork lies.

USDA certification in hand, Patel went into chop-shop overdrive, forging 26 USDA loans, ranging in value from $2.5 million to $10 million, for a total of $179 million. The 26 loans, polished with bogus USDA employee signatures, fictitious borrower names, and fake USDA loan ID numbers, were a fantasy and had no government backing.

Pictured with then Sen. Marco Rubio, Patel, left, and wife, Trisha, made the political rounds.

(Photo Instagram)

Patel then dangled the $179-million package—a criminally audacious move considering he had no prior felony history. (Patel did have previous misdemeanor convictions in 2011 and 2012, for DUI and assault on a police officer, both of which resulted in short sentences of home confinement.)

First to sniff Patel’s bait was Pennant Management, an investment company in Milwaukee, Wisc. Not willing dupes, but painfully deficient in the vetting department, Pennant reps flew to Florida and were wooed by Patel’s silver-tongued claims that First Farmers stood atop $52 million in assets, $17 million in cash, and a profit line of $1.8 million. All lies.

Patel further impressed Pennant with counterfeit balance sheets for 2011, 2012, and a portion of 2013. Pennant was willing to buy the $179-million package deal. After all, the bundle was almost entirely guaranteed by USDA, according to Patel, who later wrote to Pennant with third-person bravado: “Effectively Nik Patel serves as a one man loan committee—reviewing the opportunities as they flow into him for consideration.”

To ensure Pennant officials didn’t smell the ruse, Patel ginned up “audited financial statements,” for 2013, prepared by esteemed CPA “Geoff Kane.” However, Kane, despite a glowing biography provided by Patel, was a fiction. Kane was Patel.

Where did Patel’s stolen money go? In a hole; offshore; Dubai; family?

(Photos public domain)

In for a dime, in for a dollar. Pennant jumped headfirst and snatched the $179-million offer, wiring the funds to Patel at BMO Harris Bank in Florida.

Cha-ching. Patel hit the fast lane, dumping tens of millions of dollars on hotel projects, a lavish $4-million home, a Rolls-Royce and Lamborghini, boats, custom suits, jewelry, part ownership of a jet, international vacations, cathouse visits to a favored brothel in Panama—according to prosecutors, and political donations, even opening his home to host a fundraiser for then Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

Patel was just warming up.

Dubai Diamonds
In September 2014, Pennant got curious. After finding address inconsistencies in First Farmers’ paperwork, Pennant knocked on USDA’s door with a list of borrower names and loan numbers. USDA’s response was damning: Total sham. Name and numbers do not exist.

Panicked, Pennant ran to the FBI. Too little, too late, for the Milwaukee-based investment advisor business. Pennant collapsed the following year.

On Sept. 29, 2014, the feds filed a criminal complaint against First Farmers and Patel. In 2015, he was arraigned in the Northern District of Illinois and pleaded not guilty. However, on Dec. 6, 2016, Patel changed his plea to guilty on five counts of wire fraud . Sentencing was scheduled for April 6, 2017.

In the interim, unfazed by the inconvenience of criminal prosecution, Patel continued spending. He dropped $23,368 on a ski trip and approximately $30,000 on his daughter’s birthday party at a Four Seasons Hotel. And all the while, as he feigned remorse and awaited sentencing, Patel’s second fraud was in motion. In public, he played the penitent and announced a desire to recover money for his victims, requesting—and receiving—sentencing date extensions to generate cash.

Patel, pictured with President Trump, rubbed shoulders with political leaders on both sides of the aisle.

(Photo Instagram)

Behind the outward contrition, Patel was managing the clock, stretching time to organize the second scheme, this time another hoodwink of USDA, along with Farmer Mac, to scam investors in Iowa. While final sentencing for the first fraud was delayed until Jan. 9, 2018, Patel went into overdrive, intending to make another pile of coin and go on the lam.

Starting back in June 2017, he had invented the alias of “Ron Elias,” a fictitious “Vice President of Guaranteed Lending” at Banco Do Brasil (BDB). In reality, there was no such position at BDB and the bank never engaged in USDA lending, but Patel, correctly, predicted nobody would check.

According to DOJ, Patel’s USDA-Farmer Mac con job was three-layered: “First, Patel fabricated fraudulent loan documents that falsely represented that a bank in Miami had authorized loans to be made to convert hotels in rural areas into assisted living facilities. Although the bank in Miami exists, it had never made any of the loans … Second, Patel applied to USDA to guarantee the fake loans pursuant to its Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program. Third, after the USDA agreed to guarantee the fake loans, Patel sold the guaranteed portion of the fake loans to the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, also known as Farmer Mac. Patel executed the scheme on three occasions, receiving almost $20 million in proceeds. Patel used a portion of the funds from that scheme to pay some of his restitution, but he was saving much of it to flee the United States.”

Pocketing $20 million as Ron Elias while on supervised federal release, thanks to loan guarantees provided by USDA and a wad of cash courtesy of Farmer Mac, Patel then applied for political asylum in India and Ecuador, claiming to be a victim of abuse and persecution by DOJ. Palm up, Ecuador accepted. In the months prior to sentencing, Patel lined up a chartered flight, luxury vehicles, $500,000 in emergency cash, beautiful home, private chef, and schools for his daughters in Ecuador.

Patel, alongside then Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

(Photo Instagram)

Partnered with another business crony, Kevin Timirchand, Patel aimed to launder the $20 million by the “cleanest way to do the transaction, kill any trace, and cover everyone,” via a Dubai diamond purchase. DOJ investigators later seized a memo written by Patel, detailing his intentions:

I have arranged a diamond merchant that I trust in Dubai (based out of India-Parsas Patel). He is a major player and I’ve bought from him before, He has a 103.78 carat diamond. Shape is a modified shield, it is VS1 purity, and Color is Fancy Dark with brown greenish and yellow. He will provide a GI and Kimberly Certificate. This Is one of the rarest diamonds in the world that is very sought after. He is also going to sell us 2-3 other diamonds similar to this one (smaller but similar) The 3-4 diamonds he sells us value will look on paper like $30MM and he will invoice for it $30MM.

To cover his absence from his scheduled sentencing in Chicago for the initial $179 million scam, Patel planned to tell DOJ officials he was “going to rehab or a meditation camp for a week, this way they do not suspect anything by my phone being shut off,” while missing his court date.

“I may even use a different name to leave,” he noted. “The only people I have to tell is the pilot so he can document his flight log.”

Kevin Timirchand, Patel’s accomplice in the Farmer Mac fraud.

(Photo public domain)

On a Saturday morning, Jan. 6, 2018, three days prior to sentencing, Patel rolled to Kissimmee Gateway Airport, driven by Timirchand in a Cadillac Escalade. At 7 a.m., as luggage was transferred to a chartered jet, four FBI agents bagged Patel. In his possession, according to DOJ, “Patel had an Indian passport in his name (forged and backdated to 2010), United States currency ($20,000), documents relating to his attempt to obtain asylum in Ecuador, financial documents indicating access to accounts holding millions of dollars, and detailed checklists for tasks relating to obtaining asylum in Ecuador and setting up a new life there for himself and his family.”

Thrown in Florida lockup, Patel already was piling more blocks on the Jenga tower.

Another Drink at the Well
Awaiting transfer to Chicago, Patel pulled levers from behind bars and went all-in on the Ron Elias charade. His crony, Timirchand (later arrested and sentenced to two years in prison), was Patel’s instrument beyond prison walls. Per a DOJ attorney’s testimony in June 2018: Patel instructed Timirchand how to log-in to the account and instructed him which emails to send to various peoples in order to further the fraudulent misrepresentations and to actually cause the funds to be disbursed. There were phone calls to Mr. Timirchand from the jail instructing him how to send emails to someone else, to representatives of the USDA.

On March 6, 2018, Patel, then 34, was sentenced to 25 years for the original $179 million fraud.

Surreally, Patel, federal prisoner #61337-018, was unbowed. It was time for another drink at the USDA well.

House of Cards
The following year, in 2019, while imprisoned for the first fraud ($179 million), and under indictment for the second fraud ($20 million) stemming from the Farmer Mac debacle, Patel engineered a third fraud, this time keeping it in the family. His accomplice? Wife, Trisha Patel.

Via emails, phone calls, and prison visits between 2019 and 2023, the pair spun a wooly web. Rather than Patel taking a fake identity such as Ron Elias or Geoff Kane, Trisha assumed two bogus identities, “Maya Greer” and “Robert Engelmeyer,” later exposed by phony email addresses and burner apps.

The Patels conjured a fictitious lending company, Community 1st Mortgage, fronted by lead officer Maya Green (Trisha).

Trisha Patel masqueraded as Maya Greer and Robert Engelmeyer.

(Photo Facebook)

According to Trisha’s subsequent plea deal: “This new loan scheme had another new concept beyond the creation of a fake lender. It included the use of legitimate business to facilitate the fraud. Nikesh Patel looked for a business that was for sale and discovered a listing for Precision Powered Products, Inc. (PPP), a commercial pump manufacturer in Houston, Texas. The company’s owner wanted to retire after nearly 40 years of running the business. Nikesh Patel Inquired with a broker about the listing in late 2020 and learned specific information about the business.”

Incredibly, the Patels used Texas-based PPP to dupe USDA.

Trisha hid her true identity behind the mask of Robert Engelmeyer, a fictitious PPP executive, who needed an $8,540,000 loan from Community 1st to expand PPP business—not in rural Nebraska or rural New Mexico—but rather, in rural Puerto Rico. Trisha, acting as Robert Engelmeyer, persuaded USDA that PPP needed a loan to boost operations in Cabo Rojo.

And the business address leased by PPP in Cabo Rojo? A vacant building under renovation, with no relation to commercial pump manufacturing. A shell. No one at USDA bothered to check. Instead, USDA backed the $8,540,000 loan at 80%.

After securing USDA’s guarantee, Trisha, masquerading as Maya Greer of Community 1st, sold the loan for $7,446,880 on Nov. 21, 2021, to Hanover Securities, a broker-dealer in Memphis, Tenn. (According to Trisha’s later plea, Hanover “broke the loan into smaller portions and resold them to smaller banks. To avoid detection, Trisha Patel would pay the loan payments each month for each of these loans using fraud proceeds.”)

The day of sale, Hanover wired $7-plus million to Community 1st and Maya Greer. Trisha emailed her husband at Seminole County Jail in Florida, writing: “It’s here!!!! Finally.”

Patel answered: “Amazing news! I will call after count, after 5 pm. Make sure its showing credited and available.”

Trisha Patel, second from left, attends a White House Diwali event October 2022, during the Biden Administration.

(Photo Instagram.)

Trisha then doled $1.2 million of the haul to “various attorneys, lobbyists, and consultants on behalf of Nikesh Patel,” greasing the political skids for Patel’s release. (Keeping up appearances, she also spent $81,000 on a new BMW.) Trisha made the rounds of high society on both sides of the political aisle, even popping up at a White House party in October 2022.

However, the Patel’s house of cards finally crashed in 2023, as the FBI and USDA Office of Inspector General discovered the paper trail. Trisha was arrested; Patel, already under lock and key, was given a cell cleanout. As described by FBI Special Agent Alex Duda, the results were telltale: “On Sept. 20, 2023, officials at the Seminole County Jail conducted a cell search of Nikesh Patel’s cell. The officials observed a large quantity of documents, estimated to consist of approximately 3,000 pages, in six neat stacks under Patel’s mattress. The officials characterized the amount of documents located in Patel’s cell as ‘substantial’ and ‘extraordinary.’”

Wash, rinse, repeat. Once again, it was time for Patel’s sentencing, but this time Trisha also faced the music.

Sticky Fingers, Twisted Threads
No one left to lie to. On Sept. 18, 2024, Trisha, 41, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison, and is currently incarcerated at FCI Marianna , Florida. A month later, Oct. 8, 2024, Patel was sentenced to 27 years on top of his previous 25 years—a draconian total of 52 years in the pen, a disproportionate sentence in the eyes of many legal observers. He is doing time at FCI Bennettsville , South Carolina.

Patel, left, hosting a fundraiser at his home for Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

(Photo Facebook)

Strikingly, on the heels of his near-escape to Ecuador during his second con (Farmer Mac), and after his third con (USDA-PPP) was in motion, Patel, on July 6, 2020, while incarcerated, authored a third-person post on Medium , claiming victimhood due to “racial tactics” by DOJ: “The pattern of prosecutorial misconduct against people of color extended to ignoring evidence and making willfully false claims in the case against Patel,” he wrote. “It demonstrates a pattern of misconduct that Patel is hoping to further expose in his clemency plea.”

At the post’s end, he signed off: “Nikesh Patel, former Investment Banker, resident of Florida and the subject of overzealous prosecution. Hoping to get justice and have my narrative told.”

Patel’s claims of injustice gained the attention of Jesse Jackson in 2022. Jackson urged the U.S. attorney’s office to release Patel on home confinement. A mere 10 months after Jackson’s advocacy, Patel’s fraud No. 3 exploded, along with its surreal narrative tied to 3,000 pages stuffed under a mattress and Puerto Rican pump fakes, all bookended by another 27 years on Patel’s sentence. As of 2026, Patel describes himself as a “political prisoner” and seeks a presidential pardon.

From the get-go, the threads of Patel’s crime saga twisted deep. All told, he siphoned approximately $210 million. Where did the money go? The feds recovered over $100 million. The rest? In a hole; offshore; Dubai; family?

Nik Patel steered a chain of astonishing agriculture-related scams and racked up a 52-year sentence in the pen.

(Photo public domain)

Judge Charles Kocoras, when sentencing Patel back in 2018 for the first $179-million con job, presciently described the con artist extraordinaire: “There’s a certain diabolical genius to what he did here.”

Kocoras added a sobering kicker, particularly considering Patel’s second and third frauds were yet to spawn. Kocoras described the tangled, initial scheme as one that “most mere mortals wouldn’t even contemplate.”

Despite knowing the fuse was already burning on more theft, Patel solemnly assured the court: “It is going to be my actions that will show remorse.”

Actions, indeed.

For more from Chris Bennett (@ChrisBennettMS or cbennett@farmjournal.com or 662-592-1106), see:

Corn and Cocaine: Roger Reaves and the Most Incredible Farm Story Never Told

How the Deep State Tried, and Failed, to Crush an American Farmer

Game of Horns: Iowa Poacher’s Antler Addiction Leads to Historic Bust

Ghost Cattle: $650M Ponzi Rocks Livestock Industry, Money Still Missing

Farmer Unearths Lost Treasure, Solves WW2 Mystery

The Impact of Wildfires on the Agricultural Sector

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:44:40 GMT

In the United States, data collected by the National Inter-Agency Fire Center indicates that wildfires in recent years have caused far more damage than they did even a few decades ago. The average number of burned acres over the 2020-24 period was 7.3 million acres, a nearly 250 percent increase over the five-year period of 1983-88. Extensive research has found that the bulk of the increase in wildfires both in the United States and globally is occurring as a result of man-made climate change, as both higher temperatures and reduced rainfall have extended fire seasons, left trees and other vegetation drier and more prone to burning, and are far too often accompanied by high winds, which was a significant driving force in the extensive wildfires that hit greater Los Angeles, CA in January 2025. A 2023 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found that the 500 percent increase in burn area for summer forest fires occurring in California for the fifteen year period ending in 2021 compared to a fifteen year period between 1971 and 1996 was almost entirely attributable to climate change. Similarly, a study released at the recent COP30 international climate change meetings in Brazil projected that climate change would induce significant increases in seasonal fire weather conditions across between 68 and 91 percent of the world’s fire-prone area by the end of the twenty-first century, depending on the emission scenario.

Recent research indicates that the increase in wildfire frequency and magnitude has had measurable impacts on human health, stemming in particular from respiratory issues. Evidence shows that wildfires generally emit a significant amount of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that is inhaled by firefighters and people living in or near the areas where the fires have occurred. This fire-generated PM has been found to have a different composition than the fine PM that people encounter from urban air pollution, including more oxidative components (such as oxygenated hydrocarbons) and pro-inflammatory components (like aldehydes). They also emit more carbon monoxide and ozone, which are also harmful to human health.

An article published in Nature Communications Earth and Environment in 2025 found that the climate-change induced increase in wildfires has led to more than 15,000 additional deaths from wildfire-generated PM respiratory issues over a 15-year period (between 2006 and 2020) in the western United States alone. These human health impacts created an estimated economic burden of $160 billion for the same region. Intense wildfires that strike urban environs, like last year’s massive fires in the Los Angeles, CA area, also leave behind on the ground or in damaged structures a toxic brew of ash and residue that includes incinerated cars, electronics, paints, furniture and every other kind of personal belonging, which may contain an unknown quantity of pesticides, asbestos, plastics, lead or other heavy metals. This material can persist for months or even years unless properly remediated. Excessive exposure to these substances can lead to not only respiratory problems but also neurological and cardiovascular problems. Within weeks after the LA fire, a massive study of its human health impacts was commissioned with funding from the Spiegel Family Fund, bringing in researchers from California universities such as UCLA and UC-Davis, as well as Harvard University and the University of Texas at Austin.

The agricultural sector has also experienced significant problems as a result of the increased magnitude and frequency of wildfires in its proximity. As just discussed, respiratory issues often increase in populations close enough to wildfires to inhale smoke and particulate matter thrown off by the blaze. This is a particular problem for farmers, their family members, and farm workers in the western U.S., who are often harvesting crops at the same time that the region’s fire season is peaking. A survey of farm workers in Sonoma County in California found that nearly three-quarters of them had worked at least once under wildfire smoke or hazardous air quality conditions in the past several years. Even though the state of California requires farms to provide protective gear to their workers in such situations, most of them received inadequate protection, such as surgical masks, or nothing at all. This work was conducted by faculty members at the University of California at Berkeley.

In addition, it is likely that everyone living in close proximity to where wildfires occur suffers at least some mental stress due to awareness of risk of loss of life and property for themselves and their loved ones. It is reported that 31 people lost their lives in last year’s LA fires, and many thousands of families from neighborhoods like Pacific Palisades and Altadena have not yet been able to resume their normal lives yet,

When it comes to crop production, wildfires can not only destroy or damage the crops that are currently in the field, even those under irrigation, but it can also scorch the topsoil and subsoil layers in the field, potentially causing longer-term impacts. A meta-analysis conducted by scientists at Clemson University found that the composition of a microbiome can change after a wildfire, with a decline in the diversity of both fungal and bacterial species that are present. This can disrupt the functioning of the entire ecosystem. In addition, we know that certain crops, like grapes and cannabis, can be adversely affected by exposure to wildfire smoke, which can alter the quality of the crop. For example, most of the wine grape crop in Napa County, California in 2020 was affected by smoke taint in the wake of the major fires in northern California in that year, and the harvested grapes could not be used at all to make wine. Grape producers in that county collected $111 million in federal crop insurance indemnities for the 2020 crop year, as compared to an average of $3.7 million annually over the five previous years.

Economists Forecast Farm Economy to Stabilize, But High Costs and Policy Uncertainty Block a 2026 Rebound

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:26:37 GMT

As 2026 ushers in a fresh start, agricultural economists say the U.S. farm economy has stopped sliding, but it’s far from fully healed.

The December Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows month-to-month sentiment is improving, but deep structural strain remains — especially in row crops. Meanwhile, livestock markets continue to provide strength. Crop producers face another year of tight margins driven by high input costs, weak prices and unresolved trade and policy uncertainty.

“There’s cautious optimism,” the economists say, “but very little belief that 2026 will bring a meaningful rebound without cost relief or stronger demand.”

Those themes mirror the perspective of Seth Meyer, former USDA chief economist and now director of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri. In a recent interview, Meyer connected the dots between narrow margins, policy responses and what might actually move the dial for U.S. agriculture heading into 2026.

Stabilizing, Not Recovering

December Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor

(Lori Hayes )

Economists see the ag economy holding its ground — but not gaining strength.

54% say the ag economy is somewhat better than one month ago.
Compared with a year ago:
- 42% say conditions are worse
- 33% say they are better
Looking ahead 12 months:
- 46% expect conditions unchanged
- 38% expect improvement
- 15% expect conditions to worsen

“Momentum has improved since mid-2025,” Meyer notes, “but tight margins have been with us for a long time. Turning that around requires demand growth, not just price stabilization.

Farm Journal’s December Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor

(Lori Hayes )

Grant Gardner, assistant Extension professor at the University of Kentucky, tells AgriTalk’s Chip Flory: “I think as we move into kind of this next marketing year, you’re looking at what looks like a breakeven and not a loss, but breakeven still doesn’t look great after three years of breakeven or losses.”

He says even with the $11 billion in Farmer Bridge Program payments , it won’t drastically change the outlook for the farm economy.

“Purdue had a good survey about a month ago, where they looked at what were these payments going to go to, and research would show that a lot of these payments go into long-term assets, and so land tractors, but I think over 60% of producers right now are in such a tight cash crunch that you’re going to see a lot of these payments go into that short-term debt,” Gardner says.

Consolidation a Growing Threat

Economists are nearly unanimous that the crop sector remains under extreme financial stress. 83 percent say row crops are currently in a recession. That isn’t about production declines — acres and yields haven’t collapsed — but about persistently weak profitability.

“Negative returns for at least the third consecutive year across nearly all row crops,” one economist wrote in the survey.

Another said: “Margins remain below full costs of production for many producers.”

Farm Journal’s December Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor

(Lori Hayes)

Meyer traces that back to how abruptly agriculture moved from the high prices of 2021 and 2022 into today’s tighter margins.

“We moved very quickly from a very high price environment and good profitability in 2022 to very tight margins,” he says. “That usually happens coming off price peaks, but this time it happened really rapidly.”

A minority of survey respondents argued farms are “treading water,” supported by strong land values and government aid rather than eroding further, which Meyer acknowledged aligns with how risk and safety nets have interacted this year.

But when you look at how the current stress in the farm economy could impact consolidation, the ag economists say it’s the economic pressure combined with demographic trends causing the acceleration. In fact, 92% of them say consolidation is underway and unavoidable.

“Markets go to the lowest-cost producers,” one economist wrote. “That sorting is consolidation on the production side.”

Aging producers exiting and rent-heavy operations under pressure only add fuel to that trend, with one economist saying: “Consolidation happens because producers have to exit, not because they want to.

What’s Driving the Farm Economy Right Now

When economists were asked to identify the two most important factors shaping agriculture’s economic health today, their responses clustered around a familiar, but increasingly sharp, divide: strong demand in livestock and the protein sector versus persistent oversupply and cost pressure in crops, all layered with trade and policy uncertainty.

Several economists pointed to continued strength in beef demand, both domestically and through export channels, as a key stabilizing force. While the dairy sector is an area that shows signs of weakness for 2026.

“Livestock revenues are a bright spot,” one respondent noted, underscoring why the livestock sector continues to outperform crops financially.

Looking to 2026, economists overwhelmingly point to input costs, not interest rates, as the biggest barrier to profitability. Nearly 70% cited input prices as the largest challenge as well, far ahead of trade concerns or capital availability.

Farm Journal’s December Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor

(Lori Hayes )

“We have too much supply and not enough demand for row crops,” one economist wrote.

Another said: “Input costs are still too high.”

Trade remains a central wild card, especially relationships with China and uncertainty around global supply. Several respondents cited trade disputes and agreements as critical factors, along with questions about the size of South American crops and how that could shape global competition in the months ahead.

Policy uncertainty was also featured prominently, with economists pointing to domestic biofuels policy, government payments and broader market signals as factors influencing both short-term cash flow and longer-term demand growth.

Overall, economists say the ag economy is being pulled in opposite directions: strong livestock demand providing support, while crops struggle under high costs, oversupply and unresolved trade and policy questions — a dynamic that helps explain why the broader farm economy feels stable, but far from healthy, as 2026 approaches.

Livestock: A Continued Bright Spot

Livestock continues to stand out as the most financially healthy segment of the ag economy. Every economist surveyed rated beef as above average or excellent, supported by strong domestic demand and tight supplies. Dairy and pork were viewed as stable to moderately strong.

That success creates a stark contrast with row crops, where corn and cotton were cited by 38% each as the commodities most at risk financially in 2026.

What Could Move Crop Prices in the Next Six Months

Looking ahead to the first half of 2026, economists say crop prices will hinge less on domestic fundamentals and more on global supply, trade flows and policy clarity.

Across responses, South America emerged as the dominant influence, with economists repeatedly citing Brazilian weather, the size of the South American harvest and how those supplies compete with U.S. exports. Several noted that clarity around South American production will be critical in setting price direction for corn, soybeans and wheat.

Trade, particularly with China, remains another key swing factor. Economists emphasized not just the announcement of trade agreements, but whether purchases translate into actual shipments.

“China purchases of U.S. crops, but also if and when actual shipments occur,” one respondent noted, adding that details within any trade deal, including purchase commitments, will matter just as much as headlines.

Domestic factors still play a role, but economists see them as secondary in the near term. Input prices, early U.S. planting conditions and assumptions about 2026 acreage were all cited as important — especially as markets begin to trade expectations for next year’s crop mix.

Policy uncertainty also hangs over the outlook. Economists pointed to ongoing questions around trade policy, biofuels policy and broader economic conditions as variables that could amplify or mute price moves.

Economists say crop prices over the next six months are likely to be driven by how global supply unfolds, whether export demand materializes and how quickly policy uncertainty is resolved, rather than by any single domestic production shock.

Biofuels Policy: A Potential Turning Point?

One of the clearest themes Meyer highlights as a possible game changer for demand, and ultimately prices, is biofuels policy.

For economists, policy levers like year-round E15, Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumes, 45Z investment tax credits and how small refinery exemptions are handled could meaningfully influence demand for corn and soybeans in 2026 and beyond.

“It’s one of the places where policymakers actually have levers to help with tight margins in the row crop sector,” Meyer says.

He emphasizes that final rules on RFS volumes and how biobased credits are implemented could impact feedstock demand.

“For the next couple of crop seasons, RVO (Renewable Volume Obligations) and how EPA reallocates small refinery exemptions are big factors,” Meyer says. “Should we raise the RVO to soak up that pool like a sponge? Should imported feedstocks get full 45Z credit? Those decisions could move demand.”

On year-round E15, a long-sought policy priority for corn growers, Meyer is cautiously optimistic.

“I do think it matters,” he says. “Maybe it’s not a huge swing this year, but offering certainty and building demand over multiple seasons is supportive. Other countries like Brazil are ramping up their biofuels production too, so this isn’t happening in a vacuum.”

Policy Uncertainty Still Looms

Economists also flagged top priorities for 2026 policy action:

Year-round E15 (row crops)
Trade policy clarity (row crops & livestock)
Labor reform and regulatory issues (livestock)

They also highlighted under-covered risks, which include pressure on land rents and values, labor shortages, biofuels policy details (such as 45Z credits) and slower population growth affecting long-term demand.

What Could Move Livestock and Dairy Prices in the Next Six Months

When economists look ahead to livestock and dairy markets in early 2026, they see a mix of strong demand signals, supply-side risks and policy uncertainty shaping price direction.

Consumer demand remains the cornerstone of the outlook, particularly for beef. Several economists pointed to continued buying interest from U.S. consumers as the primary support for cattle prices, even as affordability pressures rise. At the same time, some warned that a more “K-shaped” economy could begin to shift demand, pulling some consumers away from beef and toward pork.

Supply dynamics and herd trends are another major focus. Economists cited herd size, potential herd expansion and the availability of feeder cattle as critical variables. The expected resumption of feeder cattle imports from Mexico was highlighted as a key factor that could influence cattle supplies and pricing, depending on timing and volume.

Animal health risks also remain on the radar. Issues such as avian influenza, screwworm and other disease threats were mentioned as potential disruptors that could quickly alter supply conditions in both livestock and dairy markets.

Policy and trade uncertainty continues to hover over the sector. Economists pointed to ongoing questions around tariffs, restrictions on live animal trade with Mexico and the next steps under the USMCA as factors that could impact both imports and exports. Political uncertainty more broadly was also cited as a potential source of market volatility.

For dairy, economists noted that beef-on-dairy dynamics are likely to continue weighing on milk prices by increasing beef supplies while complicating dairy herd decisions.

Taken together, economists say livestock and dairy prices over the next six months will be driven by a delicate balance between strong consumer demand, evolving supply conditions and unresolved trade and policy questions, with any shift in one of those areas capable of moving markets quickly.

Acreage Expectations: Stress, Not Shock

Despite margin pressure, economists do not expect dramatic acreage pullbacks in 2026. Most expect:

Corn: 93 to 95 million acres
Soybeans: 84 to 86 million acres
Wheat: 44 to 45 million acres
Cotton: 9 to 10 million acres

Corn acreage expectations have edged lower since November, as economists backed away from another year above 95 million acres. At the same time, soybean acreage expectations have firmed, with 75% now targeting 84 to 86 million acres, suggesting stronger relative economics for beans.

“Export demand has helped keep corn acres supported,” Meyer says. “The question is whether that demand holds and whether policy supports it.”

As for acreage, the major impact on prices would be a large acreage reduction, which is unlikely.

“That’s what it comes down to, too. What I’ve been thinking about is what else can you use land for? And you’ve got the pushback on urban sprawl, you’ve got pushback on other uses for ag land. But right now, the simple fact is we’ve got way too much production. Without that slowing, or a drastic increase in demand, I don’t see prices improving to very lucrative levels,” Gardner says.

Overall, The Ag Economy Is a Grind, Not a Rebound

When you look at all the results from the December Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor, economists paint a picture of an industry that has stopped getting worse, but has not yet found a path to durable profitability.

Crops remain mired in margin compression; livestock continues to outperform but remains sensitive to policy decisions. Government aid is buying time but not addressing structural challenges, but it’s policy outcomes, especially around biofuels, trade and E15, that could be decisive in shaping 2026 outcomes.

For now, the farm economy has found a floor. The tougher question, economists say, is whether policy can help lift it, or if it will continue to grind forward without a genuine rebound.

Related News: As Screwworm Inches Closer, When Could the U.S. Reopen the Southern Border to Cattle Imports?

The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Global Agriculture

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 19:09:30 GMT

Since the early 1980’s, when personal computers first became both available and relatively affordable, farmers wishing to gather and analyze additional information about their farming operations had to make significant investments to bring such functionality into their operation. As a result, the willingness and ability of farmers to take advantage of such opportunities has typically varied considerably by scale, with early investments more common among large-scale farming operations and only later (if at all) accessible to small- and medium-sized farming operations.

Various studies indicate that farmers adopted this new type of technology relatively slowly at the beginning. My doctoral dissertation addressed this topic, finding that only about 4 percent of Iowa farmers had purchased their own computer based on a 1982-84 survey conducted by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications at Iowa State University. The rates of adoption among firms in the U.S. agricultural supply chain were initially much greater. A survey of New Mexico agribusinesses in 1987 found that 44 percent of respondents had used a microcomputer in their business. Among farmers, the early uses of their computers included financial recordkeeping and for dairy operations, tracking the daily output of individual cows in their herds. By 2021, it was estimated that between 69 and 73 percent of U.S. farmers had access to a laptop or desktop computer, lagging between 20 and 25 percent behind computer ownership rates among U.S. households in general.

More recently, we have seen a similar divide with respect to farmers’ willingness to invest in equipment that allows them to receive and evaluate field level data about the performance of their crops. During the 1960’s, farmers with large scale operations had the financial wherewithal to commission photography firms to provide aerial photographs of their land, but it was an expensive activity and rarely undertaken more than a few times per year. Farmers did not perceive images taken by satellites to be of value to them until the late-1990’s, when the U.S. government removed restrictions on the resolution quality of the images that could be provided to the public.

Today, row crop farmers can install receivers on their farm equipment which allow them to receive signals from GPS satellites in orbit in real time while cultivating their fields, which provides information about the performance of their crops down to the square centimeter level. Horticultural crop and livestock producers can collect similarly detailed information about their operations from miniscule sensors embedded within individual plants or animals. However, the equipment needed to both receive and act upon the detailed information is expensive, so farmers with large operations are much more likely to purchase such equipment than their small- or medium-sized counterparts. According to data collected regularly through USDA’s Agricultural Risk Management Survey (ARMS), equipment such as auto-steering and yield monitors has been adopted by 70 and 68 percent of large-scale U.S. farmers respectively, but only by 9 and 13 percent of small-scale farmers.

The latest offering in this area is the public availability of artificial intelligence (AI) models for use by both households and businesses. One major difference between this innovation and those previously discussed is that deploying AI to help farmers collate and analyze information about their operations does not necessarily require the same significant level of investment in capital equipment as did the earlier generations of information technology. Thus, in recent years, farmers in both developed and developing countries have been able to utilize AI technology to help in their decision-making processes.

In developed countries like the United States, this process involves analyzing data gathered through precision agriculture tools such as yield monitors and IOT sensors monitoring plant growth and soil moisture that was already being collected on many farms prior to the deployment of AI models in the 2010’s. For example, in the state of California, by far the largest producer of horticultural crops in the United States, farmers growing an estimated 65 percent of those fruit and vegetable crops (as of 2017) rely on irrigation for those crops to thrive. At the University of California at Merced, Professor Wan Du has developed a system using AI modeling and data collected from IOT sensors placed within orchards to optimize delivery of irrigation water to tree crops like almonds and avocados.

Under a grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), scientists and extension staff at the University of California at Davis developed a new tool (called Leaf Monitor) that allows farmers to image the leaves of their crops using a handheld spectrometer. Those images are then uploaded to an AI machine learning system to evaluate the leaf traits and their nutrient levels, using the information to build a predictive model for the crop whose images the farmers submitted. This model identifies nutrient deficiencies and prescribes treatments in terms of appropriate fertilizer application rates.

The non-profit organization Digital Green has developed an AI-based app called Farmer.Chat which it made available to small-holder farmers in Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, India, and Brazil, starting in late 2023. This app is designed to provide localized solutions to problems experienced by crop and poultry farmers in those countries, responding to farmer queries inputted through voice, text, and image-based searches. During the summer of 2025, Digital Green commissioned a survey of Kenyan farmers who had used the app previously to gauge their impressions of the information they gained from their past queries from an organization called 60 Decibels. The survey had 450 usable responses, from a population that was 72 percent male and 28 percent female.

In general, the app was very well received by the respondents. The survey found that a majority of respondents (68 percent) believed that the information they received ‘very much’ improved their way of farming, and more than 80 percent had never had access to such information services before they used Farmer.Chat for the first time. Using this app required no significant new investments by the farmers, as long as they already had a mobile phone.

Recognizing the Important Relationship Between Kenya and the United States

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 17:14:00 GMT

By Gilbert arap Bor:Kapseret (Uasin Gishu County), Kenya

Kenyan President William Ruto arrived in Washington, D.C., U.S.A., on 3^rd December 2025, following a special invitation by President Donald J. Trump, as Chairperson of the East African Community (EAC), for the official signing of the DRC–Rwanda Peace Agreement. This was a landmark accord and the most significant breakthrough yet in efforts to end decades of conflict in Eastern DRC.

His trip to Washington DC marked more than just a diplomatic visit. It was a symbol of the rising stature of Kenya on the global stage and the growing influence of his leadership in world affairs. As President Ruto stepped into the U.S. capital, he carried with him the hopes and ambitions of a modern, forward-looking Kenya and Africa. His leadership, marked by bold economic reforms, visionary diplomacy, and an unwavering belief in the potential of the African continent, continues to position him as one of Africa’s most transformative voices. His visit not only contributed to strengthening of Kenya-U.S. relations, but also underscores President Ruto’s role as a key architect of Africa’s future, a leader capable of shaping continental progress, championing innovation, and inspiring a new generation across Africa.

During the visit, the President did a lot to advance Kenya’s priorities in trade, investment, security, and health cooperation, and witnessed the signing of the Kenya–U.S. Health Cooperation Framework¾a new phase toward sustainable Universal Health Coverage.

Officials in the Trump administration are calling it an “ America First ” health initiative—and here in Kenya, we’re grateful that the United States is putting Kenya first in the fight against diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.

My country is the first nation to benefit from what is expected to be a series of global-health deals. Ours is worth $2.5 billion over the next five years, with the United States contributing two-thirds and Kenya investing the rest.

“Thank you very much to President Trump and his foresight and commitment to the relationship that exists between Kenya and the United States and between the United States and Africa,” said Ruto.

This deal is good for every Kenyan. It’s especially good for Kenyan farmers, who live in rural areas, where access to healthcare is lower.

Now we must take advantage of this moment and do everything possible to strengthen Kenya’s partnership with the United States.

It starts with trade—and there’s a lot of room for improvement and growth.
Two-way trade between the United States and Kenya is worth less than $2 billion (Kes. 260 billion) annually. We buy natural gas, aircraft, and chemicals from the United States. Our top exports are clothing and agricultural goods, such as coffee, tea, and fresh flowers.

I have a special interest in coffee because I became a coffee farmer four years ago. My county government of Uasin Gishu encouraged farmers like me to take up this high-value crop. I’ve spent my life in agriculture, but I’d never grown coffee. On my small farm, we’ve mostly grown maize (corn) and vegetables and raised dairy cows.

Yet we’re always looking for new opportunities—and in 2021, I jumped at the chance to plant 500 seedlings that now have grown into 3,000 coffee bushes. My first harvest of coffee came in 2024. Next year, I expect to bring more than 1,000 kg of coffee beans to the market.

Kenyans drink coffee, but most of what we produce (our beans) travel across borders to coffee drinkers in countries that can’t grow the crop. One of them is the United States which, apart from a few farms in Hawaii, produces no coffee of its own.

Americans love coffee: Starbucks is their second-largest fast-food chain, in both revenue and number of stores. They need farmers in other nations to supply the key ingredient.

I like to think that Americans can drink coffee that can be traced and sourced back to my farm.

I have a special relationship with the United States. I was a student at Southern New Hampshire University in 2006. I’ve also visited many times as a member of the Global Farmer Network , including a trip to Des Moines in 2011 to become one of the first recipients of what is now called the Kleckner Global Farm Leader Award . I also have many relatives in the United States, including some who have become citizens.

This reflects the long friendship between Americans and Kenyans. Our two peoples have much in common, including the fact that we both gained our independence from Britain. For Americans, it was way back in 1776. For Kenyans, it was much more recently, in 1963/64. Yet we have a shared political legacy, which includes a commitment to democracy. We also speak a common language: English is one of Kenya’s two official languages (along with Swahili) and it is our language of government and higher education.

We are allies in other ways as well. Kenya currently leads an international peacekeeping force in Haiti, where hundreds of our police officers seek to reduce gang violence and bring stability to a troubled country that is in America’s backyard. If our forces succeed, they will reduce the pressure of illegal immigration to the United States.

The United States helps Kenyan security as well. President Trump played a key role in the new peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. If the peace holds, it will bring stability to our region and make it easier for Kenyan farmers to sell what we grow to our neighbors.

So, Kenya and the United States must continue to work together—on national security, on healthcare, and above all on the international trade that can help us both prosper.

Gilbert arap Bor grows maize (corn), vegetables and dairy cows on a small-scale farm of 25 acres in Kapseret, near Eldoret, Kenya and has now added coffee and avocados. Dr Bor is also a lecturer of marketing and management at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Eldoret campus ( www.cuea.edu ). He is a member of the Global Farmer Network www.globalfarmernetwork.org , and is a member of its Advisory Board.

Will Congressional Inaction Force Farmers to Choose Between Health Insurance and Their Farm Budget?

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 23:11:13 GMT

Healthcare insurance plans for some U.S. farmers could double in 2026, as enhanced federal subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are scheduled to expire.

The impending cost surge could affect thousands of U.S. farmers who currently rely on the ACA marketplace for their health insurance, according to the non-partisan KFF (formerly Kaiser Family Foundation), a health policy organization.

KFF estimated in 2023 that 27% of “farmers, ranchers, and other agriculture managers” relied on individual ACA market coverage. Nationally, more than 22 million Americans rely on the ACA marketplace for insurance options.

Farmers ‘Don’t Have Many Options’
Iowa farmer Aaron Lehman, who testified before Congress last week, highlighted the severity of the potential cost increase on his family. He said he expects to pay double to purchase an insurance plan for 2026 that would be comparable to what his family had this year.

“That is an incredible cost for our family budget and for our farm budget,” Lehman stated. The fifth-generation farmer and president of the Iowa Farmers Union described how rising healthcare costs are colliding with already harsh economic realities in agriculture.

“Farmers right now are trying to make all sorts of decisions because commodity prices are low, because of the chaotic trade situation that we’re in and higher input prices. All these things have made a real crisis for a lot of our farmers,” said Lehman.

“Finding ways to deal with that, we just don’t have too many options. Farmers will buy less equipment or not make the necessary upgrades and equipment that they need to,” he added. “They’ll look at their input suppliers, and they’ll decide, ‘what can we do to get through just this year … to get a plan to put the crop in the ground?’”

Read the testimony of Aaron Lehman here. A portion of his testimony and discussion is also featured on a posting to YouTube .

Signup Deadlines For Coverage
The challenge for farmers trying to decide on what insurance policy to purchase is compounded by the deadline to enroll in ACA marketplace plans: People needed to choose their ACA plan by Monday for coverage to begin Jan. 1. Open enrollment continues in most states until Jan. 15 for coverage beginning Feb. 1.

Despite broad public support for an extension to the ACA tax credits — a KFF poll said 74% of Americans favor continuing the enhanced credits — a congressional standoff has so far failed to produce a solution:

Failed Votes: Both a Democratic plan to extend the enhanced tax credits for three years and a Republican proposal to replace them with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) failed to pass the Senate last week.
Impending Crisis: Nearly six in 10 enrollees (across all categories) told KFF they could not afford even a $300 annual increase in 2026 without significantly disrupting household finances.
Political Fallout: The issue of healthcare costs and expiring subsidies is highly polarizing, with some Republicans warning that a failure to address the problem could cost them legislative majorities in next year’s mid-term elections.

As the deadline for open enrollment closes and the Dec. 31 subsidy expiration date approaches, farmers must prepare for substantially higher health insurance costs in 2026 unless Congress acts to reach a last-minute agreement.

Young Farmers Need Better Options
During his testimony and ensuing discussion, Lehman stressed that healthcare isn’t just a personal household issue; it’s central to the future of American farming. With the average age of an Iowa farmer at 57, he said the sector desperately needs young and beginning farmers to return to the land. But without affordable, reliable health coverage, inviting the next generation back onto the farm becomes a far riskier proposition.

“You have to be very smart to figure out the plan that can bring the next generation on the farm,” he said, adding that many talented, innovative young people want to farm, but face daunting financial barriers — healthcare high among them. He noted that one of his sons works with him on their family operation, which is based in Polk County, Iowa.

Lehman framed affordable healthcare for farm families as an investment, not a handout: a way to make it possible for young farmers to feed their communities, support local and regional food systems, or continue larger family commodity operations.

“Extending the federal support for lowering the cost of health insurance is a true win for farmers and for all of rural America,” he said.

Farm CPA Estimates Per-Acre Bridge Payment Rates In Anticipation of Final USDA Numbers

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:47:39 GMT

The Trump Administration, recognizing the challenges in farm country related to trade negotiations and the impact on production costs and prices, is rolling out a new $12 billion aid program. The Farmer Bridge Assistance program is a one-time payment delivered to farmers, which the administration says have been impacted by unfair market disruptions.

“We have been looking at the impacts of a lot of components related to agriculture,” explains Richard Fordyce, USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation. “Some prices are not where we want to see them from the commodity perspective, and inputs seem to be very reluctant to come down, whether that’s fertilizer, crop protection, seed or equipment.”

Higher safety net reference prices for the major crops, approved in the One Big Beautiful Bill earlier this year, are on the way but they won’t be available until October 2026. Hence, the decision to deliver a “bridge” payment was made, given the income challenges plaguing farmers in several corners of agriculture.

“The increase in those reference prices is going to really make a big difference from a safety net standpoint,” Fordyce adds.

Farmer Bridge Assistance Enrollment Starts Today

Getting enrolled begins today. Eligible producers must verify 2025 acreage reports by Dec. 19.

“I’m going to guess 99% of acreage reports are complete, but we want to give folks who maybe haven’t done an acreage report up to this point the opportunity to get that acreage report filed,” Fordyce says.

He says most farmers likely did an acreage report by July 15 and fall-seeded crops were done in fall 2024.

"[These few days are] for the folks who have not done one or maybe historically don’t do them,” he explains. “It’s an opportunity for those folks to get that done.”

Payment Estimates Before Christmas

Fordyce says once the acreage numbers are in, they’ll finalize the payment rates by crop. Those will be ready by the week of Dec. 22.

“The reason we wanted to get that done before the first of the year is to give some certainty to producers,” Fordyce says. “If they’re trying to secure financing for the 2026 crop year, they’ll understand where they are financially and where this bridge payment will come in [to help] make a difference.”

Farm CPA Paul Neiffer says USDA appears to be considering a calculation for the Farmer Bridge Assistance similar to the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP).

“ECAP took the December 2024 marketing year average estimates from USDA and then subtracted the estimated cost of production for the 2024 crop and then applied a payment percentage,” Neiffer explains. "$10 billion was authorized for ECAP, $11 billion for Farmer Bridge Assistance. Therefore, it is likely Farmer Bridge Assistance payment rates will be at least 10% higher on average.”

Neiffer assumes any increase in the cost of production for 2025 compared with 2024 will be about the same percentage for all crops. Therefore, the only difference between ECAP and FBA is the estimated marketing year average price.

Here are his estimates for final Farmer Bridge Assistance payment rates for six crops:

If this tracks with USDA’s final calculations, it’s clear Southern farmers, those raising cotton and rice, will see higher per-acre payouts than soybean growers in the Midwest. USDA says these payments are expected to be delivered by the end of February 2026.

USDA says Farmer Bridge Assistance applies to producers of a broad list of row crops and oilseeds, including:

Barley
Corn
Cotton
Peanuts
Oats
Rice
Sorghum
Soybeans
Wheat

Plus crops such as canola, flax, mustard, rapeseed, safflower, sesame and sunflower, among others.

A Bridge to 2026

The administration had been expected to roll out as much as $15 billion in aid back in October, but Rollins said the 43-day federal government shutdown pushed back the timeline.

During his first term, Trump directed about $23 billion in aid to farmers. Reuters reports producers this year were already on track to receive nearly $40 billion in ad-hoc disaster and economic assistance.

The new trade aid package is widely welcomed, but many U.S. farmers say the damage from the trade war, and China’s boycott of U.S. soybeans through harvest, has already taken its toll. Billions of dollars in lost soybean sales pushed China toward South American suppliers, creating long-term financial and market consequences.

“Certainly we have an idea of what that gap is between where prices are and where the cost of production is [along with] just a whole bunch of other economic indicators,” Fordyce says. “We’re not going to be able to make up that full difference with this eleven billion but it certainly is a step in the right direction and it will offer some relief.”