Politico’s Grace Yarrow reported Wednesday night that “the House Agriculture Committee voted 29-25 along party lines to advance legislation that would cut as much as $300 billion in food aid spending to pay for Republicans’ domestic policy megabill and some farm bill programs.” “The Wednesday vote sends the measure to the House Budget Committee for […]
Ryan Hanrahan
Ryan Hanrahan is the Farm Policy News editor and social media director for the farmdoc project. He has previously worked in local news, primarily as an agriculture journalist in the American West. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri (B.S. Science & Agricultural Journalism). He can be reached at rrh@illinois.edu.
US Retail Egg Prices Fell 12.7% in April
The Associated Press’ Dee-Ann Durbin reported that “U.S. retail egg prices fell in April from the record-high prices they hit earlier this year, according to government data released Tuesday. The average price for a dozen Grade A eggs declined to $5.12 last month after reaching a record $6.23 in March, according to the U.S. Bureau […]
House Ag Budget Plan Tightens SNAP, Expands Farm Safety Net
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher and Rebekah Alvey reported that “House Republicans are proposing to cut $290 billion from nutrition assistance spending over the next 10 years and use some of the savings to increase spending on commodity programs, crop insurance and other farm bill programs.” “The draft text released Monday evening for the House Agriculture Committee’s […]
US & China Agree to Lower Tariffs for 90 Days
Bloomberg’s Jenny Leonard reported that “the US and China will temporarily lower tariffs on each other’s products in a dramatic ratcheting down of trade tensions that buys the world’s two largest economies three months to work toward a broader agreement.” “The combined 145% US levies on most Chinese imports will be reduced to 30% including […]
US-UK Trade Deal Could Help American Ethanol and Beef
Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported that “ethanol will see lower tariffs selling into the United Kingdom and other agricultural products such as beef should also see greater market access under a new trade deal with the UK announced by President Donald Trump on Thursday.” “At an event in the White House, Trump said leaders in […]
Crop Traders Report Tariffs Weighing on Profits, Outlooks
Global crop trading companies — including Archer-Daniels-Midland, Bunge Global and Andersons Inc. — have largely reported this week that uncertainties surrounding tariffs and trade have taken a toll on first-quarter profits and could continue to affect bottom lines throughout the remainder of 2025. Reuters’ Karl Plume and Mrinalika Roy reported that “tariffs and trade chaos […]
No Plans to Close Any FSA Offices, Ag Sec Rollins Says
Reuters’ Leah Douglas reported that “U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins at a Senate hearing on Tuesday defended downsizing the USDA and potential cuts to international food aid programs, but said the agency does not plan to close any of its 4,500 offices that serve farmers.” “The USDA has lost more than 15,000 staff to financial […]
More than 15,000 Employees Leaving USDA
Reuters’ Leah Douglas reported that “more than 15,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture employees have taken one of the Trump administration’s two financial incentive offers to leave the agency, according to a readout from a USDA briefing with congressional staff seen by Reuters. The sum represents about 15% of the USDA’s total workforce.” “President Donald Trump’s […]
Trump Budget Proposes 18% Cut to USDA Funding
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher and Rebekah Alvey reported late last week that “President Donald Trump is proposing to slash non-defense spending by nearly 23% in a fiscal 2026 budget that recommends a $5 billion cut to USDA programs, including agricultural research, international food aid, conservation technical assistance to farmers, and rural development.” “USDA’s budget would be […]
FSA to Require DOGE Approval for Larger Loans
Reuters’ Leah Douglas and P.J. Huffstutter reported that “farm loan employees at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency will now need approval from billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to issue loans over $500,000, according to a memo seen by Reuters on Wednesday.” “The April 29 memo sent by Houston Bruck, deputy […]
Lawmakers Send More Signals Farm Bill Uncertain This Year
Politico’s Grace Yarrow and Marcia Brown reported Wednesday that Republican “lawmakers are currently weighing whether to put Biden-era conservation programs into their party-line megabill that might have otherwise been included in their separate reauthorization of federal farm programs, according to three people granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.” Yarrow and Brown reported that the possibility […]
Thompson Says House Ag Budget Cuts Probably Less Than $230 Billion
E&E News’ Marc Heller reported Tuesday that “House Agriculture Chair Glenn Thompson said Tuesday that the spending cuts his panel is expected to make toward a budget reconciliation deal next week will probably be less than predicted.” “Speaking to an annual gathering of agriculture reporters at the Capitol, Thompson, a Pennsylvania Republican, said he thinks […]
Trump Admin Issues Waiver for Summertime E15 Sales
Reuters’ Stephanie Kelly reported that “the Trump administration on Monday issued an emergency waiver to allow the sale of a higher-ethanol gasoline blend (E15) to be sold this summer nationwide, saying it will add to fuel supply during the peak U.S. driving season and bring down costs.” “The move likely will benefit biofuel producers and […]
China, Amid Trade War, Says it Doesn’t Need US Grains and Oilseeds
Bloomberg’s Hallie Gu reported that “China’s grain supply won’t be affected by a loss of US feed grain and oilseed imports, thanks to abundantly available substitutes on the global market and sufficient reserves at home, a top official from the country’s state planner told reporters on Monday.” “The world’s top buyer of soybeans is set […]
Trump Says US Could Re-Impose Some Reciprocal Tariffs
CNN’s David Goldman reported Wednesday that “President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he could re-impose ‘reciprocal’ tariffs on some countries in as soon as two or three weeks, a potentially significant re-escalation of the global trade war that has already raised fears of a US and global recession.” “‘In the end, I think what’s going […]
USDA Downsizing Plan to be Ready by Mid-May, Rollins Says
Agri-Pulse’s Noah Wicks and Steve Davies reported Wednesday that “the Trump administration’s plan for reorganizing and downsizing USDA should be out by the middle of May, and it will likely call for consolidating some programs with other agencies, according to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.” “During an interview with Agri-Pulse on Tuesday after a series of […]
House Ag Republicans Eyeing Early May For Spending Cuts
Politico’s Meredith Lee Hill reported that “House Republicans are eyeing May 8 for the Agriculture Committee to advance its portion of the mega bill to enact President Donald Trump’s vast domestic agenda, according to two people granted anonymity to share private scheduling details.” “This target date, while weeks away, is still an ambitious timeline as […]
Farm Bankruptcies on the Rise Again in 2025
Bloomberg Law’s Alex Wolf and Skye Witley reported that “family farm bankruptcies increased by 55% last year compared to 2023 and are trending even higher this year as farmers continue to grapple with depressed agricultural commodity prices and high input costs.” “And while much of the industrywide distress predates his second stint in the White […]
US Imposes Slightly Eased Port Fees on Chinese Ships
Agri-Pulse’s Oliver Ward reported this past week that “starting in October, the U.S. will impose port fees on Chinese-made ships and Chinese operators based on cargo volumes, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said on Thursday. But ag exporters will see some relief as the measures will not apply to ships that arrive empty […]
Bayer CEO Warns that Company May Stop Making Roundup
The Wall Street Journal’s Patrick Thomas reported that “Roundup’s time may be up. Pharmaceutical and agriculture conglomerate Bayer said it could stop producing the world’s most popular weedkiller, unless it gets court protection against lawsuits blaming the herbicide for causing cancer.” “Roundup has generated tens of billions of dollars in sales over time for Bayer […]