The Financial TImes’ Andy Bounds reported this past Sunday that “the EU wants to block imports of certain foodstuffs made to different standards to protect its farmers in an echo of US President Donald Trump’s ‘reciprocal’ trade policy.” “The European Commission will agree (this) week to explore greater import limits, according to three officials, a […]
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.
Trump Admin Shifting Away From Depopulation for Bird Flu
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher reported Sunday that “the Trump administration is preparing a plan for combatting avian flu that will move away from depopulating entire infected flocks and rely instead on ‘biosecurity and medication’ to contain outbreaks, says President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser.” “Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, said on CBS’ Face […]
Mass Federal Firings Hit Agriculture Agencies
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher, Noah Wicks, Steve Davies, and Lydia Johnson reported this past week that “the Trump administration’s mass firing of probationary federal employees has swept out workers across USDA, including loan analysts in Farm Service Agency field offices, ag scientists, and about 1,200 staff of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, according to sources.” “The […]
‘Farmers are going to be helped’ by Reciprocal Tariffs, Trump says
Bloomberg’s Josh Wingrove, Jennifer A Dlouhy, and Jenny Leonard reported Thursday that “President Donald Trump ordered his administration to consider imposing reciprocal tariffs on numerous trading partners, raising the prospect of a wider campaign against a global system he complains is tilted against the US.” “The president on Thursday signed a measure directing the US […]
House Budget Plan Requires $230 Billion Ag Committee Cuts
Agri-Pulse’s Rebekah Alvey reported that “the House released a fiscal 2025 budget resolution Tuesday that would direct the Agriculture Committee to cut $230 billion over 10 years, an amount that would likely require a significant reduction in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. ” “After weeks of talks, the House Budget Committee dropped its ‘one big, […]
USDA Cuts Outlook for Argentina, Brazil Corn Production
Market Watch’s Kirk Maltais reported Tuesday that “production of corn and soybeans out of Argentina are forecast to be lower as weather there batters its newly planted crops, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. In its latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report published Tuesday, the USDA changed its outlook for South American corn […]
SNAP Under Fire in Budget Reconciliation Cuts
Politico’s Grace Yarrow reported that “the House Ag Committee is eyeing roughly $150 billion in spending cuts related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as Republicans are seeking to pay for President Donald Trump’s agenda.” “That number includes reducing SNAP error payment rates, updating work requirements and tying future updates to the Thrifty Food Plan […]
USDA Freezes Conservation, Other Direct Farmer Funding
Reuters’ P.J. Huffstutter and Leah Douglas reported Saturday that “the U.S. Department of Agriculture has frozen some funding for farmers as it goes through a sweeping review, despite assurances from the Trump administration that programs helping farmers would not be affected in the government overhaul. The impact has been immediate and wide-ranging, from cash assistance […]
Farm Income to Increase in 2025 Thanks to Federal Aid
Progressive Farmer’s Katie Micik Dehlinger reported Thursday that “USDA forecasts climbing farm income in 2025, but it’s due to a dramatic increase in government payments, not better prices or a higher volume of sales. Net farm income, which is a comprehensive measure of farm profitability, is forecast at $180.1 billion, an increase of $41 billion, […]
US Ag Export Volumes Surged 22% in 2024
Reuters’ Karen Braun reported Wednesday that “most global importers last year took advantage of plentiful and cheaper U.S. bulk agricultural commodities, including soybeans and corn, the top-ticket items.” “Milestones were notched among the top U.S. bulk grain destinations in 2024 as average export prices fell by more than one-fifth versus 2023,” Braun reported. “Lower prices […]
Ag Traders, Manufacturers Report Tough Profit Outlooks
Reuters’ Karl Plume reported Tuesday that “grains merchant Archer-Daniels-Midland posted its lowest fourth-quarter adjusted profit in six years on Tuesday on weak oilseed crush margins and uncertainty over U.S. biofuel policy and said it is cutting costs and slashing up to 700 jobs to weather the market downturn.” “Chicago-based ADM said it aimed to cut […]
China Tariffs Begin, Canada & Mexico Tariffs Paused
Reuters’ Trevor Hunnicutt and Kevin Krolicki reported that “China imposed targeted tariffs on American imports on Tuesday and put several U.S. companies, including Google, on notice for possible sanctions, in a measured response to the sweeping duties on Chinese imports imposed by President Donald Trump.” “Beijing’s limited reply to Trump’s imposition of a 10% tariff […]
Trade War Underway as Canada, Mexico Announce Retaliatory Tariffs
UPDATE (Monday at 11am): NBC News’ Shannon Pettypiece reported Monday that “the U.S. and Mexico reached an agreement Monday to delay a 25% tariff on all Mexican imports for one month, after Mexico agreed to ramp up security at its border — averting, at least for now, a move that could have driven up prices […]
Trump Confirms Mexico, Canada 25% Tariffs Coming Saturday
UPDATE 2 (Friday at 1:30pm): White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says earlier reporting about March 1 tariff date is inaccurate and that she confirms that “the Feb. 1 deadline that President Trump put into place in a statement several weeks ago continues. The president will be implementing tomorrow 25% tariffs on Mexico, 25% tariffs […]
Mexico Readying Retaliatory Tariffs, Potentially Targeting US Ag
Reuters’ Diego Oré reported that “Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Wednesday she does not believe the United States will impose tariffs on Saturday as President Donald Trump has pledged, but said her administration has its own response plan in place if needed.” “‘We don’t think it’s going to happen,’ Sheinbaum said at her regular […]
Ogallala Aquifer Dropped More Than a Foot in Kansas in 2024
The Kansas Reflector’s Allison Kite reported Tuesday that “aquifer levels in parts of western Kansas that rely on groundwater for everything from drinking to irrigation fell more than a foot last year, Kansas Geological Survey scientists said Tuesday.” “The Kansas Geological Survey earlier this month completed its annual campaign to measure the Ogallala Aquifer, which […]
‘Tempo Has Increased’ in Bird Flu Spread in US
The New York Times’ Apoorva Mandavilli reported Monday that “when bird flu first struck dairy cattle a year ago, it seemed possible that it might affect a few isolated herds and disappear as quickly as it had appeared. Instead, the virus has infected more than 900 herds and dozens of people, killing one, and the […]
US, Colombia Avoid Trade War Over Deportations
Reuters’ Phil Stewart and Oliver Griffin reported Monday morning that “the U.S. and Colombia pulled back from the brink of a trade war on Sunday after the White House said the South American nation had agreed to accept military aircraft carrying deported migrants.” “U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened tariffs and sanctions on Colombia to […]
USDA Nominee Rollins Pledges Farmer Aid In Case of Trade War
Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported that “agriculture secretary nominee Brooke Rollins told senators on Thursday that USDA would be prepared to again provide aid to farmers if they face retaliatory tariffs as President Donald Trump implements his trade policies.” “Despite concerns about farmworkers being deported, Rollins also told senators she supports Trump’s border and mass-deportation […]
US Share of China Soybean Market Fell to 21% in 2024
Reuters Ella Cao and Mei Mei Chu reported on Monday that “China’s soybean imports from the United States dropped 5.7% in 2024 from the previous year and were replaced by Brazilian and Argentine shipments, as fears of a renewed Sino-US trade war further hammered the US market share to under a quarter.” “China imported a […]