UPDATE: On Thursday morning, Politico’s Meredith Lee Hill and Olivia Beavers reported that “Speaker Mike Johnson and Donald Trump’s team are circling a new federal funding stopgap plan that includes disaster aid, pushing off a debt limit fight for two years and a one-year farm bill extension, according to two Republicans familiar with the discussions. […]
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.
Angie Craig to Lead House Ag Democrats
Politico’s Meredith Lee Hill, Nicholas Wu and Daniella Diaz reported Tuesday that “Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) will lead Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee in the next Congress after winning a caucus vote Tuesday.” “Craig, 52, beat out Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.), 72, for the role by a vote of 121 to 91, according to […]
Government Funding Bill to Include Ag Economic Aid, Sources Say
Politico’s Katherine Tully-McManus, Jennifer Scholtes and Meredith Lee Hill reported Monday evening that “top lawmakers were still negotiating the final details Monday night of a stopgap spending patch tied to a slew of other last-ditch priorities as Friday’s federal government shutdown deadline grows closer.” “While negotiations on the funding patch itself are resolved, disputes continue […]
Ag Market Aid Talks Reach Stalemate in Congress
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher reported over the weekend that “negotiations over a package of market relief assistance for farmers reached an impasse Saturday after Democratic leaders rejected the latest GOP proposal, and several major farm groups called on lawmakers to oppose a stopgap spending bill if the economic aid is omitted.” “The Republican proposal failed to […]
Nearly All US Farms Are Family Farms, USDA Says
AgWeb’s Margy Eckelkamp reported earlier this week that “family farms still dominate a majority of U.S. farms,” having accounted “for about 96% of total farms and 83% of total production in 2023” in the United States. “Released on Dec. 10, (the USDA’s Economic Research Service) published its 2024 edition of America’s Farms and Ranches at […]
Market Aid in Jeopardy During Farm Bill Extension Talks
Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported that “nearly $10 billion in immediate economic aid to farmers could be lost because House Republican leaders oppose how Democrats came up with the money for the aid.“ “Staff for Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., the retiring chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, found a way to move the conservation dollars […]
Two Judges Block Kroger-Albertsons Merger
The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Alexander Coolidge reported Tuesday that “two judges, one federal and another in Washington state, ruled on Tuesday against Kroger’s $25 billion takeover bid for Albertsons, granting court orders blocking the deal.” “After holding a more than three-week ‘mini-trial’ in August and September, U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson in Portland, Oregon, decided the […]
Bird Flu Uptick as USDA Orders National Milk Testing
Reuters’ Leah Douglas reported at the end of this past week that “the U.S. issued a federal order on Friday mandating that the national milk supply be tested for bird flu, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told Reuters, as authorities seek to grapple with rapid spread of the virus among dairy herds.” “The USDA first announced […]
John Deere Adds 112 More Iowa Layoffs
The Des Moines Register’s Kevin Baskins reported this past week that “the layoffs continue at John Deere as the agricultural and construction equipment giant announced another round Tuesday at its Waterloo Works, the company’s largest plant. The company plans to lay off 112 workers effective Jan. 5, according to the state’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining […]
Trump Picks Pesticide Critic Makary as FDA Commissioner
Agri-Pulse’s Steve Davies reported at the end of November that “Marty Makary, a highly acclaimed surgeon who is an outspoken critic of the U.S. food system, the use of pesticides, and of COVID-19 vaccine mandates, was selected by President-elect Donald Trump on Friday as the new commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.” “Marty Makary, […]
Biden Admin Expects to Finalize 45Z Tax Credit
Progressive Farmer’s Todd Neeley reported Tuesday afternoon that “the Biden administration is set to finalize guidance on the 45Z Clean Fuel Production tax credit before President Joe Biden leaves office come Jan. 20, 2025, a spokesperson for the U.S. Treasury Department told DTN on Tuesday.” Neeley noted on the social media platform X that “once […]
Cargill, Tyson Announce Significant Midwest Layoffs
Reuters’ Tom Polansek reported Tuesday that “global trading house Cargill plans to permanently terminate about 475 employees in Minnesota, home to its corporate headquarters, starting on Feb. 5, according to a company letter released by the state on Tuesday. Cargill has said it plans to cut around 5% of its staff after revenue slumped in its […]
Farm Bill Extension a Priority as Congress Returns
Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported Monday that “Congress returns this week facing a Dec. 20 deadline to approve a new funding resolution to keep the government operating, as well as potentially pass a disaster package and a farm-bill extension before wrapping up the year.” “Lawmakers will be negotiating the funding and provisions of a disaster […]
Trump Picks ‘China Hawk’ Jamieson Greer as Trade Rep
Politico’s Doug Palmer, Betsy Woodruff Swan and Ari Hawkins reported that “President-elect Donald Trump picked Jamieson Greer to be U.S. trade representative, elevating a figure little known outside of Washington to what is expected to be one of the most important posts in the incoming administration.” “Greer, a former Air Force lawyer turned trade litigator, […]
Mexico Suggests Retaliatory Tariffs After Trump Threat
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that “President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested Tuesday that Mexico could retaliate with tariffs of its own, after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose 25% import duties on Mexican goods if the country doesn’t stop the flow of drugs and migrants across the border.” “Sheinbaum said she was willing to engage […]
Trump Promises 25% Tariff on Canada and Mexico
Reuters reported Monday evening that “U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs.” “‘On January 20th, […]
Trump Picks Brooke Rollins for Ag Secretary
Reuters reported Sunday that “U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Brooke Rollins, president of the America First Policy Institute, to be agriculture secretary.” “‘As our next Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke will spearhead the effort to protect American Farmers, who are truly the backbone of our Country,’ Trump said in a statement,” Reuters reported. “If confirmed […]
Market Relief Needed to Supplement Farm Bill Extension, Senators Say
Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported Wednesday that “as Congress looks to craft a disaster package, Republican senators are making the case that disaster aid for farmers should be broader than just those producers hit by hurricanes this fall and include ‘market-related disasters.’” “The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing Wednesday with officials from multiple […]
Trump Commerce Pick Increases Concerns of China Trade War
AgWeb’s Jim Wiesemeyer reported Wednesday that “President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Howard Lutnick, the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, as Commerce Secretary highlights plans to leverage tariffs in trade negotiations, with Lutnick emphasizing their use as both a revenue source and bargaining tool.” “Lutnick has called the tariffs a negotiating tool that could be used to […]
Farm Bill Extension Likely as GOP Rejects Stabenow’s Bill
Politico’s Meredith Lee Hill and Olivia Beavers reported Tuesday that “House Republicans confirmed during their closed-door conference meeting Tuesday morning that GOP lawmakers are rejecting Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow’s last minute farm bill push and will instead plan to pass a one-year extension of the massive bill by Dec. 31.” “During the Tuesday meeting, House […]