Employees should expect to receive more detail about USDA’s reorganization ‘by the beginning of this summer,’ (Agriculture Secretary Brooke) Rollins said. ‘We’re going to be flexible if they can’t move right away or they’ve got other issues,’ she added.
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.
Farmers Will Plant Less Corn and More Soy in 2026, USDA Says
Farmers intend to plant 95.3 million acres of corn and 84.7 million acres of soybeans in 2026, the USDA NASS said on Tuesday. Altogether, the USDA is estimating a total of 223.8 million corn, soybean, and wheat acres for 2026/2027, down from 225.3 million for 2025/2026.
Ag Secretary Rollins Working Directly With Input Companies to Lower Prices
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says she is working directly with ag input companies to address rising prices amid mounting warnings over fertilizer supply and ongoing disruptions. “We want real relief for our farmers,” Rollins told Fox News on Saturday.
EPA Sets Record High Biofuel Blending Volumes
The Trump administration issued long-awaited final biofuel-blending rules for this year and next, marking the biggest mandate ever for biomass-based diesel following years of policy setbacks for producers of renewable fuel and oilseed crops.
U.S. Corn Acres to Fall in 2026, Surveys Show
The Iran war has upended the planting intentions of U.S. farmers, resulting in fewer acres of corn and the lowest quantity of spring wheat planted since 1970 as rising fertilizer and fuel costs and low grain prices dim the outlook for profits, analysts said ahead of a U.S. government report due on Tuesday.
Trump Admin Set To Allow Summer E15 Fuel Sales
The Trump administration is preparing to expand the opportunity for sales of higher-ethanol E15 gasoline this summer by waiving the fuel from US volatility requirements, according to people familiar with the matter.
Senate to Begin Work on Farm Bill Within Weeks, Boozman Says
Senate Agriculture Chair John Boozman said Monday he plans to soon take up a five-year farm bill, regardless of delays a similar bill may face in the House. Asked at an agriculture policy conference when he plans to move a measure through his committee, Boozman said, ‘Weeks, not months,’ but did not offer specifics.
Lawmakers Seek Fertilizer Price Transparency Amid Rising Costs
A bipartisan group of US Senators introduced a bill that would require mandatory price reporting of fertilizer — a bid for more market information after the war in Iran prompted the biggest surge in crop nutrient costs in years.
Nebraska Fires Threaten to Delay Cattle Herd Rebuild
Massive wildfires have burned vast swaths of grazing lands in Nebraska, endangering cattle producers’ plans for production increases that could help ease record-high U.S. beef prices. The loss of grasslands in the second-biggest cattle-producing state removes a feed source for herds and could delay ranchers from expanding as they struggle with widespread drought, state and industry officials said.
Most Rented Farmland Owned by Non-Farmers, USDA Says
The vast majority of over two million landowners who rented out 347.8 million acres of agricultural land in 2024 were non-farming landlords, according to the latest USDA survey data, while the amount of land rent collected has increased since 2014.
US Seeking Fertilizer from Venezuela, Morocco Amid Iran War
The Trump administration is seeking other sources of fertilizer amid the ongoing Iran war’s shipping constraints, including from Venezuela and possibly Morocco, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Tuesday.
Strike Begins at Major Colorado Meatpacking Plant
Striking JBS employees took to the streets of Greeley, Colorado, before sunrise on Monday to picket against the world’s largest meat company, in a rare labor stoppage at a U.S. meatpacking plant and a sign of upheaval in the beef industry.
China Signals Openness to Buying More US Ag Products
Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials held ‘remarkably stable’ talks in Paris on Sunday that touched on potential areas of agreement in agriculture. The Chinese side showed openness to potential additional purchases of U.S. agricultural goods including poultry, beef and non-soybean row crops, one of the sources said, adding that China was still committed to buy 25 million metric tons of American soybeans for each of the next three years.
Lawmakers Eye War Funding Package for More Farm Aid
Republicans are debating whether to attach wildfire aid and $15 billion in tariff relief for farmers to a military funding package President Donald Trump is expected to seek for the unfolding conflict in Iran, according to four people granted anonymity to share internal deliberations.
Farm Bureau Calls on Trump to Protect Fertilizer Supplies
The American Farm Bureau Federation is calling on President Donald Trump to dampen the Iran war’s shocks to the market for critical agricultural supplies — which are landing as farmers confront major economic headwinds.
Half of Farmer Bridge Assistance Already Allocated, USDA Says
The U.S. Department of Agriculture already has obligated more than $6 billion in payments under its new Farmer Bridge Assistance program just days after enrollment opened.
Prolonged Iran War Could Shrink US Corn Acres, Analysts Say
The world’s farmers face soaring fertilizer and fuel prices as the war in the Middle East escalates, leaving some scrambling for supplies as the spring planting season approaches and causing some to rethink their planting prospects.
Senate Dems Seek to Break Up Meatpacking Industry
The US meatpacking industry faces a fresh wave of scrutiny, this time from Senate Democrats seeking to allow companies to process only one type of meat and set stricter limits on the beef market.
House Ag Committee Advances Farm Bill with Democrat Support
The House Agriculture Committee advanced the Republican-led farm bill in a 34-17 vote early Thursday after a marathon markup that was clouded by partisan fighting about the package.
Fertilizer Prices Have ‘Significant’ Rise After Attack on Iran
As a result of the attack on Iran, nitrogen fertilizer at the port of New Orleans has seen an increase in price this week. Urea prices for barges in New Orleans traded $520/ton to $550/ton on Monday, up from an average of $475/ton last week, according to CRU Group.