USDA relocated hundreds of ERS and NIFA positions to Kansas City in 2019, but about 85% of impacted employees quit their jobs or retired, rather than relocate. The American Federation of Government Employees Local 3403, which represents USDA researchers, expects to see similar results this year. An internal survey conducted by the union found that 76% of its members have indicated they are not planning to relocate.
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.
DOJ Reaches Settlement with Agri Stats Over Meat Price-Fixing
The U.S. Department of Justice and six states settled their antitrust lawsuit against data company Agri Stats on Thursday in a move DOJ officials said would lower meat prices for consumers.
US Imports of Brazilian Beef Surged in First Quarter
Brazilian beef exports to the U.S. are booming, according to monthly USDA trade data released Tuesday. Brazilian meat packers shipped $795 million in beef to the U.S. in the first three months of this year, up 21% from a year ago. Last year marked a record for Brazilian beef shipments to the U.S., topping $1.75 billion, up 39% from 2024.
Farmer Sentiment Falls in April on Input Cost & Availability Concerns
Farmer sentiment weakened in April as producers continue to grapple with rising input costs and ongoing uncertainty about availability, according to the latest Purdue University Ag Economy Barometer.
DOJ Confirms Antitrust Probe Into Beef Processors
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Monday confirmed a Justice Department investigation into major beef processors for potential antitrust violations and separately teased that the agency has neared a settlement in its case against Agri Stats.
Senate Targeting Late May, Early June for Farm Bill Markup
All eyes are shifting to the Senate following the House passage of a farm bill Thursday. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman, R-Ark., is targeting the end of May or early June for a bill markup as Democrats prepare for fights on pesticides and food assistance.
House Passes Farm Bill Without E15, Pesticide Protections
The House of Representatives on Thursday passed its newest version of the farm bill in a 224-200 vote without including provisions to allow for year-round E15 sales. The vote came after lawmakers also voted to strip provisions from the bill that would have benefited the pesticide industry.
Iran War Impacts Boost US Agribusiness 2026 Outlooks
Soaring crude oil markets have pushed soybean oil prices to the loftiest levels in more than three years, a boon for oilseed processors like Bunge Global and Archer Daniels Midland, which have seen North American soy crush margins swell to their highest since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Crop Price Index Hits Highest Since November 2023
The extended closure of the Strait of Hormuz and extreme weather have jolted the price index for farm commodities to a two-year high as fertilizer headaches and the prospect of smaller harvests drive food inflation risks.
Supreme Court Seems Divided On Bayer’s Bid to Stop Roundup Lawsuits
The US Supreme Court gave Bayer AG a mixed reception on its bid to stop tens of thousands of lawsuits claiming its Roundup herbicide should have been labeled as a cancer risk. Hearing arguments in Washington Monday, the justices weighed a $1.25 million jury verdict won by a Missouri man who blamed Roundup for his non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Nearly $10 Billion in Farmer Bridge Assistance Allocated
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has already sent $9.6 billion in Farmer Bridge Assistance payments as crop producers continue to face weak prices and high costs. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), many farms are still operating at a loss or near break-even, even with federal help in place.
USDA Relocating More Employees to Kansas City & Iowa
The Agriculture Department on Thursday announced additional relocation plans for employees as part of its larger reorganization, including a new center for food inspectors in Iowa and a second attempt at sending research staff to Kansas City.
USDA to Include More Farmers in Future Surveys
The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to survey more farmers for some of its key U.S. crop reports following a drop in the response rate for its March 31 plantings report, officials with the agency’s statistical arm said in a public data users’ meeting on Wednesday.
House Farm Bill Appears to Have Broad Support, GOP Leaders Say
House Republican leadership and Ag Committee Chair Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-Pa., have been testing support for the farm bill ahead of a floor vote, with early conversations suggesting the bill has broad appeal across the conference, even with fiscal conservatives.
Justice Department Opens Criminal Investigation of Beef Companies
The Justice Department’s antitrust division is investigating whether large meatpackers that supply American consumers engaged in criminal anticompetitive conduct, after President Trump called for a probe of the companies last year, according to people familiar with the matter.
US Set to Use Tariff Funds to Address High Fertilizer Prices
The Trump administration is poised to dip into tens of billions of dollars from tariffs and trade deal renegotiations to strengthen domestic fertilizer supplies, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told lawmakers.
House Eyeing Late April Farm Bill Floor Vote
House Republicans are looking to bring their farm bill for a floor vote the last week of April, according to four people close to the talks who were granted anonymity to discuss them.
70% of Farmers Can’t Afford All Needed Fertilizer, Survey Shows
A new survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation shows that the vast majority of U.S. farmers — roughly 70% — are unable to afford all of the fertilizer they need this season amid rising input costs due to the war in Iran and an already difficult farm economy.
USDA Seeks Farmer Input in Fertilizer Price Collusion Probe
The Trump administration is seeking information from farmers to help with an ongoing Justice Department probe into high costs for fertilizer, machinery and other farm inputs. The Department of Justice is investigating whether fertilizer producers colluded to raise prices.
Strait of Hormuz Blockade Could Further Hit Fertilizer Prices
US President Donald Trump’s plan for a full naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz threatens to deepen an already unprecedented crisis in one of the world’s most important energy-producing regions.