U.S. fuel ethanol production expanded by 9%, reaching a record high 1.196 million barrels per day the week ending Jan. 9. The week ending Jan. 9 marks the fourth time since the beginning of November that U.S. fuel ethanol production has set a new record.
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.
Brazil Surpasses US as Top Global Beef Producer
Brazil surpassed the U.S. as the world’s top beef producer last year, according to market estimates, after the South American country beat output forecasts by hundreds of thousands of tons, easing a global supply squeeze and helping limit a surge in meat prices.
USDA Says 2025 Corn Production Hit 17 Billion Bushels, Likely to Keep Prices Low
Corn futures plunged to the lowest levels since August after USDA stunned the market by boosting its 2025 U.S. crop estimate above 17 billion bushels for the first time, signaling a heavy supply outlook that likely will burden prices and further squeeze farmer bottom lines even amid record demand.
ARC, PLC Signup to be Significantly Delayed
The Agriculture Department has finalized some revisions to two major farm commodity programs, including rules for adding new base acres, but signup for the programs won’t be scheduled until after planting season at the earliest, according to a top USDA official.
Some Ag Groups Concerned Over Focus on Processed Food, Seed Oils in New Dietary Guidelines
The ag and food industry, particularly the meat, dairy and produce sectors, welcomed the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, but soybean growers were alarmed by statements calling into question the potential for seed oils to harm Americans’ health. Some sectors raised concerns about the focus on highly processed foods.
Farm Economy to Stabilize in 2026, Ag Economists Predict
As 2026 ushers in a fresh start, agricultural economists say the U.S. farm economy has stopped sliding, but it’s far from fully healed.The December Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows month-to-month sentiment is improving, but deep structural strain remains — especially in row crops.
China’s US Soy Purchases Approach 10 Million Tons
China’s state stockpiler Sinograin bought 10 U.S. soybean cargoes this week, three traders told Reuters on Tuesday. China’s total purchases from the latest U.S. crop were now estimated at 8.5 million to nearly 10 million tons, according to traders and analysts, representing up to 80% of the 12 million metric tons that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China pledged to buy by the end of February.
Venezuela Turmoil Could Open Opportunities for US Ag
The ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro could lead to export opportunities for U.S. ag products, although much depends on the U.S.’ next move and how consumers respond, analysts say.
Gap Between Farm Costs and Prices Received Hits 10-Year High
U.S. farmers are facing one of the widest gaps in a decade between what they pay to produce food and what they earn from selling it. New USDA data released on Dec. 15 show that by October 2025, the prices paid index had climbed to 154.6, while the prices received index had fallen to 120.5.
USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance Rates Favor Rice, Cotton
The U.S. Department of Agriculture released details on Wednesday about how much row crop farmers will receive next year from a $12 billion aid program, but soybean growers say such payments fall short of helping those hurt by low crop prices and trade disputes.
China Reaches 8 MMT of US Soybeans Purchased in 2025
China has bought at least 8 million tons of US soybeans this year, according to people familiar with the matter, putting the world’s top importer on track to meet a pledge it made two months ago as part of an apparent trade truce with Washington.
Beef Prices to Keep Rising as Brazil Supply Shrinks
Beef prices are projected to continue increasing as U.S. beef production declines with no signs of a cattle herd rebuild. Additionally, cheap beef may soon become further out of reach. Brazil, one of the world’s few remaining sources of abundant cattle, is heading into a period of shrinking supplies that could push global prices higher.
FCC Foreign Drone Ban Could Impact US Farmers
The Federal Communications Commission last week blacklisted all new foreign-made drones and components over concerns the equipment poses ‘an unacceptable risk’ to national security. The timing of the ban hits as many farmers are financially struggling in part due to high production costs, making precise application of crop protection products and fertilizers especially important.
USDA Projects $37 Billion Ag Trade Deficit in FY26
The USDA is projecting that the ag trade deficit will shrink in FY2026 even more than previously anticipated. USDA expects the trade deficit to fall from $43.7 billion in FY2025 to $37 billion in FY2026, according to its quarterly trade forecast published Tuesday. In its previous report issued in August, USDA had projected a trade deficit of $41.5 billion this fiscal year.
20,000 Employees Left USDA in First Half of 2025
More than 20,300 employees left the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the first five months of the administration of President Donald Trump, about a fifth of staff, according to a report from the agency’s inspector general.
Experts, Lawmakers Split on 2026 Farm Bill Likelihood
House Republicans are planning to revive farm bill negotiations in January after failing to garner enough political will to pass a new deal by the end of the year, as they’d initially hoped. But experts say it’s becoming less likely a new five-year farm bill will happen, and rather a piecemeal approach for passing the farm bill will become the new norm.
Lawmakers Eye More Farm Aid on Top of USDA Bridge Assistance
Agriculture leaders in the United States House of Representatives are looking to provide at least an additional $10 billion in farmer aid to supplement the recently announced Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. That additional aid would likely have to be driven by Congress, as a USDA undersecretary says it’s unlikely the agency will provide a second farmer aid package.
China Halfway to Promised 12 MMT of US Soybean Purchases
China has secured at least 7 million tons of US soybeans after heavy buying in the past two weeks, passing the halfway mark toward meeting its 12-million ton purchase agreement with the Trump administration, according to people familiar with the deals.
USDA Receives Mostly Negative Feedback on Reorganization Plan
The Agriculture Department received overwhelmingly negative feedback on its plan to relocate thousands of staff and consolidate dozens of offices, as employees, lawmakers and stakeholders said it could lead to a significant brain drain and disruptions to key farmer-support programs.
Health Insurance Spike Will Hit 2026 Farm Budgets, Farmers Say
Iowa farmers warned Monday that the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will sharply raise health insurance costs in 2026, forcing painful tradeoffs that could slow farm growth, strain rural hospitals and push some producers out of business altogether.