The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday said it is expanding its investigation of record high beef prices to eight major grocery chains — Kroger, Walmart, Publix, Albertsons, Aldi, Ahold Delhaize, Costco and Amazon.
Agricultural Economy
Trump Seeks to Ease Meat Processing Regulations, Targets Big 4 Meatpackers
President Donald Trump is moving to give ranchers a new way around the powerful meatpacking companies that stand between their cattle and the grocery-store shelf, following backlash in farm country over his decision to allow more foreign beef imports.
First US Phosphate Fertilizer Plant in 40 Years Planned in Louisiana
Farm cooperative CHS Inc. and fertilizer producer OCP North America are proposing a $450 million phosphate fertilizer plant in Louisiana, bolstering domestic supplies as global conflicts have increasingly thwarted the flow of foreign crop nutrients.
Cattle Groups Protest as Trump Signs Beef Import Plan
In an unprecedented display of industry-wide unity, four of the nation’s largest livestock organizations have jointly petitioned President Donald J. Trump to immediately reverse his administration’s proposed 90-day beef import initiative.
Cattle Producers, Lawmakers Condemn Trump’s New Beef Import Plan
President Donald Trump said on Friday he will temporarily ease beef tariffs to help lower prices, although U.S. cattle producers warned the move would hurt efforts to rebuild herds and economists said it would have little effect on prices.
Diesel Prices Soar Ahead of U.S. Harvest Season
Diesel prices are soaring just as the energy-thirsty peak of harvest season looms for many of the country’s largest crops. Mid-August diesel prices are at their highest levels in the last decade, per AAA data.
Corn Futures Above $5 for First Time in 18 Months
Corn futures topped the $5-a-bushel mark for the first time in 18 months as weaker-than-expected US crop tour results add to global supply concerns for the staple grain.
Morocco Phosphate Fertilizer Returns to U.S. Market
A vessel carrying approximately 54,000 metric tons of Triple Super Phosphate has arrived at the Port of New Orleans, marking the return of Moroccan phosphate fertilizer to the U.S. market following temporary relief from countervailing duties, OCP North America announced.
Inflation-Adjusted Midwest Farmland Values Fall Most Since 2016
When adjusted for inflation, values in the Federal Reserve’s Seventh District fell 3.7% year over year in the second quarter of 2026 — the steepest real decline in a decade — even as demand from data centers and solar farms helped prop up prices.
Tractor Sales Fall in July Amid Continued Ag Economy Pressure
U.S. tractor sales were down 10.9%, while combine sales fell 5.3% year-over-year in July 2026, according to sales data the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) released this week.
Tyson to Close or Sell Three Beef Facilities Amid Cattle Shortage
Tyson Foods said on Thursday it will close or sell three of its beef plant and packaging operation sites, further shrinking its beef footprint as a historic U.S. cattle shortage deepens losses for the largest U.S. meatpacker.
USDA Reports Largest-Ever Combined Corn & Soy Planted Acreage
USDA found an additional 1.4 million planted acres for both the corn and soybean crops to increase the corn crop slightly and boost the soybean crop to the largest in U.S. history. The combined planted acreage of the corn and soybean crops is now 183.5 million acres, more than 3 million acres higher than the previous combined crop record.
China Ramping Up US Soybean Purchases
US soybean buys by China have picked up following a summit between Trump and President Xi Jinping in May, putting this year’s purchases roughly a quarter of the way toward meeting what the White House has said is a commitment to purchase at least 25 million tons of soybeans annually through 2028.
Senate Farm Bill Fails, Ag Committee to Vote Again in September
Senate Agriculture Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) said he will reconvene committee members in September to vote again on his farm bill package after it failed to advance Thursday.
Now or Never for 2026 Farm Bill, Senate Ag Chairman Says
It’s now or never for the 2026 farm bill. That’s the urgent warning from Senate Agriculture Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., as his committee prepares to take up a farm bill today. The proposed legislation addresses key ag items not updated since Congress last passed a full, five-year farm bill in 2018.
USDA Providing 60-Day Extension to Pay Crop Insurance Premiums
Farmers will get a two-month reprieve on their crop insurance premiums this year and USDA will also reinstate prevented planting buy-up coverage as well, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Tuesday.
ADM, Corteva Raise 2026 Profit Forecasts on Strong Processing and Seed Demand Outlooks
Major global agribusinesses over the past week have raised their 2026 profit forecasts on strong oilseed processing outlooks and strong demand across key crop markets, particularly in the United States.
US Cropland Tops $6,000 per Acre for First Time in 2026
U.S. farmland values continued to rise this year, with the average value of cropland topping $6,000 for the first time, while pastureland reached $2,000 an acre. Overall, farm real estate in the U.S. — cropland and pasture combined — averaged $4,500 per acre this year, up $150 an acre from last year, or about 3.4%.
Farmers Spent $1.4 Billion More on Diesel During Planting Season
Successful Farming’s Mariah Squire reported that, “a new study by Joint Economic Committee Democrats found that farmers of key crops in the U.S. spent $1.4 billion more on diesel fuel during the 2025–2026 planting season than they did last season.” “The study, released last Thursday, analyzed corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, and rice planted by U.S. […]
Corn Conditions Drop Amid Heatwave
AgWeb’s Tyne Morgan reported that, “triple-digit heat indices swept across the Midwest and Plains late last week and into the weekend, and the damage is already showing up in the numbers. USDA’s weekly Crop Progress report released Monday showed the steepest week-over-week decline in corn good to excellent condition ratings for this point in the […]