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.
Agricultural Economy
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.
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.
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.
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.
USDA Raises Wheat, Corn and Soy Price Estimates
Season-average price estimates for wheat, corn, soybeans, soybean meal, cheese and cotton were all raised slightly in the Agriculture Department’s latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report published Thursday.
Iran Ceasefire Won’t Provide Immediate Fertilizer Relief
The U.S. and Iranian governments agreed to a temporary ceasefire on Tuesday, but growers should not expect immediate fertilizer price relief, analysts warn. And if lasting peace doesn’t materialize, consumers will soon see higher food prices.
Farmer Sentiment Improves in March Despite Iran War Cost Increases
U.S. farmer sentiment improved in March despite fuel and fertilizer cost increases due to the Iran war, according to the newest Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index. The barometer rose for the second straight month in March, reaching 127 points, up from 116 in February. However, the barometer remains below levels from March 2025.
Deere Settles Class Action Right-to-Repair Lawsuit
U.S. agriculture equipment maker Deere on Monday agreed to pay $99 million into a settlement fund for farms and farmers that are part of a class action over costs and access to repairs.
Mosaic and Simplot Support Keeping Phosphate Fertilizer Tariffs
Fertilizer producers Mosaic and Simplot say they support keeping countervailing duties on Moroccan and Russian phosphate fertilizer in the five-year review now underway. If the domestic industry had said it no longer needs them to prevent injury, the tariffs would have been lifted.
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.
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.
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.