Agricultural lenders surveyed in the new 2025 ABA/Farmer Mac Agricultural Lender Survey expect only 52% of U.S. farm borrowers will be profitable this year, signaling a sharp decline from recent years. It’s also a sign producers across major crop regions are continuing to navigate through a period of tighter margins and severe financial stress.
Agricultural Economy
Farmer Tariff Aid Shrinking After Trade Deals?
The Deputy Secretary of Agriculture says trade deal negotiations during the government shutdown could impact the possibility of farmer assistance this year. During a call with reporters on Monday, Stephen Vaden said dynamics have changed since the end of September.
USDA Data Dump Shows Minimal Soybean Sales to China
New data the Agriculture Department released Friday created serious doubts about whether China will really buy millions of bushels of American soybeans like the Trump administration touted last month after a high-stakes meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
DOJ, USDA Investigating Meatpackers over Beef Prices
President Donald Trump said (last) Friday that he asked the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into meatpacking companies, which he accused of illegally manipulating beef prices at the expense of beef farmers and consumers.
China Buys US Wheat & Sorghum, Ends Some Soybean Import Suspensions
China has begun modest purchases of U.S. farm products after the leaders of both countries met last week, but traders still await significant soybean buys after the White House said Beijing pledged to buy 12 million tons by year-end.
Trump Admin Still Planning Billions in Farmer Trade Aid
The Trump administration plans to roll out an initial payment of up to $12 billion for farmers hurt by the president’s tariff policies once the government shutdown ends, according to three people familiar with the matter. The finalized amount will come on top of President Donald Trump’s recently announced truce with China.
China to Make ‘Substantial’ US Soybean Purchases, Bessent Says
China will make ‘substantial’ purchases of US soybeans, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday after talks with Chinese counterparts, in a sign that the relations are thawing ahead of a possible leaders’ meeting.
Trump, Cattle Ranchers Beefing over Planned Quadrupling of Argentine Imports
President Donald Trump attacked US cattle ranchers over their criticism of his plan to slash record beef prices by importing significantly more tariff-free meat from Argentina, deepening a quarrel with a group of reliable supporters and raising concerns among ranch-state Republican lawmakers.
USDA Resuming FSA Operations, Commodity Program Payments
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said President Donald Trump’s administration will resume distributing $3 billion in aid from the Farm Service Agency that had been halted as a result of the three-week-long government shutdown. Rollins also said that agriculture risk coverage and price loss coverage payments and other programs would resume operating.
Trump Suggests U.S. Will Buy Argentina Beef to Lower Prices
President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States could purchase Argentinian beef in an attempt to bring down prices for American consumers. ‘We would buy some beef from Argentina,’ he told reporters aboard Air Force One during a flight from Florida to Washington. ‘If we do that, that will bring our beef prices down.’
Trump Says US Has “a Deal” to Lower Beef Prices
President Donald Trump said his administration had struck an agreement to bring down the price of beef for consumers during an event in the Oval Office on Thursday. Trump didn’t provide details on what the federal effort entailed, but conceded that beef was one area where his efforts to fight inflation hadn’t paid enough dividends.
Immigration Crackdown Hurting Ag, Labor Dept. Concedes
The Trump administration said that its immigration crackdown is hurting farmers and risking higher food prices for Americans by cutting off agriculture’s labor supply. The Labor Department made this case in paperwork documenting a new rule that took effect Oct. 2 that effectively lowers pay for seasonal migrants working in agriculture under the H-2A visa program.
Farmer Sentiment Holds Steady as Tariff Support Drops
US farmers are concerned about current economic conditions but are optimistic about the long-term outlook of the agricultural economy, according to survey results released on Oct. 7 by Purdue University and the CME Group.
Farmer Aid Reportedly Delayed by Gov’t Shutdown
The Trump administration has pushed back its plans to roll out economic aid for farmers this week due to the government shutdown, according to four people familiar with the talks. Still, some of the people familiar expect that Trump could go rogue and announce next steps on bailouts this week.
Farmer Aid of as much as $15 Billion Expected this Week
The Trump administration is expected to announce a plan as soon as Tuesday (today) to bail out U.S. farmers stung by trade disputes and big harvests, with the initial outlay potentially totaling up to $15 billion, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Low Mississippi River Levels to Again Disrupt Harvest Shipping
Water levels in parts of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers are likely to reach critically low stages soon, forcing shippers to light-load harvest-season grain barges for the fourth year in a row.
Trump Considering at least $10 Billion for Farmer Aid, Announcement Next Week
President Trump is considering providing $10 billion or more in aid to U.S. farmers as the agriculture sector warns of economic fallout from his far-reaching tariffs, according to people familiar with the discussions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday U.S. farmers could see an announcement on a ‘substantial support’ package as soon as next Tuesday.
DOJ, USDA to Examine Rising Farm Input Costs
The U.S. Department of Justice antitrust division will work with the Department of Agriculture to look closely at the rising cost of agricultural inputs like fertilizer and seeds under a memorandum of understanding signed on Thursday, said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
Tariff Revenue to Fund Farmer Bailout, Trump Says
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will use tariff revenue to offer cash bailouts for farmers who are struggling with trade uncertainty and other economic headwinds.
Soybean Producers Frustrated Over US Support for Argentina
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday that the U.S. will offer financial support to Argentina to prop up its ailing economy, prompting frustration from soybean producers, for whom Argentina is a key competitor.