Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Sunday that USDA’s plans to move much of its D.C.-based staff to five hubs across the country are ‘about 95 percent’ finalized. Still, the USDA will accept comments on the plan to reorganize for a 30-day period ending Tuesday, Aug. 26.
Farm Policy News
New-Crop US Soybean Export Sales at 20-Year Low
As of July 24, US soybean exporters had sold just over 3 million metric tons of soybeans for export in 2025/26, which begins September 1. That volume is a 20-year low for the date and is down 12% from last year.
Mexico Tariffs Delayed, Higher Duties Set on Brazil & Canada
President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on exports from dozens of trading partners, including Canada (35%), Brazil (50%), India and Taiwan, ahead of a Friday trade deal deadline, pressing ahead with plans to reorder the global economy.
USDA Relocation Plan Will Save About $4 Billion, Officials Say
The USDA is confident its push to move more employees out of Washington and into five new hubs around the country will retain most staff and large-scale layoffs will not be necessary, a top official told lawmakers on Wednesday. The department will be saving about $4 billion through the plan.
Proposed Railroad Merger Could Decrease Service for Ag Shippers
Union Pacific said on Tuesday it would buy smaller rival Norfolk Southern in an $85 billion deal to create the first U.S. coast-to-coast freight rail operator and reshape the movement of goods from grains to autos across the country.
USDA Relocation Plan Raises Service, Staff Disruption Concerns
With the release of the Trump administration’s plans to reorganize the U.S. Department of Agriculture including moving more than 2,000 employees out of Washington, D.C., agriculture interest groups, federal lawmakers and others expressed concern about whether the move would disrupt services.
US July Cattle Herd Smallest Since 1973
There were about 94.2 million cattle and calves in the US as of July 1, the lowest mid-year count on record in data going back to 1973, the Department of Agriculture said in a report.
USDA to Relocate Thousands of DC Employees to Regional Hubs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will relocate much of its Washington, D.C., workforce to five regional hubs and vacate several buildings in the area, including its flagship research center, the agency announced on Thursday.
California’s Prop 12 Increased Pork Prices, USDA Data Says
Republicans continued on Wednesday a years-long effort to override a 2018 California law that bans the sale in the state of pork from pigs kept in tightly confined spaces, arguing in a House Agriculture Committee hearing that the law is overly burdensome to farmers.
Ag Land Values Mostly Stable Through First Half of 2025
Agricultural land values have remained remarkably stable through mid-2025, according to a news release from Farmers National Company. The resilience is mainly driven by the basic economic principle of supply and demand; there are simply more motivated buyers than willing sellers.
Coke Cane Sugar Switch Threatens Ag Jobs, Corn Refiners Say
A possible move by Coca-Cola and other beverage and food industries to use cane sugar instead of corn syrup as a sweetener would be difficult and expensive to implement, while mostly negative for farmers in the United States.
Beef Prices Soar to Record Highs in June
Ground beef prices across the U.S. continue to reach new highs, driven by shrinking cattle herds, with looming import restrictions threatening to push costs even higher. The average price of a pound of 100% ground beef rose to $6.12 last month, up from $5.98 in May.
China Issues New Threats to Block Panama Canal Ports Deal
China’s government is threatening to block a deal that would transfer ownership of dozens of seaports — including two ports at the Panama Canal — to Western investors if Cosco, China’s largest shipping company, doesn’t get a stake.
Trump Admin Touts Farm Conservation, Says No Pesticide Crackdown
The loss of topsoil on American farms is threatening the country’s food supply and demands a new commitment to conservation, Trump administration officials said Tuesday. They also say the White House has no plans to crack down on pesticides in farming.
US Corn Export Sales Forecast at Record Levels
U.S. corn export sales have continued at a blistering pace and support a 100-million-bushel month-to-month increase for the 2024/25 marketing year, raising the forecast to a record-high 2,750 million bushels. If realized, 2024/25 corn exports will exceed the 2023/24 estimate by nearly 500 million bushels (22%).
Farm Bankruptcies Rising in 2025
Family farm bankruptcies increased by 55% last year compared to 2023 and are trending even higher this year as farmers continue to grapple with depressed agricultural commodity prices and high input costs.
Trump Threatens 30% Tariffs on Mexico and the EU
President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to impose a 30% tariff on imports from Mexico and the European Union starting on August 1, after weeks of negotiations with the major U.S. trading partners failed to reach a comprehensive trade deal.
Trump’s Brazil Tariffs Could Impact Beef and Coffee Trade
President Donald Trump’s unexpected move to threaten a 50% tariff on Brazil risks roiling global commodity markets, disrupting trade on everything from beef to coffee.
US Pauses Restart of Mexican Cattle Imports due to Screwworm
The Agriculture Department said Wednesday evening that the U.S. would be closing the southern border to livestock trade, effective immediately, after reports that New World screwworm has resumed its northward spread.
Ag Legislators Look Ahead to “Skinny” Farm Bill this Fall
After clearing their agriculture megabill hurdle, Republicans are looking to pass a smaller farm bill that includes some key policies that haven’t been updated since the last farm bill was passed in 2018.