Bloomberg’s Michael Hirtzer reported Monday that “US farmers are boosting corn planting to a five-year high as the looming trade war makes America’s mostly widely grown crop a relatively safe bet even as demand is at risk of being shaken up by reciprocal tariffs.” “Farmers are expected to plant 95.3 million acres of corn this […]
Farm Policy News
Reciprocal Tariffs Expected on ‘All Countries’ April 2
Reuters’ Andrea Shalal reported that “U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that reciprocal tariffs he is set to announce this week will include all nations, not just a smaller group of 10 to 15 countries with the biggest trade imbalances.” “Trump has promised to unveil a massive tariff plan on Wednesday, which he has […]
Analysts Expect 4 Million More Corn Acres in 2025
Progressive Farmer’s Rhett Montgomery reported that “on Monday, March 31, USDA will release two major reports out to the market at 11 a.m. CDT. The Prospective Plantings report and quarterly Grain Stocks report will serve to give a very early look into production potential for spring-planted crops, while also accounting for inventory still on hand from […]
USDA Releasing Frozen Rural Energy Funds — With Stipulations
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher, Rebekah Alvey, and Noah Wicks reported Wednesday that “the Agriculture Department is lifting a freeze on clean energy funding programs but giving awardees 30 days to modify their proposals to remove climate and DEI considerations and bring the projects in line with the Trump administration’s policy for increasing U.S. energy production.” “The action […]
Poll Shows Waning Farmer Support for Trump Tariffs
Farmer support for President Donald Trump’s use of tariffs may be decreasing, according to an internet poll released on March 24 by AgWeb. That poll of roughly 3,000 self-identified farmers showed that 54% of respondents said they do not support Trump’s continued use of tariffs as a negotiation tool. “The poll then followed-up by asking, […]
Black Sea Grain Deal Revival Talks Underway
World-Grain’s Arvin Donley reported Monday that “Russia is expressing interest in resuming the Black Sea Grain Initiative as part of its discussions with the United States on March 24 in Saudi Arabia regarding a potential ceasefire with Ukraine, Reuters reported.” “The deal, which originally was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, allowed safe passage […]
US Rapidly Increasing Foreign Egg Imports Amid Bird Flu
Reuters’ Tom Polansek and Leah Douglas reported that “the U.S. has almost doubled imports of Brazilian eggs once used only for pet food and is considering relaxing regulations for eggs laid by chickens raised for meat, as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to bring down sky-high prices spiked by bird flu.” “The Trump administration is […]
Proposed US Port Fees on China Ships Already Hitting Ag Exports
Reuters Lisa Baertlein, Karl Plume and Timothy Gardner reported Wednesday that “President Donald Trump’s plan to revive U.S. shipbuilding using massive fees on China-linked ship visits to American ports is causing U.S. coal inventories to swell and stoking uncertainty in the embattled agriculture market, as exporters struggle to find ships to send goods abroad.” “Trump […]
Wholesale Egg Prices Plummet, Retail Prices Remain Elevated
Newsweek’s Jasmine Laws reported Tuesday that wholesale “egg prices in the U.S. have fallen to $3.45 per dozen, reaching their lowest level in nearly five months, following a period of price volatility fueled by supply chain issues, bird flu outbreaks, and fluctuating consumer demand.” “Egg prices have experienced extreme fluctuations over the past year. On […]
USDA Economic Assistance Applications Now Open
Reuters’ Leah Douglas reported that “the U.S. Department of Agriculture will on Wednesday begin accepting applications from farmers affected by low commodity prices for economic aid passed by Congress last year, an agency official said on Tuesday.” “The stop-gap government funding package passed by Congress last December included $10 billion for economic assistance, a supplement […]
USDA Economic Aid Applications Expected by Friday
UPDATE (11:30 am EST): Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher reports that “Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins used National Ag Day on Tuesday to announce the release of $10 billion in economic assistance payments for growers of corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice and other field crops.” “The payments were authorized by Congress in a year-end spending bill in December. […]
100+ USDA Offices Face Lease Termination from DOGE
Successful Farming’s Mariah Squire reported late last week that “more than 100 USDA agency offices are some of the latest to be selected by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for lease termination. They’re on a list of nearly 750 government offices on the department’s ‘Wall of Receipts’ falling under the real estate category.” “Agencies […]
Trump EPA to Again Rewrite WOTUS Rule
Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported that “for the fourth time in the past decade, the Environmental Protection Agency will write a new rule for regulating waters of the United States, one that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said will closely align with a Supreme Court decision and alleviate regulatory risks for farmers.” “Zeldin on Wednesday announced […]
Canada May Hit US Ethanol With Retaliatory Tariffs
Reuters’ Jarrett Renshaw and Arathy Somasekhar reported Tuesday that “Canada could impose non-tariff measures such as restricting its oil exports to the United States or levying export duties on products if a trade dispute with the U.S. escalates further, Canada’s energy minister Jonathan Wilkinson said on Tuesday.” “‘When we are talking about non-tariff retaliation, it […]
Tariffs Threaten Shift to Higher Corn Acres in 2025
Bloomberg’s Kim Chipman reported late last week that “President Donald Trump’s slew of tariffs means American farmers may not make that big shift to corn after all. Growers were widely expected to plant the most corn in five years due to tighter supplies. Now levies on some products from Canada, Mexico and China have shifted […]
USDA Planning to Terminate Leases for Dozens of FSA, NRCS Offices
AgDaily reported last week that “the U.S. Department of Agriculture has begun listing planned lease terminations to impact 59 Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service offices as part of an effort to cut costs, according to the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) website.” “The move is part of the Trump administration’s initiative to […]
Trump Delays Some Mexico, Canada Tariffs, Lowers Potash Duty
Agri-Pulse’s Oliver Ward reported that “President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Thursday postponing tariffs for products arriving from Mexico and Canada that are covered by a North American trade pact by a month, while lowering the duty to be applied to potash imports.” “‘Anything that was covered under the [U.S.-Mexico-Canada] agreement is exempt […]
USDA Ordered to Reinstate 5,000+ Probationary Workers
Bloomberg Law’s Courtney Rozen reported Wednesday that “thousands of Department of Agriculture employees terminated under the Trump administration will return to their positions for now, after an independent commission said their firing broke the laws that shield career staff from political influence.” “The Merit Systems Protection Board, which mediates disputes between federal agencies and their […]
U.S. Company BlackRock Buying Panama Canal Ports
Somewhat overshadowed by yesterday’s busy day of tariff news, the Associated Press’ Didi Tang and Alex Veiga reported that “a Hong Kong-based conglomerate has agreed to sell its controlling stake in a subsidiary that operates ports near the Panama Canal to a consortium including BlackRock Inc., effectively putting the ports under American control after President […]
Canada & Mexico Tariffs Take Effect, China Hits Back at US Ag
The Associated Press’ Josh Boak, Paul Wiseman and Rob Gillies reported that “President Donald Trump’s long-threatened tariffs against Canada and Mexico went into effect Tuesday, putting global markets on edge and setting up costly retaliations by the United States’ North American allies.” “Starting just past midnight, imports from Canada and Mexico are now to be […]