President Donald Trump on Monday moved to reduce tariffs on heating and cooling equipment and certain heavy industrial and agricultural goods, as well as cutting levies on products from abroad made with American metals. The move is the latest by the Trump administration to limit the collateral damage of its trade wars.
Farm Policy News
New World Screwworm Found 31 Miles from US Border
A devastating parasitic fly — the New World Screwworm — that eats warm-blooded animals alive and could cause millions of dollars in economic damage to the U.S. economy has been found in a young sheep in Mexico within 31 miles of the U.S. border, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on Friday.
FTC Confirms Probe of Rising Fertilizer Prices
The Federal Trade Commission recently launched an antitrust investigation into the rising costs of fertilizer in the US, the agency’s head said at an event in Texas on Thursday.
Farm Bankruptcies Hit Six-Year High in April
During the month of April, 62 bankruptcies were launched under Chapter 12, a 130% jump from April 2025 and the highest monthly total since February 2020. That figure is also 82% higher than the 34 Chapter 12 filings in March 2026, the data showed.
Lawmakers Target Meatpacker Consolidation Amid High Prices
Sen. Chuck Schumer on Friday introduced legislation aimed at lowering grocery prices by increasing competition in the meatpacking industry, arguing that consolidation among the nation’s largest meat companies has contributed to higher beef prices.
China’s Retaliatory Tariffs Cost US Ag Exporters $15 Billion, Study Says
China’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods wiped out an estimated $14.9 billion in export sales over a 12-month period, according to a new North Dakota State University analysis, with soybeans taking the biggest hit.
Trump Defends Chinese Purchases of U.S. Farmland
President Donald Trump defended Chinese purchases of U.S. farmland during a trip to Beijing (last) week, arguing that restricting foreign ownership would hurt American farmers by driving down land values. Trump’s Beijing comments appear to conflict with policies his administration itself promoted over the last year.
Accelerated Permitting, Grant Program to Boost Domestic Fertilizer, USDA Says
The United States Department of Agriculture is taking new steps to expand domestic fertilizer production, Secretary Brooke Rollins said at a press conference Tuesday, including accelerated permitting and the reviving of a Biden administration grant program to boost U.S. fertilizer production.
Deere Right-to-Repair Settlement Gets Preliminary Approval
A federal court on Monday granted preliminary approval to John Deere’s proposed antitrust settlement with farmers who filed right-to-repair lawsuits, giving producers until September 2026 to file objections. At the same time, a Chicago landscaping contractor sued Deere (last) Thursday in U.S. District Court in Illinois, accusing the company of many of the same antitrust violations alleged in a recently-settled $99 million lawsuit filed by farmers.
China to Buy $17 Billion in US Farm Goods Annually
China will purchase at least $17 billion in U.S. agricultural products annually through 2028, in addition to soybean commitments already agreed to, the White House said in a fact sheet released Sunday. The announcement followed President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing last week for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and was among the few concrete deliverables from a summit Trump had pitched in March as a ‘monumental event.’
US Expects “Double-Digit Billions” of Ag Purchases from China
The United States expects China to sign up to buy ‘double-digit billions’ worth of U.S. farm goods following a summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Beijing, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Friday.
House Passes Bill to Allow Year-Round Sales of E15
The U.S. House passed legislation on Wednesday that would allow nationwide year‑round sales of gasoline containing 15% ethanol, handing a major win to biofuel producers and farm groups while raising concerns among refiners about higher compliance costs. The proposal (now) faces an uphill battle in the Senate due to entrenched opposition from oil-state lawmakers.
Any US-China Summit Ag Deal Will Likely Be Limited, Experts Say
Farmers broadly expect an agriculture deal to be made at this week’s US-China summit, but enthusiasm is waning that it will be large enough to transform tough economic conditions. They’re also more resigned to US crops becoming a chip in trade negotiations rather than part of an open market.
Worsening Spring Drought Puts U.S. Wheat at Risk
The United States experienced its worst spring drought on record last month, with more than 60% of land in the lower 48 states experiencing moderate drought or worse. The drought has sparked alarm among farmers and environmentalists across the country, who warn that food supplies may be impacted and wildfires may blight areas where they are not usually seen.
76% of USDA Researchers Tell Union They Won’t Relocate
USDA relocated hundreds of ERS and NIFA positions to Kansas City in 2019, but about 85% of impacted employees quit their jobs or retired, rather than relocate. The American Federation of Government Employees Local 3403, which represents USDA researchers, expects to see similar results this year. An internal survey conducted by the union found that 76% of its members have indicated they are not planning to relocate.
DOJ Reaches Settlement with Agri Stats Over Meat Price-Fixing
The U.S. Department of Justice and six states settled their antitrust lawsuit against data company Agri Stats on Thursday in a move DOJ officials said would lower meat prices for consumers.
US Imports of Brazilian Beef Surged in First Quarter
Brazilian beef exports to the U.S. are booming, according to monthly USDA trade data released Tuesday. Brazilian meat packers shipped $795 million in beef to the U.S. in the first three months of this year, up 21% from a year ago. Last year marked a record for Brazilian beef shipments to the U.S., topping $1.75 billion, up 39% from 2024.
Farmer Sentiment Falls in April on Input Cost & Availability Concerns
Farmer sentiment weakened in April as producers continue to grapple with rising input costs and ongoing uncertainty about availability, according to the latest Purdue University Ag Economy Barometer.
DOJ Confirms Antitrust Probe Into Beef Processors
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Monday confirmed a Justice Department investigation into major beef processors for potential antitrust violations and separately teased that the agency has neared a settlement in its case against Agri Stats.
Senate Targeting Late May, Early June for Farm Bill Markup
All eyes are shifting to the Senate following the House passage of a farm bill Thursday. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman, R-Ark., is targeting the end of May or early June for a bill markup as Democrats prepare for fights on pesticides and food assistance.