China is over halfway to meeting its pledge to buy 25 million tons of US soybeans this year, but progress on a separate commitment to spend at least $17 billion more on American crops has largely stalled. In the first seven months of 2026, China bought only $3.9 billion of U.S. agricultural products, excluding soybeans, according to the most recent Agriculture Department data, only slightly more than during the same period last year.
Politics
Ag Committee Advances Farm Bill 2.0 to Uncertain Future in Full Senate
The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced the 2026 farm bill on a 12-11 party-line vote Wednesday after resuming a recessed business meeting and rejecting an effort to reopen the bill for another amendment. The bill advanced after Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., returned to the committee following an extended absence.
Farm Bill Likely to Advance as McConnell Returns to Senate Ag Committee
The Farm Bill will once again be in front of the Senate Agriculture Committee for a vote on Wednesday, with the return of Senator Mitch McConnell from a several month absence giving Republicans enough votes to advance the legislation out of committee if they remain unified.
Judge Considering Temporary Pause to USDA Reorganization
A federal judge in San Francisco is considering a temporary pause of the Agriculture Department’s imminent plans to relocate employees across the country. He said an administrative stay “doesn’t say anything about the merits” of the case, but would give him more time to “adjudicate this properly.”
Farmers, Ag State Lawmakers Brace for Escalating Canada Trade War
American farmers are bracing for the impact of new tariffs exchanged between the U.S. and Canada on both their supply costs and their sales. Additionally, farm state Republicans say they want deescalation in Trump’s trade war with Canada, wary of another blow to growers who have suffered financially this year.
Trump Says Brazil, Argentina Will Supply Tariff-Free Beef Imports
President Donald Trump said Friday that tariff-free imported beef will be coming from Brazil and Argentina, among other places, as his administration works to alleviate stubbornly high prices.
DOJ Expands Beef Price Investigation to Major Retailers
The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday said it is expanding its investigation of record high beef prices to eight major grocery chains — Kroger, Walmart, Publix, Albertsons, Aldi, Ahold Delhaize, Costco and Amazon.
EPA Grants 1.76 Billion Biofuel Exemptions, Seeks to Shield Impact on Ag
On Monday, the EPA said it has granted full exemptions to 18 out of 34 refineries that had sought exemptions from their Renewable Fuel Standard obligations for the 2025 compliance year. The exemptions totalled 1.76 billion worth of renewable fuel credits.
Cattle Groups Protest as Trump Signs Beef Import Plan
In an unprecedented display of industry-wide unity, four of the nation’s largest livestock organizations have jointly petitioned President Donald J. Trump to immediately reverse his administration’s proposed 90-day beef import initiative.
Farmers Struggling to Get Services from Depleted USDA Workforce
Across the country, farmers and rural residents describe struggling to obtain the basic services the Agriculture Department is meant to offer, including loans and grants, technical assistance and financing for housing and utilities.
Cattle Producers, Lawmakers Condemn Trump’s New Beef Import Plan
President Donald Trump said on Friday he will temporarily ease beef tariffs to help lower prices, although U.S. cattle producers warned the move would hurt efforts to rebuild herds and economists said it would have little effect on prices.
Morocco Phosphate Fertilizer Returns to U.S. Market
A vessel carrying approximately 54,000 metric tons of Triple Super Phosphate has arrived at the Port of New Orleans, marking the return of Moroccan phosphate fertilizer to the U.S. market following temporary relief from countervailing duties, OCP North America announced.
China Ramping Up US Soybean Purchases
US soybean buys by China have picked up following a summit between Trump and President Xi Jinping in May, putting this year’s purchases roughly a quarter of the way toward meeting what the White House has said is a commitment to purchase at least 25 million tons of soybeans annually through 2028.
Senate Farm Bill Fails, Ag Committee to Vote Again in September
Senate Agriculture Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) said he will reconvene committee members in September to vote again on his farm bill package after it failed to advance Thursday.
Now or Never for 2026 Farm Bill, Senate Ag Chairman Says
It’s now or never for the 2026 farm bill. That’s the urgent warning from Senate Agriculture Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., as his committee prepares to take up a farm bill today. The proposed legislation addresses key ag items not updated since Congress last passed a full, five-year farm bill in 2018.
House Adopts Budget Proposal for Package with $12 Billion in Farm Aid
Progressive Farmer’s Jake Zajkowski reported that, “the House of Representatives passed a $95 billion budget resolution Wednesday along party lines that would direct up to $12 billion in aid to struggling farmers while providing $73 billion for defense and intelligence spending tied to the ongoing war with Iran.” “The resolution passed 216-214, with Reps. Warren […]
US to Lift Screwworm Ban on Mexican Cattle Imports
Reuters’ Tom Polansek and Kanishka Singh reported that, “the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday it is lifting a ban on imports of Mexican cattle that it imposed more than a year ago to keep out the flesh-eating livestock pest New World screwworm.” “The halt of imports drove U.S. beef prices to record highs, […]
Agricultural Labor Bill Divides Republican Party
Newsweek’s Billal Rahman reported that, “hard-line Republican lawmakers and conservative groups are criticizing a GOP-backed agricultural labor bill that would allow some undocumented farmworkers to obtain temporary legal status, arguing the measure amounts to amnesty.” “The proposed legislation has highlighted a split within the Republican Party, with more conservative members wanting a tougher response to […]
USDA Moves Forward with Mandatory Relocation Despite Pushback
Meatingplace’s Peter Voskamp reported that, “the USDA Rural Development Mission Area recently announced that it is moving forward with its declared intention to move nearly 3,000 members of its workforce out of the Washington DC area in order to ‘modernize operations, increase accountability, and ensure federal resources are positioned where they can deliver the greatest […]
Monsanto Withdraws Glyphosate Duties Petition
E&E News’ Grace Yarrow reported that, “Bayer is withdrawing its request that the Trump administration impose countervailing duties on glyphosate imports from China after backlash from the agriculture industry.” “The parent company of pesticide giant Monsanto filed a petition last month with the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration and the U.S. International Trade Commission, arguing […]