The port of entry at Columbus, N.M., will be the third crossing reopened for imports of Mexican cattle as of Oct. 26, the USDA said Monday, in spite of last week’s confirmation of two new cases of New World screwworm infestation in southwestern New Mexico.
Regulations
EPA to Protect Biofuel Demand by Reallocating Small Refinery Exemptions
In a move aimed at protecting demand for ethanol and biodiesel, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin used a trip to Iowa on Tuesday to announce a proposal to reallocate 770 million renewable fuel blending credits granted to small refiners by adding them to volume obligations for refiners either this year or next year.
USDA, FTC to Investigate Potential Anticompetitive Practices in Ag Equipment Industry
The Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Agriculture have launched a probe into potential anticompetitive practices in the agricultural equipment markets. The federal agencies said they want to address the ‘growing number of complaints’ received by USDA that ‘farmers across the country face other barriers’ to acquiring equipment.
Trump Order Allows Tax-Exempt Diesel Use on Highways
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday to expand access to tax-exempt diesel. Trump said the directive will waive the off-road requirement for tax-free diesel and allow anyone to buy the red dye diesel fuel that is used by the agriculture industry and by some off-road vehicles.
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.
Trump Seeks to Ease Meat Processing Regulations, Targets Big 4 Meatpackers
President Donald Trump is moving to give ranchers a new way around the powerful meatpacking companies that stand between their cattle and the grocery-store shelf, following backlash in farm country over his decision to allow more foreign beef imports.
First US Phosphate Fertilizer Plant in 40 Years Planned in Louisiana
Farm cooperative CHS Inc. and fertilizer producer OCP North America are proposing a $450 million phosphate fertilizer plant in Louisiana, bolstering domestic supplies as global conflicts have increasingly thwarted the flow of foreign crop nutrients.
Arizona Border Reopens to Mexican Cattle, New Mexico Reopening Soon
Mexico resumed live cattle exports to the United States on Monday after they were halted for nearly two years by restrictions imposed by the Trump administration following a screwworm outbreak.
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.
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.
Product of USA Label Gains Momentum with Meat and Poultry Companies
Quality Assurance & Food Safety Magazine’s Jacqueline Mitchell reported that, “ten meat and poultry companies have recently adopted the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) voluntary Product of USA label, identifying meat, poultry and egg products from animals that are born, raised, harvested and processed in the United States. USDA launched a nationwide awareness campaign about […]
Oklahoma Reaches New Settlement with Poultry Companies in Decades-Long Pollution Case
Meatingplace’s Chris Moore reported that, “Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced a nearly $44 million settlement resolving the state’s 21-year lawsuit against six poultry companies accused of contributing to nutrient pollution in the Illinois River Watershed.” “The agreement settles claims against Tyson Foods, Cargill, George’s, Peterson Farms, Cal-Maine Foods and Simmons Foods,” Moore reported. “Oklahoma […]
FTC Settlement Secures Right to Repair for Farmers
The New York Times’ Emmett Lindner reported that, “for decades, American farmers dealing with malfunctioning John Deere equipment were left with few options for repairs. The company allowed only authorized dealers to make fixes, withholding necessary tools from independent repair shops and individuals, driving up costs and wait times.” “A settlement this week with the […]
Bayer Wins Supreme Court Roundup Case to Limit Lawsuits
The Supreme Court in a 7-2 decision on Thursday said Bayer cannot be sued over state-level claims that the company failed to warn of cancer risks from its weedkiller Roundup and its chemical glyphosate.
H-2A Guest Farmworker Certifications up 17% So Far in 2026
In the first half of the 2026 fiscal year, the Labor Department certified 17% more (H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker) jobs than in the same period the year before.
Screwworm Confirmed in New Mexico for First Time
The USDA confirmed an additional three cases of New World screwworm — including the first outside of Texas, in New Mexico — bringing the total number of detections in the US to five and raising concerns over a broader spread of the parasite.
Canada Bans Texas Livestock Imports After Second Screwworm Case
A second case of the flesh-eating New World screwworm has been confirmed in South Texas, intensifying concerns among agricultural officials and prompting Canada to suspend livestock imports from Texas as authorities mount an aggressive response to prevent the parasite from spreading deeper into the United States.
New World Screwworm Case Confirmed in U.S.
USDA confirmed the first detection of New World screwworm in the United States in decades after identifying the pest in a 3-week-old calf in South Texas, prompting an aggressive federal and state response aimed at containing the outbreak of the parasitic insect.
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.