Major global agribusinesses over the past week have raised their 2026 profit forecasts on strong oilseed processing outlooks and strong demand across key crop markets, particularly in the United States.
Rural America
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.
Farm Production Costs to Hit Record Highs in 2027, USDA Says
USDA’s new 2027 cost of production forecast reveals farmers may not see meaningful relief from elevated production costs anytime soon. The projections show total production costs continuing to rise for most major crops, pushing all commodities to record highs — including corn at $952 per acre, soybeans at $701, sorghum at $477 and wheat at $428.
USDA to Move Much of FAS, Rural Development out of DC
The USDA plans to relocate “much of” the Foreign Agricultural Service’s Washington D.C.-based workforce to Kansas City, Missouri, and Beltsville, Maryland, as part of its reorganization plan, the agency announced Wednesday.
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.
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.
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.
Supreme Court Seems Divided On Bayer’s Bid to Stop Roundup Lawsuits
The US Supreme Court gave Bayer AG a mixed reception on its bid to stop tens of thousands of lawsuits claiming its Roundup herbicide should have been labeled as a cancer risk. Hearing arguments in Washington Monday, the justices weighed a $1.25 million jury verdict won by a Missouri man who blamed Roundup for his non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Nearly $10 Billion in Farmer Bridge Assistance Allocated
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has already sent $9.6 billion in Farmer Bridge Assistance payments as crop producers continue to face weak prices and high costs. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), many farms are still operating at a loss or near break-even, even with federal help in place.
Farmer Sentiment Improves in March Despite Iran War Cost Increases
U.S. farmer sentiment improved in March despite fuel and fertilizer cost increases due to the Iran war, according to the newest Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index. The barometer rose for the second straight month in March, reaching 127 points, up from 116 in February. However, the barometer remains below levels from March 2025.
USDA ‘to be flexbile’ with Employees During Reorg, Rollins Says
Employees should expect to receive more detail about USDA’s reorganization ‘by the beginning of this summer,’ (Agriculture Secretary Brooke) Rollins said. ‘We’re going to be flexible if they can’t move right away or they’ve got other issues,’ she added.
Farmers Will Plant Less Corn and More Soy in 2026, USDA Says
Farmers intend to plant 95.3 million acres of corn and 84.7 million acres of soybeans in 2026, the USDA NASS said on Tuesday. Altogether, the USDA is estimating a total of 223.8 million corn, soybean, and wheat acres for 2026/2027, down from 225.3 million for 2025/2026.
Ag Secretary Rollins Working Directly With Input Companies to Lower Prices
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says she is working directly with ag input companies to address rising prices amid mounting warnings over fertilizer supply and ongoing disruptions. “We want real relief for our farmers,” Rollins told Fox News on Saturday.
U.S. Corn Acres to Fall in 2026, Surveys Show
The Iran war has upended the planting intentions of U.S. farmers, resulting in fewer acres of corn and the lowest quantity of spring wheat planted since 1970 as rising fertilizer and fuel costs and low grain prices dim the outlook for profits, analysts said ahead of a U.S. government report due on Tuesday.
Nebraska Fires Threaten to Delay Cattle Herd Rebuild
Massive wildfires have burned vast swaths of grazing lands in Nebraska, endangering cattle producers’ plans for production increases that could help ease record-high U.S. beef prices. The loss of grasslands in the second-biggest cattle-producing state removes a feed source for herds and could delay ranchers from expanding as they struggle with widespread drought, state and industry officials said.
Most Rented Farmland Owned by Non-Farmers, USDA Says
The vast majority of over two million landowners who rented out 347.8 million acres of agricultural land in 2024 were non-farming landlords, according to the latest USDA survey data, while the amount of land rent collected has increased since 2014.
Strike Begins at Major Colorado Meatpacking Plant
Striking JBS employees took to the streets of Greeley, Colorado, before sunrise on Monday to picket against the world’s largest meat company, in a rare labor stoppage at a U.S. meatpacking plant and a sign of upheaval in the beef industry.
Prolonged Iran War Could Shrink US Corn Acres, Analysts Say
The world’s farmers face soaring fertilizer and fuel prices as the war in the Middle East escalates, leaving some scrambling for supplies as the spring planting season approaches and causing some to rethink their planting prospects.
Farmers Increasingly Rejecting Data Center Bids For Land
The tech industry’s relentless push for data centers is colliding with farmers who see the projects as a threat to their way of life. Despite being offered sums that often dwarf the land’s recent value, farmers are increasingly shutting the door.