Iowa farmers warned Monday that the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will sharply raise health insurance costs in 2026, forcing painful tradeoffs that could slow farm growth, strain rural hospitals and push some producers out of business altogether.
Rural America
USDA Launches $700M Regenerative Agriculture Program
The Trump administration is launching a $700 million initiative, potentially supplemented with corporate funding, to help farmers adopt regenerative agriculture practices. The pilot program will use $400 million from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and $300 million from the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and will also leverage private funding.
$11 Billion in Bridge Farm Aid to be Issued by February
President Donald Trump and senior officials said Monday that the administration will provide $12 billion in financial support for farmers, with the first $11 billion going to row crop producers before the end of February 2026.
USDA Reorganization to be Completed in 2026, Vaden Says
The Agriculture Department will complete a reorganization of more than half the current D.C.-based staff to five regional hubs across the U.S. by the end of 2026, Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden says on Agri-Pulse Newsmakers.
Tyson Closing Major Beef Processing Plant in Nebraska
Tyson Foods, America’s largest meat supplier, is planning to close one of its largest beef-processing plants in Nebraska at a time when a cattle shortage in the U.S. squeezes meatpacking companies. The Lexington, Neb., plant employs roughly 3,000 people and can slaughter almost 5,000 cattle a day, according to industry estimates.
Only Half of US Farmers to Be Profitable in 2025, Ag Lenders Say
Agricultural lenders surveyed in the new 2025 ABA/Farmer Mac Agricultural Lender Survey expect only 52% of U.S. farm borrowers will be profitable this year, signaling a sharp decline from recent years. It’s also a sign producers across major crop regions are continuing to navigate through a period of tighter margins and severe financial stress.
Trump, Cattle Ranchers Beefing over Planned Quadrupling of Argentine Imports
President Donald Trump attacked US cattle ranchers over their criticism of his plan to slash record beef prices by importing significantly more tariff-free meat from Argentina, deepening a quarrel with a group of reliable supporters and raising concerns among ranch-state Republican lawmakers.
Trump Considering at least $10 Billion for Farmer Aid, Announcement Next Week
President Trump is considering providing $10 billion or more in aid to U.S. farmers as the agriculture sector warns of economic fallout from his far-reaching tariffs, according to people familiar with the discussions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday U.S. farmers could see an announcement on a ‘substantial support’ package as soon as next Tuesday.
DOJ, USDA to Examine Rising Farm Input Costs
The U.S. Department of Justice antitrust division will work with the Department of Agriculture to look closely at the rising cost of agricultural inputs like fertilizer and seeds under a memorandum of understanding signed on Thursday, said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
Screwworm Detected 70 Miles from US Southern Border
Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality confirmed a new case of New World screwworm (NWS) in Sabinas Hidalgo, located in the state of Nuevo León, less than 70 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border on Sept. 21.
Tariffs Could Fund Farm Economic Aid, Ag Sec Rollins Says
The Trump administration is drawing up plans to use tariff revenue to fund a program to support US farmers as they head into harvest facing falling export sales and rising input costs, agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins said.
USDA Considering Economic Aid, Secretary Rollins Says
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working with Congress to evaluate whether economic aid might be needed for the nation’s farmers this autumn amid trade disputes and record-high yields, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Monday.
US Farmer Sentiment Hits 12 Month Low in August
United States farmer sentiment hit a 12 month low in August as producers expressed less optimism about the future and reported weak financial expectations for their farms in the coming year. It was the third month in a row that the barometer has declined.
USDA Extends Reorg Plan Comment Period to Sept. 30
The USDA has quietly extended the public comment period for its controversial reorganization plan to Sept. 30, doubling the length of time provided for input on an initiative that has drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans since it was unveiled last month.
Cattle Industry Concerned Over Screwworm Reporting Delay
A nearly three-week delay between the confirmation of the first human infestation of travel-associated New World screwworm in the United States on August 4 and the U.S. government’s disclosure erodes trust that public agencies need to identify and fight potential screwworm outbreaks, said Neal Wilkins, CEO of conservation and cattle group East Foundation.
Human Case of New World Screwworm Confirmed in US
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Sunday reported the first human case in the United States of travel-associated New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite, from an outbreak-affected country.
USDA Ending Loan Support for Solar Projects on Farmland
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Monday that the department would be cutting off subsidies for solar power projects on U.S. farmland, asserting that they are making it harder for producers to afford acreage.
USDA Reorg Plan ‘About 95%’ Finalized as Feedback Period Begins
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Sunday that USDA’s plans to move much of its D.C.-based staff to five hubs across the country are ‘about 95 percent’ finalized. Still, the USDA will accept comments on the plan to reorganize for a 30-day period ending Tuesday, Aug. 26.
USDA Relocation Plan Will Save About $4 Billion, Officials Say
The USDA is confident its push to move more employees out of Washington and into five new hubs around the country will retain most staff and large-scale layoffs will not be necessary, a top official told lawmakers on Wednesday. The department will be saving about $4 billion through the plan.
USDA Relocation Plan Raises Service, Staff Disruption Concerns
With the release of the Trump administration’s plans to reorganize the U.S. Department of Agriculture including moving more than 2,000 employees out of Washington, D.C., agriculture interest groups, federal lawmakers and others expressed concern about whether the move would disrupt services.