Chris Clayton

U.S. farmer optimism hit a two-year high in November, despite major layoffs and lower profits by companies such as Cargill, Tyson and ADM. While farmers foresee better finances and less...

Smithfield had announced plans to cut its ownership of U.S. hog production by as much as 20%. The shift in ownership of 150,000 sows in North Carolina to Murphy Family Ventures would likely achieve much of that goal. Smithfield's...

Congress faces a Dec. 20 deadline to pass a funding resolution, disaster aid, and a farm bill extension. On Monday, Republican governors pressed Congress to pass a farm bill now rather than wait until 2025 as well.

USDA on Tuesday released its latest update of U.S. agricultural trade. The report showed a slight bump in exports to $170 billion for fiscal year 2025. Imports are expected to grow, reaching $215.5 billion.

Agricultural commodity prices slipped slightly Tuesday in morning trade following President-elect Donald Trump's vow to impose 25% import tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and a 10% tariff on products from China.

While President-elect Donald Trump has picked an agriculture secretary, his transition team remains stalled in learning about some of the key issues at USDA and other federal agencies because Trump's team has not signed key...

U.S. agriculture will need to remain at the climate negotiating table under the Trump administration because of all the investments that have been made to reduce emissions and build resiliency on...

President-elect Donald Trump has named Brooke L. Rollins as the next U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. A native Texan with deep agricultural roots, Rollins will oversee USDA programs, advise on the upcoming farm bill and lead rural...

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., on Monday dropped her proposal for a new farm bill that she hopes Congress will take up in a lame-duck session of Congress. The farm bill is now likely on a back burner until a new Congress is...

David Wilcox was the president of Global Processing Inc., a buyer and exporter of non-GMO and organic soybeans. A federal indictment alleges the company withheld payments from farmers for Wilcox's personal benefit.

Rod Snyder, former EPA adviser, emphasized agriculture's critical role in addressing climate change during the Sustainable Agriculture Summit. He highlighted private-sector commitments will likely continue even as the new president...

Rod Snyder, former EPA adviser, emphasized agriculture's critical role in addressing climate change during the Sustainable Agriculture Summit. He highlighted private-sector commitments will likely continue even as the new president...

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing with officials from multiple federal agencies dealing with disasters. The hearing comes just days after the White House proposed a nearly $100 billion disaster package that...

Different groups are assessing what to expect under the Trump administration when it comes to farm labor and what the impacts of mass deportations could mean. A former adviser for agricultural labor in the first Trump term...

For USDA, President Biden proposed $23.5 billion in aid overall, the lion's share of which would go to help farmers and ranchers who have suffered livestock or crop losses due to hurricanes, drought and wildfires.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., on Monday dropped her proposal for a new farm bill she hopes Congress will take up in a lame-duck session. The farm bill is likely on the backburner until a new Congress is convened early in 2025.

John Boyd, president of the National Black Farmers Association, urges equitable agricultural policies, timely credit access, and unity among farmers. He talked about credit issues at the national Agricultural Bankers Conference. He...

Congress' lame-duck session may address a new farm bill and disaster aid, but priorities are unclear. With budget deadlines and aid requests from recent disasters, lawmakers face pressure to act.

President-elect Donald Trump's tax policies and influence on the Federal Reserve could impact interest rates, deficits, and economic stability, with experts highlighting potential constraints, risks, and market reactions.

A decline in producer profitability overall concerns bankers, though that varies by region and commodities. Lenders to livestock producers are more optimistic than bankers lending to crop producers. Overall, lenders also are...

The American Farm Bureau Federation is urging Congress to prioritize a disaster and economic aid package for farmers over passing a new farm bill, citing urgent financial needs and expected delays in policy implementation.

The Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota highlighted the state of farm finances Tuesday as the American Bankers Association kicked off its annual Agricultural Bankers Conference. The numbers...

Congress' lame-duck session may address a new farm bill and disaster aid, but priorities are unclear. With budget deadlines and aid requests from recent disasters, lawmakers face pressure to act.

Indiana farmer Kip Tom, co-leader of the Farmers and Ranchers for Trump Coalition, urges quick action in the new Trump administration on trade deals as well as regulatory reform, to support U.S. farmers' competitiveness globally...

There are 25 House races still to be decided, but Republicans are on a path to maintaining control of the House. Republicans captured control of the U.S. Senate for the first time in four years, but there are still three Senate...

The election came down to Donald Trump carrying rural areas by wide margins while Vice President Kamala Harris won the urban and suburban areas by smaller margins than President Joe Biden four years ago. Republicans also won...

The results Tuesday night came down to Trump carrying rural areas by wide margins while Harris was winning the urban and suburban areas by smaller margins than President Joe Biden did four years ago. While the presidential race...

USDA's mandate for electronic identification (EID) eartags in interstate cattle movement took effect Tuesday. In response, R-CALF USA and allied groups filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the rule, arguing it exceeds USDA's...

Along with the presidential race, voters face a pivotal election with numerous high-stakes issues at play. Major ballot measures on abortion and marijuana legalization across multiple states are driving voter turnout. South Dakota...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Thursday defended USDA's overall loan portfolio following Pure Prairie Poultry's collapse, citing a small rate of overall losses. Pure Prairie Poultry's shutdown...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke to reporters Thursday about USDA's plans to expand the testing of milk across the country. He also talked about a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus found recently in swine...

Our DTN Progressive Farmer exclusive poll reveals strong support for former President Donald Trump and the top issues on the minds of farmers as they prepare to vote.

A group of World Food Prize laureates has publicly criticized U.S. political candidates for ignoring the issue of global hunger amid a rising global food crisis. The laureates also stressed that addressing hunger is crucial for global...

Before he died, Ohio regenerative farmer David Brandt had begun working with the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa to help create a farmer-led learning center on the convent's 343-acre farm. This has evolved into an initiative to...

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) late on Friday issued a news release detailing its attempts to feed and manage the 1.3 million chickens after Pure Prairie Poultry shut down its operations of a...

USDA on Monday announced the Farm Service Agency has started issuing to checks to producers for the 2023 crops. USDA pegs the payments under Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price would be $447 million.

Here's a complete breakdown of the DTN/Progressive Farmer Pulse of Rural America Poll as it looks at the presidential race and some other key issues facing farmers as they vote in the Nov. 5 election.

Our DTN/Progressive Farmer exclusive poll reveals strong support for former President Donald Trump and what are the top issues on the minds of farmers as they prepare to vote.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argues that current practices damage both the environment and consumers' health. Under former President Donald Trump's campaign, Kennedy has several proposals for major reforms, including banning more farm...

Key Senate races in battleground states like Montana, Wisconsin, and Nebraska could determine control of the Senate in the upcoming election. Republicans aim to flip seats held by Democrats, but a surprise race in Nebraska could...

The USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has reached its highest enrollment level since 2013, with a notable shift toward Grasslands CRP, which supports grazing operations. Under the Biden administration, CRP acreage has...

The USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has reached its highest enrollment level since 2013, with a notable shift toward Grasslands CRP, which supports grazing operations. Under the Biden administration, CRP acreage has...

Farmers and small businesses must comply with the Corporate Transparency Act by Jan. 1, 2025, by filing beneficial ownership information with the U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. This new filing requirement...

The House Ag Committee may have more competitive races among its membership than any other committee in Congress. Political analysts who track congressional elections show nine House Aggies -- five Republicans and four Democrats...

A Wisconsin senator is urging USDA to assist poultry farmers affected by the abrupt closure of Pure Prairie Poultry, a Minnesota-based company that collapsed financially in late September after...

A South Dakota voter referendum will decide the fate of a new law that could shape the regulation of carbon pipelines in the state. The law, tied to the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline project, allows counties to tax and regulate...

A new study released by American Soybean Association and National Corn Growers Association highlights another trade war with China could cost corn and soybean farmers roughly $5 billion to $8 billion a year in lost value. Meanwhile...

As part of an event on competition issues with farmers and producers at the White House, USDA released a new study on competition issues in the meat industry. USDA also announced a proposal to consider some regulatory...

The House Ag Committee may have more competitive races among its membership than any other committee in Congress. Political analysts who track congressional elections show nine House Aggies -- five Republicans and four Democrats...

A USDA-backed chicken processing plant in Iowa shut down, filing for bankruptcy, leaving 1.6 million chickens and numerous farmers without income, sparking animal welfare concerns across Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. USDA is now...

Denver-based publicly traded real estate investment trust Farmland Partners Inc. is selling 46 farms across eight states to Utah-based Farmland Reserve Inc., a real-estate investment company...

An agricultural teacher and livestock producer has been helping coordinate relief efforts for other farmers in her area in Transylvania County, North Carolina, in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

Under their current tax plans and government spending, Trump's plans would raise the national debt by an average of $7.5 trillion over 10 years, while Harris' plan would raise the debt $3.5 trillion. Both candidates would end up with...

Three environmental groups and the Iowa Farmers Union are seeking to intervene in a federal lawsuit over the 1985 farm bill's swampbuster rule. The groups argue getting rid of conservation compliance would lead to more problems...

The strike by longshoremen is disrupting agricultural exports worth $1.4 billion per week, affecting key U.S. ports on the East and Gulf Coasts. Industry leaders are urging the Biden administration to intervene, as the strike...

Kip Tom has served figuratively and literally as agriculture's ambassador.

A letter from a bipartisan group of lawmakers calling for disaster aid to help farmers comes after President Joe Biden indicated Monday that Congress will likely need to pass a supplemental disaster package to deal with the...

While government officials contemplate the need for bigger disaster aid, local farmers such as those in Transylvania County, North Carolina, are trying to find ways to stay connected and share resources while waiting for some relief.

Along with damage in Florida and Georgia, the storm also devastated western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Presidential disaster declarations have already been approved for Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. Such...

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) on Friday led a letter to President Joe Biden signed by 195 agricultural groups, warning the president about the risks of shipping disruptions from a possible port strike, rail...

Citing the need to support farmers who are dealing with declining crop receipts, 140 House members on Thursday wrote leaders to ensure a farm bill passes this year.

Speaking at an event in Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump said he would impose a 200% tariff on imported manufacturing products from Mexico. The president warned John Deere against...

On Sept. 19, USDA announced $35 million in grants under the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP). Created as part of the American Rescue Plan, the MPPEP provided more than $325 million to 74 meat and poultry...

While cash receipts for crop farmers are expected to fall $26.2 billion this year just for corn, soybeans and wheat, the farm program safety nets, Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss...

EWG filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday against Tyson in the District of Columbia, alleging on behalf of consumers that Tyson is making false claims under the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act. Tyson has a program focused on...

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., on Monday said key lawmakers in Congress are looking at passing an extension of the farm bill that would boost support for commodity producers. That move could provide aid to farmers while lawmakers work...

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the American Soybean Association (ASA) expressed frustration with a recently released recommendation by the U.S. Department of Commerce to impose preliminary countervailing duty...

Farmers and industry groups continue facing uncertainty over how the Clean Water Act (CWA) is being enforced following the 2023 Supreme Court ruling in Sackett v. EPA, which limited federal authority over certain wetlands.

Agriculture and rural America were not mentioned but the debate did spotlight a few key issues for ag such as taxes, tariffs, illegal immigration and energy policies.

Agricultural policy leaders from both political sides on Monday discussed the need for a new farm bill but disagreed on key issues like trade, taxes, labor and climate policy at a forum hosted by the Farm Foundation.

Through a contractor, USDA distributes more than 140 different food items to as many as 276 tribes nationally. That program broke down over the summer after USDA canceled a contract for a distribution company and started...