Jake Zajkowski

Farmers and agricultural groups are pressing senators to advance the farm bill as Republicans prepare for another committee vote Wednesday, while SNAP provisions remain a major obstacle to final passage.

A new Livestock Risk Protection endorsement for breeding heifers is being developed as USDA looks to help cattle producers manage the financial risk of rebuilding the U.S. herd.

USDA forecasts direct farm payments will rise to $47.4 billion in 2026 as net farm income declines, while Trump proposes a $5,000 dividend for adult Americans if Republicans retain control of Congress.

Ranchers left a White House meeting with new promises on beef policy but frustration that wolves dominated the discussion while key issues remain unresolved.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's expected Sept. 24 U.S. visit could shape agricultural trade, with China's soybean purchase commitments and new drone tariffs both potentially on the negotiating agenda.

Trump signed an executive order on Sept. 4 directing agencies to review cattle and beef policies, but the order makes no immediate policy changes.

House Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson is seeking a waiver to serve another term as chairman, setting up a leadership fight as lawmakers work to finish the farm bill.

The House on Tuesday passed the Senate's continuing resolution to fund the government through Dec. 11, while Republican lawmakers prepare to take ranchers' concerns over the Trump administration's beef agenda directly to the...

A new federal insurance option aims to give ranchers greater financial protection when choosing to retain heifers for breeding as USDA works to encourage growth in the nation's beef herd.

President Donald Trump on Aug. 21 proposed allowing 300,000 metric tons of foreign beef to enter the United States without an out-of-quota tariff for 90 days.

Bipartisan senators propose opening 20 million acres to voluntary grazing to help rebuild the nation's shrinking cattle herd.

U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods took effect Saturday after last-minute negotiations failed to produce a deal.

President Donald Trump proposed allowing 300,000 metric tons of foreign beef to enter the United States Friday morning without an out-of-quota tariff for 90 days.

Diversification, precision agriculture and long-term nutrient management give Maryland farmers additional tools to navigate tight margins.

If farmers want a farm bill, year-round E15, better USDA credit terms, mandatory country-of-origin labeling or other priorities, they may have to fight for SNAP, too.

Workforce reductions and hiring restrictions at USDA's Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service are leaving local offices understaffed, reducing services and stretching remaining employees thin.

2026 DTN Digital Yield Tour estimates Ohio corn at 191.9 bushels per acre (bpa) and soybeans at 55.4 bpa.

A bipartisan beef labeling vote advanced in the Senate last week, but Chairman John Boozman called completing a farm bill before the election a "miracle" as negotiations remain unresolved.

Although lawmakers agreed on several farm policy priorities, the Senate Agriculture Committee failed to advance the farm bill, 10-11, sending the fight over a two-year SNAP cost-share delay into September while the manager's...

Mandatory country-of-origin labeling (MCOOL) was offered as a farm bill amendment by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. Independent cattlemen have raised their voices to Congress and on social media, finding a policy window of passage. (DTN...

Federal regulators have paused the issuance and renewal of non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses in noncompliant states, leaving some H-2A workers unable to obtain licenses.

USDA's interim final rule resolves decades of uncertainty by recognizing qualifying wetland determinations made since 1990 as certified.

The Senate farm bill markup draft now includes year-round E15, major small refinery exemption changes and a one-year delay in SNAP state cost sharing ahead of Thursday's markup.

Senate farm bill text expected this week includes year-round E15 language as lawmakers negotiate a compromise ahead of an anticipated markup on Aug. 6.

The Senate farm bill would temporarily reduce $1.9 billion from EQIP for other legislative priorities, including a new forest easement and state conservation programs through FY2030. Supporters...

The House passed a $95 billion budget resolution on July 22, advancing $12 billion in farm aid, while some farm groups criticized additional funding for the war in Iran.

NIFA Director Jaye Hamby tells DTN the agency's Kansas City relocation could offer lessons for USDA, while union members and other staff warn the 2019 move is a cautionary tale.

The U.S. Trade Representative is pursuing separate agreements with Canada and Mexico while broader USMCA negotiations remain uncertain.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said $11.1 billion in farm aid would give producers relief while the Trump administration addresses long-term economic pressures and consolidation in agriculture.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the agency supports restoring the prevented-plant buy-up option under federal crop insurance.

E15 supporters are weighing a potential compromise over small-refinery exemptions and Renewable Fuel Standard reforms. But lawmakers face a shrinking legislative window to move year-round E15 legislation through the Senate before...

The Trump administration announced new 50% tariffs on select Canadian goods, citing what it calls discriminatory treatment of U.S. exports.

OCP Group has begun shipping duty-free Moroccan phosphate fertilizer to the United States, the company has confirmed, a move USDA says could lower fertilizer costs for U.S. farmers.

House Republicans approved a budget blueprint authorizing up to $12 billion in farm aid, sending spending instructions to the House Agriculture Committee as the measure heads toward a House floor vote next week.

USDA will release a NASS modernization plan later this summer to improve data accuracy, transparency, and producer confidence.

White House officials and House GOP leaders backed away from a proposed $20 billion farm aid package Tuesday evening, returning to President Donald Trump's original $11.1 billion supplemental request.

House Republicans might advance a budget reconciliation plan that could provide an increased $20 billion in farm aid in reconciliation 3.0.

U.S. cattle groups are united to urge USTR to remove the exemption for Brazilian beef from proposed 25% tariffs, arguing it undermines efforts to hold Brazil accountable for illegal deforestation and unfair trade practices.

USDA finalized remaining OBBB farm safety-net changes, expanding livestock disaster assistance, increasing predator loss payments and updating cotton, sugar and specialty crop programs.

A coalition of labor unions and nonprofits is asking a federal court to halt USDA's reorganization, alleging the department is using relocations to drive workforce reductions.

Longtime South Carolina Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham died Sunday

USDA accepted more than 2.2 million acres into the Conservation Reserve Program for fiscal year 2026 after producers offered nearly 2.5 million acres.

U.S. ethanol groups urged USTR to finalize tariffs and dismantle trade barriers limiting access to Brazil's ethanol market.

USDA is providing $500 million to independent beef processors to boost competition and offset rising cattle procurement costs amid historically tight supplies.

From show cattle to rodeo, the Great American State Fair has transformed the National Mall into America's biggest front yard for agriculture.

USDA announced $500 million of CCC funds to support fertilizer infrastructure and domestic production using redirected funds and new investment incentives.

A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and farm groups introduced the Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act on Tuesday, proposing the most significant H-2A reforms in nearly 40 years, though the bill faces steep political hurdles in...

The six-year review of USMCA begins this week, but trade officials are signaling targeted negotiations with Canada and Mexico instead of reopening the full agreement, with a full arsenal of trade...

USDA officials told Congress that staffing shortages at FSA and NRCS -- driven by employee departures, hiring constraints and limited funding -- have left some county offices understaffed or...

President Donald Trump hosted farm leaders at the White House to highlight his administration's agricultural accomplishments while announcing a MAHA-inspired executive order to expand research...

USDA Undersecretary Richard Fordyce told lawmakers that commodity program implementation is nearing completion, while lawmakers raised concerns about the likely return of prevent plant buy-up coverage, oversubscribed conservation...

With negotiations entering a new phase, farm groups are embracing the Senate farm bill draft while advancing new requests and renewed priorities before lawmakers finalize the bill.

The Senate Agriculture Committee released its version of the farm bill, the Agriculture Act of 2026, advancing key priorities in farm lending, conservation tools and landownership oversight while leaving out several long-debated...

The National Pork Producers Council is defending the Food Security and Farm Protection Act after a $30 million dollar media campaign targeted lawmakers backing the proposal. Industry leaders argue activist pressure contributed to...

Farm labor groups welcomed new DHS guidance clarifying that dairy operations may qualify for H-2A workers when they can demonstrate a temporary or seasonal labor need under existing law. The policy arrives as House lawmakers...

A new S&P Global report commissioned by U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action finds limited growth in biofuel demand could put U.S. farmland under pressure. It warns that without higher ethanol blends and expanded fuel markets...