Ag Policy Blog

Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., John Thune, R-S.D., and Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, introduced bipartisan legislation last week to ensure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s chief drone policy committee includes representation for agriculture, forestry and rural America.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told reporters Thursday the second round of trade aid for 2019 could come later this month.

The chairman of the House Agriculture Committee has some concerns about inequities in USDA's Market Facilitation Program.

Midwest farmers see the U.S.-China trade war as having a long-term negative impact on agriculture, but could enhance the relationship because the two countries and translate into some type of positive outcome -- even if it hurts their own farm operations over the next...

Livestock haulers could get a reprieve from federal Hours of Service rules under a bill introduced in Congress on Wednesday.

Both the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the U.S. Cattlemen's Association praised the introduction of the Real Marketing Edible Artificials Truthfully (MEAT) Act.

Argentine voters went to the polls on Sunday to put the Peronists back in power and throw out President Mauricio Macri, a politician favored by the nation's farmers.

The prospect of Congress approving the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement sometime in 2019 appears to be eroding away, according to some champions of the trade agreement.

At a Cabinet meeting on Monday, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue defended the Environmental Protection Agency's announcement last week about how it will account for the small refinery waivers under the Renewable Fuel Standard, while President Donald Trump talked about China...

A bipartisan group of senators wrote Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Thursday asking for USDA to prioritize the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) within the Conservation Reserve Program.

The House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services on Wednesday afternoon will hold a hearing asking USDA's deputy undersecretary for nutrition about USDA's proposed cuts to free school meals.

Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Bob Menendez, D-N.J., have written to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin requesting that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) review transactions made by Brazilian meatpacking giant JBS, which "engaged in illicit financial activities...

The meat industry in recent days has gotten tied up a couple of lawsuits over USDA's speed rule and California's state statute over confinement standards of animals.

An internal memo at USDA shows roughly 80% of employees at ERS have now left the agency rather than relocate to Kansas City, Mo. In the memo, USDA stated, "Due to decreased staffing levels, ERS will for considerable time be unable to provide the same level of breadth and...

Various producer groups weighed in on the announcement of an agricultural trade agreement with Japan that would lower tariffs for U.S. products.

A Twitter campaign is calling on President Donald Trump to take some action that would provide more market fairness in the cattle trade against the four large packers. Meanwhile, the Senate Agriculture Committee will hear about some of these issues Wednesday during a hearing...

Multiple members of the House Agriculture Committee raised the issue of hemp and crop insurance on Thursday during a hearing with Bill Northey, USDA's undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation.

A small group of speakers on Wednesday in Washington announced the formation of coalition "U.S. Farmers & Ranchers for a Green New Deal." Highlighting that climate change is affecting farmers and ranchers, speakers on Wednesday focused on local foods, overhauling the...

On Tuesday, Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman John Hoeven, R-N.D., said at a markup of the fiscal year 2020 Agriculture appropriations bill it is "critical" that the continuing resolution to fund the government to allow the Agriculture Department to continue...

The White House sent a notice to Congress on Monday stating that President Donald Trump is ready to sign a trade deal with Japan.