Ag Policy Blog

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.

Farm leaders and members of Congress gathered on the National Mall Thursday to rally for approval of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement on trade.

Nebraska's governor, the agriculture director and state Farm Bureau each pushed back after some rural residents and environmental groups called Monday for a moratorium on large livestock operations in the state, specifically poultry operations tied to Costco.

U.S. beef faces a 12% duty disadvantage compared to Australia, Canada and Mexico. Pork also faces a 7% duty disadvantage, as well as processed meats at a disadvantage. The U.S. Meat Export Federation is counting on a trade deal to level the playing field.

USDA has opened up enrollment for the main commodity programs in the farm bill, the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs.

Members of the Missouri Farm Bureau have taken the classic 1978 Village People tribute to the Young Men's Christian Association, "YMCA" and turned into a unique interpretation of "USMCA."

The president of the National Corn Growers Association wrote a letter Thursday to President Donald Trump, letting him know the EPA small refinery exemptions "sent shockwaves through the corn industry and put us back on our heels."

In a letter late last week, leaders from the Nebraska Farm Bureau wrote USDA officials, "The temporary closing of the plant, which accounted for five percent of the daily U.S. cattle slaughter, has led to considerable consternation for both cattle producers and cattle markets...

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Humane Society of the United States against the National Pork Board, challenging its purchase of trademarks associated with the campaign, "Pork: The Other White Meat."

Mayors from 70 cities as part of the U.S. Conference of Mayors wrote USDA this week to "express our strong opposition" to the department's revision of "broad based categorical eligibility" for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

A University of Nebraska poll captures some of the division and nuances in rural America about how immigrants are viewed and the policies for dealing with immigration.

Sen. Charles Grassley largely seemed resigned Tuesday as he complained about EPA granting 31 small refinery exemptions to the Renewable Fuels Standard.

Agriculture has challenges when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but the impacts of climate change on food production, the land and water will likely worsen food security in the future. Migration due to food insecurity was one of the major risks highlighted in a...

Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., is seeking to take Rep. Michael Conaway's spot as the top-ranking Republican on the House Agriculture Committee. Other possibilities might be members from Arkansas or Missouri.

The Senate on Thursday by voice vote passed the bill to raise the cap on Chapter 12 farm bankruptcy to $10 million.The bill, titled the Family Farmer Relief Act, has already passed the House, and it will now go to President Donald Trump for his signature.

U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Texas, had chaired the committee from 2015 until the beginning of this year, and also had chaired the House Ethics Committee. Conaway is a certified public accountant and was first elected to Congress in 2004. On Wednesday he announced he would not...

EPA currently expects to make decisions on small refiner exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for the 2018 compliance year in the next few weeks, according to Administrator Andrew Wheeler.