Ag Policy Blog

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, on Tuesday signed a new foreign ownership law requiring more registration and reporting for foreign landowners of agricultural land. Concerns about Chinese land ownership has prompted states to look for new ways to clamp down on foreign...

Groups have through July 2, 2024, to apply for funding under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). USDA rolled out the announcement for RCPP, noting the $1.5 billion is a record amount for a single year.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is running for president and has a plan to revolutionize ag, including reversing 80 years of farm policy.

The announcement to open up Conservation Reserve Program acres is meant to help livestock producers in Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas who were hit by the wildfires at the beginning of March.

While there were complaints about how USDA uses the Commodity Credit Corp., on Thursday, there were also several members of Congress who want CCC used to help producers with specific challenges in their home districts as well.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack explained Thursday the changes to the emissions model for sustainable aviation fuel tax credits will recognize some key climate-smart farming practices, but more work will be needed to include all the on-farm practices that reduce emissions or...

The leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee again weighed in Monday about what they want to see happen with the farm bill this year. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., the committee chairwoman, said the rural-urban coalition that has held the farm bill together in past years...

The debate continues among leaders on the Senate Agriculture Committee about what to do with climate-smart money from the Inflation Reduction Act that is boosting spending for conservation programs at USDA.

The letter from 22 GOP senators comes as agricultural exports are falling, but also coming off the three best years in history as well. USDA does have a program starting in June that will provide more funding to help boost agricultural exports to smaller markets.

A network of nearly 70 local organizations and communities along the Mississippi River are lobbying for more conservation funding in the farm bill as well as money for infrastructure to ease the chronic drought conditions on the lower Mississippi River.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the near rule at the National Farmers Union annual convention on Monday in Scottsdale, Ariz. The rule tightens the language on what products can be defined as Product of USA or Made in USA.

A letter to the chair and ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee by ten Republicans urged committee leaders to not include H.R. 4417, the Exposing Agriculture Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, or any similar language that serves to nullify state laws and standards for...

The president's State of the Union speech included a long list of legislation and while he gave a nod to family farmers and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Biden did not call on Congress to pass a farm bill this year.

The major commodity groups representing corn, soybean and wheat farmers are divided on what, if anything, should happen to base acres. All three major groups see a need to increase reference prices, even though they know it's a costly ask.

After months of stalled funding bills, the chairs and ranking members for appropriations on Sunday released funding packages for USDA, FDA and related agencies, along with five other major funding bills for federal departments as well.

EPA on Friday announced the creation of a new Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, elevating the agricultural advisory role at EPA.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow is pushing back on GOP demands for the farm bill. Meanwhile, the federal budget appears again at an impasse with USDA at risk of shutting down on March 2.

USDA faces a March 1 funding deadline that could close the department on March 2. USDA opens enrollment for the Dairy Margin Coverage program this week and crop farmers are in the final three weeks of enrollment for the ARC and PLC programs as well.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and National Farmers Union (NFU) joined forces to write Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack point out the price challenges facing dairy farmers. That includes the ongoing milk price spreads that have substantially lowered farmer milk...

Right now, the House appropriations bill for USDA includes language that would prevent USDA from spending any money further drafting or implementing new competition rules under the P&S Act. A pair of U.S. senators wrote their colleagues this week to reject any such policy...