Ag Policy Blog

With the challenges in food security and stability globally, the U.S. could use some top people in the Biden administration focused on agricultural exports. A key trade nominee withdrew last month, and the White House has not submitted a name for a USDA undersecretary.

Under the bill, USDA would two years to set up mandatory minimum cash market trade for five to seven regions of the country. The bill also would require USDA to create a library of market contracts between packers and producers. Packers also would have to detail their...

Overall, the White House proposes a $5.8 trillion budget for fiscal year 2023 with USDA's total budget outlays at $261 billion, about the same cost as 2022. The budget contains several tax changes that failed to move in the U.S. Senate last year, including a proposal to raise the...

Key agribusiness groups and the American Farm Bureau Federation on Wednesday urged Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to allow holders of contracts under the Conservation Reserve Program to plant crops on those lands to increase supply during the Ukraine war.

There continues to be some repeated themes about climate change, conservation programs and crop insurance coming out of the House Agriculture Committee as Ranking Member Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-Pa., pushes back on tying climate change initiatives to USDA's main farm-bill...

In the magazine "The Atlantic," staff writer David Frum, a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, wrote "The U.S. Subsidy That Empowers Putin." In Frum's essay he makes the case that "the ethanol program" has helped leverage Russian President Vladimir Putin's hand...

AFBF's called on the Biden Administration to relieve the pressure on energy prices through higher domestic production and greater use of biofuels. The ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee also called on USDA to offer landowners flexibility on Conservation Reserve...

An economist tossed out the idea on Twitter that USDA should open up Conservation Reserve Program acres to planting this year. Within a day, reporters were asking Farm Service Agency administrators if USDA is looking at that option and when the department would make a...

Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux addressed an array of topics during a speech Monday to members of the National Farmers Union in Denver and an interview with DTN on farm programs and office staffing.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., a farmer in the U.S. Senate, told members of the National Farmers Union on Sunday about a series of bills he is championing to tackle corporate consolidation. Tester said Senate leaders have promised to debate at least a pair of bills this spring...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack rolled out some grant opportunities at the USDA Ag Outlook Forum. The grants amounted to $215 million in total funding USDA is making available as part of a series of food supply chain programs.

A bill stalled out in the Iowa Legislature that would prevent carbon pipelines from using eminent domain for their projects. A push by Nebraska's governor to build a canal project is getting some questions from lawmakers in that state as well.

DTN Political Correspondent Jerry Hagstrom is reporting this week from the Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention in Indian Wells, California.

A new study led by researchers at the University of Wisconsin questions the greenhouse gas benefits of corn-based ethanol, citing that emissions could be as much as 24% higher than if policy had simply stuck with gasoline over biofuels.

The Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP) provides premium benefits for farmers growing cover crops. The program was first offered in 20221 and led to $59.5 million in premium subsidies for 12.2 million acres of cover crops. USDA has made a few revisions to the program for the...

The Farm Service Agency had opened enrollment for DMC and SDMC in December. The program is meant to help manage risk involving the spread between milk prices and feed costs. The deadline for enrollment now has been extended to March 25. The National Milk Producers Federation...

USDA noted in a news release the $177 billion eclipsed the previous export record of $151.2 billion set in 2014 by 14.6%. China, Mexico and Canada were the top markets for U.S. agricultural goods, accounting for nearly 49% of sales.

A new government website to file complaints comes as cattle producers continue to call for investigations and for the Justice Department to provide details on its investigation that began nearly two years ago.

A web survey and public comment period will address some questions about what consumers understand about Product of USA labels as well as other labels such as meat grades.

Rep. Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico toured businesses in Omaha on Monday with Rep. Don Bacon as the lawmakers talked about immigration, infrastructure and why Puerto Rico deserves a vote on statehood.