Ag Policy Blog

Getting the word ethanol into the next aid package also might become a tipping scale in the Iowa U.S. Senate race. Ethanol also is tied to international politics and the presidential race as well. The State Department is disputing a report that the U.S. ambassador to Brazil...

Dairy Farmers of America issued a statement Thursday rebutting an amicus brief filed by the Department of Justice in a lawsuit involving 116 dairy farmers in northeastern states against DFA, the country's largest dairy cooperative. DFA maintains it has not violated the...

A group of 116 dairy farmers are suing Dairy Farmers of America, claiming the country's biggest dairy cooperative has engaged in unfair competition practices. The Department of Justice has weighed in, saying DFA cannot use the country's farm cooperative law to avoid the crux...

Senators are debating and negotiating on the details of the HEALS Act, which provides more than $20 billion in aid to agriculture. The HEROES Act passed the House in May. It provides $16.5 billion in direct aid to agriculture, but it also allows for raising the funding authority of...

The House on Friday passed a minibus of fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills including the Agriculture bill but the White House Office of Management and Budget said the administration is opposed to the overall bill and cited some provisions in the Agriculture section.

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said Wednesday that Congress is going to need to address some of the problems pointed to in a USDA report on cattle markets. The report detailed the spike in boxed beef prices following two major market disruptions that also suppressed cattle...

In a congressional hearing, a USDA undersecretary said Tuesday that the department will soon release a study on the volatility in cattle markets. Meanwhile, R-CALF USA released a report from 2014 showing that alternative marketing agreements end up leading to overall lower...

The U.S. Senate returns to session next week with expectations of putting together another stimulus relief bill to address the economy. Sen. Chuck Grassley and a few other Midwest senators expect to champion language that would help the ethanol industry recover from lost...

Joe Biden's climate and infrastructure plan released Tuesday delves into agriculture and conservation, but does not specifically mention biofuels such as ethanol as part of the renewable energy proposals. Still, trade associations for biofuel groups were encouraged by Biden's...

A bipartisan coalition of House members wrote Trump administration officials to urge them to undertake a phase two trade deal with Japan, saying it would particularly benefit the dairy industry. Also announced on Monday, Randy Gordon is retiring as president and CEO of the...

USDA on Thursday expanded the agricultural commodities that can apply for aid under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). USDA also announced more than 1.2 million acres were enrolled into the Conservation Reserve Program for grasslands.

The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee on Monday approved the fiscal year 2021 Agriculture appropriations bill without amendments. Total discretionary funding in the legislation is $23.98 billion, an increase of $487 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level.

The U.S. Cattlemen's Association and National Farmers Union led a letter Wednesday to leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee, calling on them to hold a hearing on reauthorization of the Livestock Mandatory Reporting program.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz wrote EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler on Monday calling on EPA to reject 52 petroleum refiner applications for retroactive small refinery exemptions from the Renewable Fuels Standard.

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has launched the Rural Community Toolbox, an online clearinghouse created to connect rural leaders with funding, data, and information to combat drug addiction in rural America.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wants the Senate Agriculture Committee to hold a hearing on his livestock marketing bill. The bill would require that 50% of a meat packer's weekly volume of beef slaughter be purchased on the spot market.

USDA has announced $1.6 billion in loans to electrical cooperatives and utilities to upgrade electrical-generation power infrastructure, fiber-optic cable and smart-grid technology in 21 states. The biggest project funded will go to construct a natural-gas power plant in Florida...

Congress has been mired in debates about how to advance and pay for massive infrastructure bills going back at least into the early days of the Obama administration. The House will take up a $760 billion package, but questions remain over whether it can garner bi-partisan...

USDA is providing more information on its website showing whether its service centers, including Farm Service Agency offices, are open and taking in-person appointments.

U.S. Trade Ambassador Robert Lighthizer defended the China trade deal before Congress on Wednesday, repeatedly telling lawmakers that China is on pace to meet commitments on agricultural purchases. Lighthizer also talked about USMCA and agricultural issues in negotiations with...