Ag Policy Blog

Farm groups, especially those in organic or sustainable agriculture, had praise for USDA's plan to invest in certain areas of agriculture. Republican lawmakers were more critical, questioning the focus on organics and saying USDA's plans do not address current challenges.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Thursday the Justice Department did not consult him on a brief filed by the Solicitor General in an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court by Bayer AG over a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on how Roundup should be labeled. California law...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Thursday the Justice Department did not consult him on a brief field by the Solicitor General in an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court by Bayer AG over a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on how Roundup should be labeled. California law...

Citing the Biden administration's efforts to promote competition in the economy, Agriculture Secretary released details on the multiple announcements to open up new loans for small packers while also proposing new rules for major poultry processors that contract with farmers...

National Farmers Union, a Democratic-leaning group, weighed in with a letter also expressing concern with the Solicitor General's "recent change in long-standing policy" affecting the crop-protection tools farmers rely on. A letter earlier this week from 54 other agricultural...

On Tuesday, USDA Rural Development put out a news release about $770 million for 154 investments in rural business in 36 states and Puerto Rico. A big chunk of the funding, more than one quarter of all the loan guarantee funds, went to buy, refinance, construct or remodel...

The House Agriculture Committee advanced several bills in areas, including a bill that would create a special investigator office at USDA to investigate meatpacking market manipulation issues.

In a call to reporters from Poland following a meeting of G7 ministers in Germany, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack noted that 80% of last year's Ukrainian crop had already been shipped before Russia began blocking the Black Sea ports, and said that while the remaining grain...

The 26 World Food Prize laureates, a mix of scientists and food-policy experts, published an open letter "to set the world back on track," calling for the G7 "to urgently leverage food systems to tackle these issues."

Responding to concerns of higher food prices, higher costs for farmers and the need to boost global food production, the White House laid out three initiatives meant to encourage farmers to plant and ideally lower input costs in the future. The moves come as President Joe...

Responding to concerns of higher food prices, higher costs for farmers and the need to boost global food production, the White House laid out three initiatives meant to encourage farmers to plant and ideally lower input costs in the future. The moves come as President Joe...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack talked Tuesday about distressed farm families, but his figures were higher than USDA's actual totals of farmers with delinquent loans.

FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux, in an interview with DTN, noted that there is no guarantee crop prices will stay high. This year, high crop prices caused by the war in Ukraine have focused more attention on putting land into production rather than into the Conservation...

Under a provision that the U.S. maritime industry often protects, at least half of Title II food aid shipments (by tonnage) must be carried on U.S. flagged vessels, staffed by crews in which at least 75% of the sailors are U.S. citizens. It typically leads to significantly higher...

Farm groups and members of Congress commended the Biden administration for tapping the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust fund to provide food aid. It's the first time since 2014 the federal government has tapped the fund.

The Senate Agriculture Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday meant to focus on legislation by Senate members focusing on cattle markets. The House Agriculture Committee will follow up the next day with a hearing that is expected to include top executives from the nation's...

An executive order signed by President Joe Biden on Friday includes provisions for federal departments such as USDA to examine the impacts of deforestation from agricultural commodity imports from countries that are turning a blind eye or encouraging large amounts of...

Next week will be a busy the U.S. House and Senate Agriculture Committees as both bodies have multiple hearings lined up, including the first field hearing on the next possible farm bill.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts signed legislation on Monday authorizing a $500 million canal meant to counter what Nebraska sees as attempts in Colorado to potentially hold back future water flows on the South Platte River.

The Senate and House Agriculture Committees will be delving into some hearings on livestock markets and the farm bill towards the end of April. That includes a Senate hearing on the cattle markets bill, and a possible House hearing with the CEOs of the four major packers.