Ag Policy Blog

USDA's Economic Research Service's latest update on farm income released Thursday shows farmers receiving higher cash receipts for a broad range of commodities in 2022, but also paying more for nearly every major production expense.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, both Democrats, had released a report Thursday that the electric power and navigation benefits provided by the four dams would have to be replaced or mitigated before the dams could be breached.

The disparity between disaster aid for livestock versus crop production was highlighted by FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux when he spoke Tuesday to a group of Midwest agribusiness people and farmers at an event in Detroit Lakes, Minn.

The funding for climate-smart agricultural investments in USDA's conservation programs won't require USDA to go through a rule-making process because the programs are already in place, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. The $19.5 billion will help deal with the backlog of...

NRCS will target funding, increase its program flexibilities and launch a new outreach campaign to promote nutrient management's economic benefits, along with expanding partnerships to develop nutrient management plans. This is part of USDA's broader effort to address future...

The National Farmers Union and National Council for Farmer Cooperatives were among the groups touting the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act for the investments in agriculture, biofuels and rural renewable energy projects.

The massive legislation contains $40 billion for agricultural conservation, credit, renewable energy and forestry programs. The bill also includes debt relief provisions for some farmers, though Black farmer groups say the bill reverses promises given to them in the American Rescue...

I'm clarifying a mistake in my reporting on the Inflation Reduction Act when it comes to debt relief for certain farmers. When I detailed some of the debt-relief provisions in the bill, I didn't realize I was looking at text that had not been updated.

Members of Congress have introduced a bill to extend the USDA Emergeny Relief Program (ERP) to cover 2022 disasters. The program right now was authorized to cover losses in 2020 and 2022.

The $739 billion bill focuses on spurring renewable energy and reducing emissions, but also allows Medicare to negotiate drug rates and it increases eligibility for the Affordable Care Act. The bill has provisions tied to climate-smart agriculture and renewable energy that would...

The $739 billion bill focuses on spurring renewable energy and reducing emissions, but also allows Medicare to negotiate drug rates and it increases eligibility for the Affordable Care Act. The bill has provisions tied to climate-smart agriculture and renewable energy that would...

After taking measurements last week, the dead zone was measured at about 3,275 square miles, one of the smaller areas mapped since they began tracking the size of the hypoxia area. Still, that translates into more than 2 million acres of the Gulf that is potentially...

The chairman of the House Agriculture Committee introduced a bill Friday that would increase the premium subsidy for cattle producers who market 100 or fewer cattle per year, making it easier for them to buy into the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) protection program.

Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced the "Farmland Security Act," to require more disclosure by foreign entities about the purchase of U.S. farmland. The bill would require USDA to increase reporting on foreign investments in the U.S., including the...

As western states are being forced to cut water use out of the Colorado River basin, residents in California and other states have been writing letters to the editor and opinion columns suggesting the feasibility of diverting water from the Mississippi River through a canal or...

Ron Gibson, president of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, said he's spoken at a couple of press conferences in recent weeks about the drive to reform H-2A and pass an agricultural labor bill. He stressed the need for reform, given that Congress hasn't passed an agricultural...

Citing the need for agricultural labor, and the benefits of bringing in more foreign workers, a group of House Republicans held a press conference with farm groups earlier this week. The need for ag-labor reform runs counter to the politics surrounding the southern...

The chairman and ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee on Monday announced an on-line form for people to submit their comments on the next farm bill. The committee also continues to hold hearings on the next farm bill as well.

While the Senate Agriculture Committee has not announced any hearings, the committee is under pressure to hold confirmation hearings on Biden's nominations of Jose Emilio Esteban to be Agriculture undersecretary for food safety, Alexis Taylor to be undersecretary for trade...

So far, reference prices have become a focal point in the growing number of field hearings and listening sessions that members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committee continue to hold. Another option would be to consider cutting programs throughout USDA.