Ag Policy Blog

Rep. Angie Craig, 52, of Minnesota, won a vote by House Democrats on Tuesday to replace Rep. David Scott, 79, of Georgia as the top Democrat on the Ag Committee.

Farm groups nationally are urging Congress to resolve the impasse on economic aid for farmers in a year-end funding package. Agricultural leaders in Congress are blaming the other party for the breakdown in talks.

Farmers groups nationally are urging Congress to resolve the impasse on economic aid for the farmers in a year-end funding package. Agricultural leaders in Congress are blaming the other party for the breakdown in talks.

Republican leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture committees early Saturday released a joint statement blaming Democratic leaders in Congress for rejecting a $12 billion package for farmers. Their complaints come after Republican leaders rejected a $10.7 billion plan...

Leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture committees, along with farm-state allies, are trying to craft a plan that would provide payments to producers who are suffering from low prices. Democrats came up with nearly $10 billion in direct payments and crop insurance rebates...

Politico reported on Monday that top Democrats on the House and Senate Agriculture committees pitched a proposal that would offer $5.31 billion for farmers suffering from economic challenges not necessarily tied to a natural disaster. In return, the Democrats want to protect...

Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., on Tuesday met with Brooke Rollins, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to head USDA. Boozman also is pressing fellow senators to provide farmers with economic aid before Congress adjourns for the year. In a Senate speech on Monday, Boozman said...

Congress faces a Dec. 20 deadline to pass a funding resolution, disaster aid, and a farm bill extension. On Monday, Republican governors pressed Congress to pass a farm bill now rather than wait until 2025 as well.

USDA on Tuesday released its latest update of U.S. agricultural trade. The report showed a slight bump in exports to $170 billion for fiscal year 2025. Imports are expected to grow, reaching $215.5 billion.

Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., is running to replace Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., as ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee.

A Bruneau, Idaho, ranch asked a federal court to dismiss an amended Clean Water Act lawsuit filed against the operation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Rod Snyder, former EPA adviser, emphasized agriculture's critical role in addressing climate change during the Sustainable Agriculture Summit. He highlighted private-sector commitments will likely continue even as the new president seeks to scale back climate initiatives put in place...

For USDA, President Biden proposed $23.5 billion overall, the lion's share of which would go to help farmers and ranchers who have suffered livestock or crop losses due to hurricanes, drought and wildfires.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., on Monday dropped her proposal for a new farm bill she hopes Congress will take up in a lame-duck session. The farm bill is likely on the backburner until a new Congress is convened early in 2025.

The American Farm Bureau Federation is urging Congress to prioritize a disaster and economic aid package for farmers over passing a new farm bill, citing urgent financial needs and expected delays in policy implementation.

Congress' lame-duck session may address a new farm bill and disaster aid, but priorities are unclear. With budget deadlines and aid requests from recent disasters, lawmakers face pressure to act.

There just isn't a political personality in recent memory that rural Americans embrace quite like Donald J. Trump. That showed up in the Pulse of Rural America Poll, and it showed up on Election Day as well.

Indiana farmer Kip Tom, co-leader of the Farmers and Ranchers for Trump Coalition, urges quick action in the new Trump administration on trade deals as well as regulatory reform, to support U.S. farmers' competitiveness globally. Tom is among the early candidates listed for USDA...

Republicans captured control of the U.S. Senate for the first time in four years, but there are still six Senate races too close to call. There are 57 House races still to be decided that will determine control of the House.

The election came down to Donald Trump carrying rural areas by wide margins while Vice President Kamala Harris won the urban and suburban areas by smaller margins than President Joe Biden four years ago. Republicans also won control of the U.S. Senate.