Washington Insider

Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden spoke Monday to the American Sugar Alliance's International Sweetener Symposium in Michigan. He talked about the department's reorganization plans, sugar policy, the 45Z tax credit, Make America Healthy Again and...

The Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA), a coalition of 20 agricultural and conservation trade groups, on Thursday published a report of "MAHA Policy Recommendations." The National Corn Growers Association also released a survey of farmers about herbicide needs.

The Trump administration on Thursday announced plans to relocate most USDA employees from Washington, D.C., to five regional hubs in North Carolina, Missouri, Indiana, Colorado and Utah.

U.S. tariff deals with Japan and Indonesia were announced Tuesday via social media.

The National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE) held a webinar earlier this year for its members on what farmers need to know about employment audits and what to do if there is a raid. That was before the pace of enforcement ramped up, but the...

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Tuesday announced USDA would terminate the Regional Food Business Centers created under the Biden administration. USDA said the Biden administration created programs without a way to fund them, though the funding for the programs came out of the...

USDA has opened up enrollment for the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP), which will provide aid to crop farmers who suffered losses in 2023 and 2024 due to natural disasters. The first stage of the program will provide payments to farmers who bought crop insurance or Noninsured...

This week already has been billed as a big one for the Trump administration's trade agenda as White House officials have repeatedly said there are dozens of trade agreements expected to be announced. But stocks and commodities reacted negatively to...

After years of facing a declining safety net under the 2018 farm bill, the 2025 budget reconciliation package boosts spending for farm programs. The bill also includes a mix of tax provisions that farmers and other small businesses can use to invest in...

With the vice president breaking a tie Tuesday, the U.S. Senate voted to pass President Donald Trump's tax-and-spending bill. The bill makes permanent some of President Trump's 2017 tax cuts and extends others in the process. The bill also makes deep cuts...

The Senate is pushing to pass its budget-reconciliation bill and get it to President Trump's desk by July 4. The legislation is projected to add $3.3 trillion to the national debt over 10 years. Biofuel groups highlighted the bill makes some positive changes to the 45Z Clean Fuels Production Credit.

Leaders at regional food banks and pantries say they are increasingly worried about plans in the "One Big Beautiful Bill" to cut spending for the country's main nutrition support, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), once known as food stamps. Even with low unemployment...

Last week, Trump acknowledged that the ag and hospitality businesses had lost workers and said changes were coming. On Friday, the White House told Immigration and Customs Enforcement not to raid agricultural and hospitality businesses. By Monday, the Department of Homeland Security reversed...

The Senate plan cuts $211 billion from nutrition over 10 years, a little less than the House bill, but also provides $67 billion for farm programs, which is more than the House bill. The plan would ensure farmers get the better option of farm programs for the current crop year as well.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are starting to more aggressively target agriculture and food processing facilities around the country as reports from Nebraska, California and New Mexico highlight.

USDA delayed the release of a quarterly trade report on Friday and removed the typical written analysis with it because of concerns from officials that it was not as positive as anticipated.

The lion's share of debate in the budget reconciliation package will continue to focus on Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cuts, as well as individual tax provisions, but farmers have a lot at stake with the bill's extensive farm bill provisions as well.

Less than a day after a U.S. trade court ordered the Trump administration to remove a series of tariffs imposed by the president, an appeals court granted a temporary stay of the lower court's ruling.

Iowa artist Ray "Bubba" Sorensen marks the 27th year of painting the Freedom Rock, honoring veterans through this tribute. The 2025 artwork celebrates military anniversaries and includes ashes of veterans. Sorensen plans to continue this Memorial Day tradition as long as possible.

The MAHA report highlights glyphosate concerns while advocating a balanced approach between pesticide safety and farmers' needs, drawing strong criticism from agricultural groups who call it unscientific.