SNAP payment

SNAP Error Rate Percentages Higher than Expected

The U.S. The Department of Agriculture recently released the annual Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program payment error rates. These rates are a measure of how accurately states determine eligibility for SNAP. According to a press release from the USDA “The national payment error rate for fiscal year (FY) 2025 is 10.62%, far surpassing the congressional threshold of 6%. While this is …

Bank of America

Bank of America Thoughts on Inflation

A headline from Bank of America caught our attention late week saying the Fed is fed up with continued inflation and about to do something about it. Bank of America financial analysts say the Fed has tolerated annual inflation above its 2% target going on five years now. And they forecast the Fed will raise interest rates by a quarter …

quarterly

Quarterly Reports for 2nd Quarter

The end of June brings another round of quarterly reports as the second quarter comes to a close, and that starts today, the quarterly hogs and pigs report. By the way, I wonder if pork is going to be on the menu at the White House today. President Trump hosting farmers and ranchers from 12 states at a dinner in …

dollar

Increase in Dollar Index

Outside of ag commodities at midweek, the dollar index posting its highest level in 13 months, two-year treasuries trading at 16-month highs, while crude oil continues lower, now the lowest since early in February. Grain trade not the only sector battling support in here at midweek. Bottom line analysts point to the tech sector under pressure early week with those …

milk

June Milk Reports from USDA

World Agricultural Outlook Board Chair Mark Jekanowski discussed the USDA price forecast for different milk categories this month. Jekanowski said, “A small reduction in our cheese price forecast for 2026 down 4 cents per pound, butter nearly steady up 1 cent per pound. We made a fairly large adjustment to our nonfat by milk price, lowered that by 7 cents …

Strait of Hormuz

TFI Responds to Strait of Hormuz Reopening

The Fertilizer Institute recently released a statement on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The organization called the Strait of Hormuz, “a critical transit route for fertilizer and energy markets. Significant volumes of fertilizer products and raw materials transit the region each year, making stability and predictability essential to agricultural supply chains worldwide.” TFI President and CEO, Corey Rosenbusch …

jbs usa

JBS USA Closes Facilities in Pennsylvania and Tennessee

JBS USA has recently announced the closure of two facilities located in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. According to the JBS website, “The closures include: Beef production facility in Souderton, Pennsylvania (a suburb of Philadelphia) and Value-added facility in Memphis, Tennessee” Wesley Batista Filho, CEO of JBS USA said, “These decisions are never easy because they directly affect our team members and …

Cattle on Feed Report

Cattle on Feed Report Released Early for Holiday

Markets are closed tomorrow for the Juneteenth government holiday, as are banks and post offices. As a result, USDA is releasing the monthly cattle on feed report after the close today. Average trade estimates generally agree the total number of cattle on feed will be up one to two percent, but there is nowhere near consensus on the number of …

research

Secretary Rollins Announces $125 Million Annual Investment into Agriculture Research Facilities

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon recently held a roundtable discussion where they announced the implementation of the FY2026 Funding Opportunity for Research Facilities Act program. According to a press release by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts provided $125 million annually for the Research Facilities Act program, …

Social Security

Social Security Administration Annual Report

The Social Security Administration’s Board of Trustees’ 2026 annual report confirms what’s been talked about and written about for over 25 years, and that is that Social Security financial safety net for disabled workers and seniors will completely exhaust accumulated reserves in less than 10 years. Officials say once reserve funds dry up, money collected from payroll taxes of existing …