Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Economy”
USDA Announces $30 Million Fresh Fruit Purchase to Support Farmers and Food Banks The U.S. agricultural sector is receiving a significant boost with a new USDA initiative aimed at supporting both American farmers and families in need. US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins revealed that the USDA will purchase $30 million in fresh fruit from domestic producers, supplying food banks …
Tyson Foods to Close Lexington, Nebraska Beef Facility in Early 2026 Late last week, Tyson Foods announced a major restructuring decision that will significantly affect its operations and the community of Lexington, Nebraska. The company will close its Lexington beef facility beginning in early 2026 as part of a broader effort to “right size its beef business and position it …
USDA Updates 2025 Soybean and Sorghum Production Forecasts The USDA Ag Statistics Service (NASS) has released updated forecasts for soybeans and sorghum as they continue catching up on commodity data following the federal shutdown. These updates provide a clearer picture for farmers planning for the 2025 growing season. Soybean Forecast: Record Yields, Lower Acres Soybean production in 2025 is forecast …
A Half-Century That Transformed American Agriculture From the Civil War era to the early 20th century, the United States experienced the most dramatic growth in agricultural development in its history. As Mark Oppold explains in his American Agriculture History Minute, the 50-year span between 1860 and 1910 reshaped the nation’s farming economy, population distribution, and land value in profound ways. …
USDA Updates 2025 Corn and Cotton Forecasts as Farmers Seek Profitable Options As USDA’s Ag Statistics Service works to catch up after the recent federal shutdown, farmers across the country continue searching for commodities that will generate profit next season—a task becoming increasingly difficult as markets tighten. The latest USDA updates on corn and cotton provide important insight into production …
USDA Launches $16 Billion in SDRP Disaster Assistance Following Government Reopening The Trump administration has officially begun rolling out long-awaited disaster assistance for America’s farmers and ranchers now that the government has reopened. The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is moving forward with the distribution of $16 billion in SDRP assistance, which includes support through both the Emergency Commodity Assistance …
USDA: Cotton Harvest Progress Near Average by Mid-November As the 2025 cotton crop harvest moves into its later stages, USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey reports that national progress remains close to normal for mid-November, with only a few regional slowdowns. His latest update shows that growers across the country are making steady progress despite pockets of delays. Rippey explains, “The cotton …
USDA Releases 2025 Peanut Crop Estimates: Record Year Ahead for the Southeast Despite recent disruptions in Washington, the USDA Ag Statistics Service has released its 2025 peanut crop estimate, offering an early look at expected acreage, yields, and total production across key Southeastern states. Based on interviews with farmers and verified FSA acreage reports, the numbers point to a strong …
Likelihood of Federal Reserve December Rate Cut Falls Below 50% The probability of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut at the December meeting has fallen sharply over the past month, according to CME FedWatch data. Diverging Opinions Among Fed Board Members Despite the overall decline in market expectations, there is not unanimous agreement within the Federal Reserve. A few board …
Early Farmers and the Realities of Supply and Demand In this American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold explains how early American farmers and ranchers quickly learned a fundamental economic principle: the law of supply and demand. These producers discovered that market forces could just as easily boost their prosperity as threaten it, depending on how supply aligned with global demand. …
