snap

USDA Issues Statement Concerning SNAP

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently issued a statement concerning the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, otherwise known as SNAP. Tyron Spearman has more details. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World Screwworm OverviewJune 19, 2026Verdant Robotics Offers Growers Targeted Application of Herbicides or Beneficials through SharpShooter™June 16, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Resources To Researchers For Applied ResearchJune …

white house

White House Budget Plan Proposes Local FSA, NRCS Office Closures

The Trump administration is planning to severely scale back or outright eliminate funding for many programs across the Agriculture Department, according to White House documents obtained, as it slashes workers and closes offices at the local level. The ‘passback’ document from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposing fiscal 2026 funding levels would gut research and conservation efforts, trim …

dicamba

Ag Aviation Industry Urges All Drone Operators to Operate Safely

With many in agriculture entering the 2025 growing season, the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is asking all uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) operators (or drones) to be mindful of low-altitude crewed (or manned) agricultural aircraft operations. Agricultural aviators treat 127 million acres of cropland in the U.S. each year in addition to millions of acres of pastureland, rangeland and forestry that help …

China

CoBank: Tariffs Compounding Economic Anxiety

A new report from CoBank says rapidly worsening expectations about everything from inflation to personal income to business conditions and labor supplies are elevating economic concerns. The question of whether the declining expectations will translate into slower spending and tightening profit margins will likely come into view by late June.  Uncertainty over trade and biofuel policy pulled corn, soybean, and …

Jelly Bean prayer

The Jelly Bean Prayer

With today being Good Friday, the markets are closed. So, Mark Oppold takes time to bring us his annual Jelly Bean Prayer. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World Screwworm OverviewJune 19, 2026Verdant Robotics Offers Growers Targeted Application of Herbicides or Beneficials through SharpShooter™June 16, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Resources To Researchers For Applied ResearchJune 12, …

fda

AVMA Echoes Calls for Getting More Veterinarians into High-Need Areas

After working with congressional offices and other stakeholders, the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) advocacy work led to the recent reintroduction of the Rural Veterinary Workforce Act in the House and Senate. The bipartisan legislation would help recruit and retain veterinarians in underserved and rural areas. The AVMA strongly endorses the bill, which would expand the reach and maximize the …

disaster assistance

USDA Providing Disaster Assistance to Farmers

When it comes to disaster assistance for farmers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been working to get these payments out to producers. Tyron Spearman has the latest. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World Screwworm OverviewJune 19, 2026Verdant Robotics Offers Growers Targeted Application of Herbicides or Beneficials through SharpShooter™June 16, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Resources To Researchers …

meat

Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act Reintroduced in Senate

Last week, bipartisan legislation was reintroduced in the U.S. Senate to address anticompetitive markets and vertical consolidation in the meatpacking industry. The “Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act of 2025” would create the “Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters” within the Packers & Stockyards Division at USDA. The Office of the Special Investigator would hold legal powers to …

farmland

American Agriculture History Minute: Farmland Auctions

I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. A farmland auction usually draws a good-sized crowd, but on a bitter, cold February morning in 2025, temperatures outside in central Iowa nearly zero, a group so large it was standing room only. Why? They were watching an Iowa farm change hands for the first time since 1882. Six-hundred-thirty-six (636) acres …

farmland

American Agriculture History Minute: Farmland Values

I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Farmland values have always been part of American agriculture history. Recent stories indicate that farmland values in some areas of the country are leveling off or even declining. But, in real estate, it’s all about location, location, location. Such was the case for this farm in October 2024, 90 acres, 20 …