Marking National Agriculture Day, Secretary Rollins Prioritizes Timely Support for Farmers (USDA-FSA/WASHINGTON/March 18, 2025) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, on National Agriculture Day, announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing up to $10 billion directly to agricultural producers through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) for the 2024 crop year. Administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency …
USDA Invests Up To $1 Billion to Combat Avian Flu and Reduce Egg Prices
Secretary Rollins rolls out a robust strategy to deliver affordable eggs (USDA/Washington, D.C./Feb. 26, 2025) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a $1 billion-dollar comprehensive strategy to curb highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), protect the U.S. poultry industry, and lower egg prices. This is in addition to funding already being provided to indemnify growers for depopulated flocks. As …
Ag Outlook Forum Coming This Week
The annual Ag Outlook Forum will be held this week. Mark Oppold has a preview of this year’s event. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024
USDA Freezes Conservation, Farmer Payments
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has frozen some funding for farmers as it goes through a sweeping review, despite assurances from the Trump administration that programs helping farmers wouldn’t be affected during the government overhaul. Reuters says the impact has been wide-ranging, from cash assistance for ranchers to fixing cattle watering systems to help for corn growers wanting to …
Trump Names USDA Undersecretary Nominees
President Donald Trump has announced a slate of undersecretary nominees for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Via social media, Trump announced that he will nominate Richard Fordyce as Agriculture undersecretary for farm production and conservation; Dudley Hoskins as undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs; Luke Lindberg as undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs; and Michael Boren as undersecretary for …
Richard Fordyce Appointed Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation
Richard Fordyce has been appointed as the Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation, marking his return to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Fordyce, a Missouri farmer, previously served in the Trump administration as the Administrator of the Farm Service Agency. His new role will oversee key agencies that directly serve farmers and ranchers, including the Farm Service Agency (FSA), …
Beagle Brigade Secures the Nation’s Agricultural Gateways
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Beagle Brigade continues to play a pivotal role in safeguarding the country’s farms and crops from invasive pests. Deployed at major airports, border crossings, and postal facilities, these highly trained detection dogs work in tandem with their human handlers to pinpoint unauthorized fruits, vegetables, and meat items that could harbor harmful organisms. Beagles are chosen …
Optimistic about Potential New Agriculture Secretary
With the new administration set to take over on Monday, there are some in the ag industry who are very optimistic about the potential new Agriculture Secretary. Rusty Halvorson has more details. As he prepares to move back into the White House, President-elect Donald Trump did nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his Secretary of Agriculture. National …
Craig Denounces Proposed Cuts to Farm Bill Programs
House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig released a statement criticizing a new Republican proposal she says would reduce funding for essential farm bill programs in order to pay for tax cuts. According to Craig, the proposed plan includes cuts to nutrition assistance, conservation efforts, and rural energy investments. Craig points to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as a …
USDA Works to Strengthen Food Supply Chain
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking steps to bolster the nation’s food supply chain in response to vulnerabilities revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jenny Lester Moffitt, Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, explains that the pandemic exposed critical weaknesses in our food supply chain created a need for change and a new approach to ensure the system is …