senate

Senate Ag Committee Releases Text of Ag Portion of The Big Beautiful Bill

Dan Agri-Business, Legislative

The US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairman John Boozman released the text of the budget reconciliation package known as the Big Beautiful Bill. Chairman Boozman said, “This bill takes a commonsense approach to reforming SNAP—cutting waste, increasing state accountability, and helping recipients transition to self-sufficiency through work and training. It’s about being good stewards of taxpayer dollars …

reorganization

Livestock Groups Congratulate New USDA & EPA Officials

Dan Agri-Business, Beef, Cattle, Legislative, Livestock

Livestock groups and producers are applauding the confirmation of newly confirmed USDA and EPA officials. Earlier this week, the US Senate confirmed Judge Stephen Vaden as Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture and David Fotouhi as Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. NCBA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane said, “The cattle industry is thrilled …

Brooke Rollins

House Committee on Agriculture holds hearing with US Secretary of Agriculture

Dan Agri-Business, Cattle, Eggs, Export/Import, Exports/Imports, Field Crops, Funding, Legislative, Livestock, Poultry, Trade

The House Committee on Agriculture held a hearing earlier this week to receive testimony from US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. During the hearing Secretary Rollins highlighted the work conducted by the department since coming into office including the reduction in egg prices, efforts to eradicate New World Screwworm, reducing regulations for producers, processing disaster payments and opening new markets …

farmer sentiment

NAFB Farmer Sentiment Reaches Four-Year High in May

Dan Economy, Farm Bill, Legislative, Regulation, Tariff

In a story from the National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB), farmer sentiment in May climbed to its highest level since May of 2021. The Purdue University CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index reached 158, 10 points above April. Behind the sentiment improvement, farmers’ views were much more optimistic about U.S. agricultural export prospects combined with a less negative view …

scientists

Agriculture Industry Reaction To Make America Healthy Again Proposal

Dale Sandlin Legislative, USDA

The agriculture community is reacting to the release of the report by the Make America Healthy Again Commission headed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. While the report includes items like vaccines, the use of digital devices and the lack of physical activity, many in the agriculture industry are weighing in on how the report impacts …

Kennedy Pledges Support for U.S. Farmers Amid Health Report Concerns

Dale Sandlin Field Crops, Legislative

With the release of a report from the US Department of Health and Human Services this week, Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr shared his commitment to farmers use of products like Glyphosate during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing. Josh McGill with Southeast Agnet has the story. Sponsored ContentWhat Sets Provysol® Fungicide ApartJuly 8, 2025CIR Agriculture Harvester …

US Senator Warnock and AFBF President Zippy Duvall Share Thoughts On Tariffs

Dale Sandlin American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), Export/Import, Industry, Legislative, Tariff

As the tariff discussions continue, we had the opportunity to sit down with US Senator Raphael Warnock and American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall to get their take on these discussions. To listen to the other story in this series, click here. Sponsored ContentWhat Sets Provysol® Fungicide ApartJuly 8, 2025CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober …

Boozman

US Senator Warnock and AFBF President Zippy Duvall Share Thoughts On Farm Bill Progress

Dale Sandlin American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), Farm Bill, Industry, Legislative

The Farm Bill is a topic on many agricultural producers minds and we had the opportunity to sit down with US Senator Raphael Warnock and American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall to get their take on the potential farm bill. To listen to the other story in this series, click here. Sponsored ContentWhat Sets Provysol® Fungicide ApartJuly 8, 2025CIR …

Florida cattlemen's association

Cattle Efforts Included in Florida Farm Bill Passage

Dale Sandlin Beef, Cattle, Florida, Legislative

The Florida Farm bill was passed earlier this week as the Florida Legislature is picking up the pace in their work at the state capitol in Tallahassee. While this omnibus bill deals with many aspects of agriculture in Florida, a couple of cattle industry items were included in the bill. We caught up with Sam Ard, Director of Government Affairs …

Homestead Act

American Agriculture History Minute: Homestead Act of 1862

Dan American Agriculture History Minute, Legislative, This Land of Ours

I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. The federal government issued 160-acre tracts to about 400,000 families who settled a new land under the Homestead Act 1862. Even larger numbers purchased lands at very low cost as new railroads tried to create new markets. The railroads advertised heavily in Europe and brought over hundreds of thousands of farmers …