Special Envoy

USDA to Measure Financial Well-Being of Farmers and Ranchers

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will spend the next few months gathering information about land ownership income, expense, debt, asset, demographic and other landlord characteristics to provide detailed information from agricultural landowners. The Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land (TOTAL) survey will ask producers to provide in-depth information about their operating revenues, production costs, and household characteristics. “TOTAL will …

Richard Fordyce

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), …

antitrust

Looking at Trade Prospects with the New Administration

With the new administration scheduled to be sworn in next Monday, some wonder if they will be able to bring progress on trade negotiations. Rusty Halvorson has the story. Will a second administration of President Donald Trump bring progress on trade negotiations with key global partners? U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Vice President of Economic Analysis, Erin Borror, says exporters will be watching …

craig

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 …

sales

Sales of U.S. Ag Tractor and Combines Decline in December

According to new data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), U.S. sales of agricultural tractors and combines fell in December. U.S. ag tractor sales fell 11.3% while combine sales fell 26.4% compared to December 2023.  “December’s sales of Ag tractors and combines follow patterns we saw throughout 2024 which reflect softness in the market,” said AEM Senior Vice President Curt Blades. …

fda

Record Investment in Private Lands Conservation in 2024

In Fiscal year 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) supported more than 23,000 climate-focused conservation contracts funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. Those investments covered over 11 million acres, which contributed to the highest total investment in private lands conservation in any year in the history of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  The Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest …

farm loan

USDA to Provide Assistance for Distressed Farm Loan Borrowers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced approximately $300 million in assistance to help distressed direct and guaranteed farm loan borrowers under Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act. Over the past two years, USDA acted swiftly to assist distressed borrowers in retaining their land and continuing their agricultural operations. This is expected to provide assistance to over 12,800 …

farms

Ten Percent Fewer U.S. Farms From 2012-2022

The 2022 Census of Agriculture showed the U.S. had 1,900,487 farms, down from over 2,100,000 in 2012. That represented a ten percent drop, or 208,816 farms, in ten years.  The Census of Ag is conducted every five years, and the last two five-year periods saw the number of farms decrease in all four farm size categories from 2012-2017. The smallest …

Florida

FDACS Accepting Applications for RFLPP

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has announced that applications are now being accepted from landowners for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP). The program partners with farmers and ranchers through rural lands protection easements to preserve working agricultural operations that contribute to Florida’s economy and produce our food and fiber. “Florida’s working agricultural lands are not just fields …

conservation

Deadline Nearing for Input on Climate Benefits of Conservation Practice Standards

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has been accepting public input on how to improve conservation practice standards to maximize climate change mitigation and adaptation benefits, as supported by peer-reviewed scientific literature. But if you have yet to provide input, it is due by December 23, 2024.  Conservation practices providing climate benefits are delivered through existing NRCS conservation programs popular with producers, …