UGA Beef Team

U.S. Cattle Inventory Down One Percent 

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released their annual Cattle Inventory Report, and it shows there were 86.7 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of January 1, 2025, which is down one percent from January 1, 2024.  Other key findings in the report were:   To obtain an accurate measurement of the current state of the U.S. cattle …

Brooke Rollins

Brooke Rollins Vows Swift Action on Farm Aid at Senate Confirmation Hearing

On Thursday, the Senate Agriculture Committee held a confirmation hearing for Brooke Rollins, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Agriculture. Rollins, 52, told lawmakers she plans a rapid rollout of assistance to farmers and ranchers if confirmed, placing economic relief at the top of her agenda. Rollins said the American Relief Act of 2025, which includes $31 billion in …

dairy production

Final Rule Amends Pricing Formulas for FMMO’s

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) recently announced the final rule amending the uniform pricing formulas applicable in all 11 Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMO’s). Rusty Halvorson has more details. According to AMS, the amendment changes included returning the base Class 1 skim milk price formula to the higher-of the advanced Class 3 or 4 skim milk prices. The Class 3 and …

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 …