800 326 9054Help Fuel Corn Grower Advocacy in 2026
By Lesly Weber McNitt After spending valuable time with family and friends over the holidays, I was eager to get back to work advocating for the nation’s corn growers. But as my family and I prepared to return to Washington from a trip to Puerto Rico, we learned that the island’s airspace was closed due to the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, causing flight cancellations and delays....
Soybean export concerns cloud farmer outlook
Farmer sentiment weakened a bit last month as producers’ future outlook softened somewhat, and there is ongoing concern about prospects for soybean exports, according to the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. The barometer’s overall index dropped three points to 136 and the index of future expectations fell four points to 140. The index of current conditions was...
Supporters tout efficiency, critics warn of consolidation risks in rail merger debate
Plans by Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern to become the first coast-to-coast railroad company are drawing interest from some shippers excited by the prospect of fewer delays, but concern from others about competition. The companies have submitted an initial 6,700 page proposal to the Surface Transportation Board that includes statements of support from some...
Ag industry facing new WOTUS definition, other regulatory changes in 2026
The new year promises more regulatory changes for farmers as the second Trump administration goes back to the drawing board on some of the same issues it dealt with in its first term. The administration likes to move fast, as shown by its willingness to implement the deferred resignation program, which along with retirements and other departures contributed to USDA shedding about 18,000...
Ag issues at risk of being left on back burner in 2026 Congress
The new year is a week old and the window for Congress to tackle pressing U.S. agriculture legislation is already rapidly narrowing. The logistics federal lawmakers face in taking up key ag and food issues, most notably a new five-year farm bill, are challenging right out of the gate given the 2026 midterm elections in November that will preoccupy the House and at least a third of the...
Year in review: Trade, budget reconciliation, input costs, outbreaks, USDA reorganization dominate ag news
President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January and quickly followed through on many of his campaign promises – an aggressive trade agenda, a renewed focus on food inflation, and the use of a Republican-controlled House and Senate to enact a sweeping budget reconciliation bill that included major new agriculture spending. Farm policy news didn’t stop there. Agri-Pulse followed...
USDA projects smaller ag trade deficit in FY2026
The Agriculture Department is projecting that the ag trade deficit will shrink in FY2026 even more than previously anticipated. USDA expects the trade deficit to fall from $43.7 billion in FY2025 to $37 billion in FY2026, according to its quarterly trade forecast published Tuesday. In its previous report issued in August, USDA had projected a trade deficit of $41.5 billion this...
Trump administration announces state shares of 2026 rural health funding
The Health and Human Services Department on Monday announced state-by-state allocations of the $10 billion being distributed in the first year of the Rural Health Transformation Program, which was created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to offset cuts to Medicaid. The allocations range from $147 million, which is New Jersey’s share, to $281 million, which Texas is getting. The...
Reflecting on 2025 Policy Wins as We Prepare for 2026
By Lesly McNitt I don’t know about you, but as I get older time seems to fly by faster and faster. Days and years seem to meld together, and sometimes we’re so focused on what’s next that it’s hard to remember what we’ve done. As we slow down to celebrate the holidays with friends and family, this is a good time of year to take stock of important developments in our personal and...
Lawmakers, farm groups react to Trump farm aid
Here is how top policymakers and major farm groups reacted to the White House announcement Monday that farmers will receive $12 billion in “bridge” payments to compensate them for export losses and depressed commodity prices. Senate Ag Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark. – “Delivering this farm assistance will bridge the gap until farmers realize the benefits of the...