Category: Farm Report

High costs and softer markets weigh on outlook for farm economy With interest rates sharply higher, farmers are increasingly relying on savings or tightening their belts instead of seeking bank loans to cover their expenses, according to ag lenders nationwide. “The outlook for the U.S. farm economy has moderated in… Continue reading

Vilsack is confident agriculture will be first to net-zero emissions Climate change is a worldwide challenge, but it also offers the opportunity to boost farm income for those who adopt climate-smart practices, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack at a food and agriculture conference on Wednesday. “I can guarantee you farmers… Continue reading

USDA seeks precision in measuring greenhouse gases and carbon reductions As part of President Biden’s goal to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in half by the end of the decade, the USDA will spend $300 million to more accurately measure and verify GHG emissions and carbon sequestration by climate-smart agriculture,… Continue reading

Strong Senate support for Torres Small as Agriculture deputy secretary President Biden’s nominee for the No. 2 post at the Agriculture Department, Xochitl Torres Small, easily cleared a procedural hurdle on a 79-8 Senate roll call on Monday, opening the door to a confirmation vote expected on Tuesday. The granddaughter… Continue reading

Playing corn ethanol as Trump card in Iowa Former president Donald Trump, ignoring his own mixed record on biofuels, said at a rally in western Iowa that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, his most viable challenger for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, “totally despises Iowa ethanol and ethanol generally.” Trump, who… Continue reading

Farmers skeptical of farm bill as Prop 12 slayer Large-scale farmers and ranchers are slightly more optimistic than they were last month that Congress will pass a farm bill this year, but they doubt it will be a vehicle for overturning California’s Proposition 12 animal welfare law, said the Ag… Continue reading

SNAP error rate soars to highest in years The error rate of SNAP over- and underpayments — 11.54 percent — “is unacceptable and threatens the integrity of the program,” said the leaders of the Senate and House Agriculture committees, who oversee food stamps. The error rate in fiscal 2022 was… Continue reading

USDA awards $115 million to boost independent meat processors On Thursday, as part of an administration initiative to increase independent meat processing capacity, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $38 million in grants to processors and $77 million to intermediary lenders to finance the start-up, expansion, or operation of independent processing… Continue reading

EPA says it will revise wetlands rule in line with Supreme Court decision The Biden administration intends to update its “waters of the United States” regulation, which determines the upstream reach of anti-pollution laws, by Sept. 1, said the EPA on Wednesday. The revised WOTUS rule will reflect the recent… Continue reading

To boost sales of higher blends, USDA to put $500 million into biofuel pumps and tanks The Biden administration is the best friend the biofuel industry ever had, notwithstanding gripes that it set the RFS too low, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Monday. Vilsack defended the administration’s record while… Continue reading