Rising cost of SNAP could drive farmers out of farm bill coalition The price tag for SNAP is going up so quickly — doubling during the pandemic — that it will poison support for the farm subsidy and land stewardship programs that make up the rest of the farm bill,… Continue reading

Biden nominates Torres Small for No. 2 USDA post President Biden chose Xochitl Torres Small, the granddaughter of migrant farmworkers, as his nominee for Agriculture deputy secretary, the second-ranking post at the USDA, announced the White House on Wednesday. Torres Small has served as USDA undersecretary for rural development since… Continue reading

‘We need fair trade,’ says McCarthy at farm bill session The United States needs to knock down foreign barriers to American food and agriculture exports in the name of fairness, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said on Tuesday at the World Ag Expo in California’s Central Valley. “We need fair trade,”… Continue reading

Cotton growers make room for more corn and wheat Battered by drought and rising costs, U.S. cotton growers will devote more of their land to corn, wheat and soybeans — crops that promise higher revenue this year — while sharply reducing their cotton plantings, said a survey released on Sunday…. Continue reading

Production agriculture, rural revitalization In a camaraderie-filled meeting, Chairman Glenn Thompson said that everyone on the House Agriculture Committee was a member “of the farm team,” and his list of priorities for the committee put conventional agriculture and rural development first. “We certainly will have our work cut out for… Continue reading

2022 record, U.S. farm income third-highest ever U.S. agriculture is headed for the third year in a row of far-above-average income, estimated the Agriculture Department on Tuesday. Lower market prices for corn, soybeans, cotton, hogs, broiler chickens and eggs will combine with rising expenses to pull down net farm income… Continue reading

White House checklist cites livestock marketing, ocean shipping In a summary of achievements, the White House pointed on Monday to progress toward increased competition, including action on livestock marketing, consumer right-to-repair and ocean shipping rates. It said President Biden would “highlight progress we need to continue to make to promote… Continue reading

USDA proposes first-ever limit on sugar in school meals Public schools would face their first-ever limit on sugar in the food they serve in their cafeterias as part of an Agriculture Department proposal for healthier meals. The USDA package called for a staggered phase-in of new standards on sugar, sodium,… Continue reading

Air Force sees national security threat in Chinese-owned corn mill China-based Fufeng Group may be forced to abandon plans for a corn milling plant in North Dakota, with the Air Force declaring the project “a significant threat to national security.” Ag corporations boom despite California’s historic drought In a report… Continue reading