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In a wide-ranging interview at the American Farm Bureau convention, Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden told a jam-packed room of farmers  U.S. agricultural interests are “missing the ball” with so much focus on China and should instead be more concerned about Brazil as a competitor and culprit for low U.S. commodity prices.

Tensions between the Trump administration and Minnesota ramped up this weekend after USDA halted $129 million in federal funding to the state over claims of fraud.

In an address to attendees at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual convention, AFBF President Zippy Duvall said the group will continue to push for year-round E15 to drive domestic crop demand and will advocate for additional farm aid, citing a specific need in the specialty crop sector. 

The wait for the Supreme Court to weigh in on the legality of President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs rolls on, while on Capitol Hill the House may take up a bill to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins will address the annual American Farm Bureau Federation convention.

The Bureau of Reclamation has released an environmental analysis of several options for post-2026 Colorado River guidelines as the states that share the river continue tense negotiations over its future. 

The House has several fiscal 2026 funding bills to pass before Jan. 30, but House Majority Whip Tom Emmer expresses confidence the chamber will complete their work to avert a government shutdown, paving the way for the House Ag Committee to move a farm bill in February. 

Undersecretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg is confident that China will fulfill both its near-term 12-million-ton and 25-million-ton minimum soybean purchase commitments under a bilateral deal.

The Agriculture Department has finalized some revisions to the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs, including rules for adding new base acres, but signup won’t be scheduled until after planting season at the earliest, according to a top USDA official. Signup for the Dairy Margin Coverage will start Monday.

House GOP Whip Tom Emmer says on this week’s Agri-Pulse Newsmakers that he doesn’t think fellow Minnesotan, Amy Klobuchar, will leave the Senate to run for governor. 

European Commission officials revived pledges to increase checks on ag imports for banned pesticides and offered other ag sweeteners to member states to shore up support ahead of a critical vote on the Mercosur trade deal.