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The Trump administration may announce payments to struggling American farmers this week, with producers and lawmakers eager for details on how the aid will be handled. The Senate faces a partisan showdown on extending expiring health coverage subsidies and will consider several nominations important to agriculture.

The Agriculture Department will complete a reorganization of more than half the current D.C.-based staff to five regional hubs across the U.S. by the end of 2026, Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden confirmed on Agri-Pulse Newsmakers.

After a dramatic withdrawal of support from a key ethanol bill in October, the American Petroleum Institute is once again teaming up with ethanol stakeholders to push the Trump administration and Congress to help get the legislation over the finish line. And in a new development, the groups also are united in asking for a revamping of policy that allows small refiners to seek exemption from biofuel-blending rules. 

Using renewable fuels to power heavy farm machinery never took off during the initial surge in U.S. biodiesel and ethanol production. Now, with electric vehicles, including tractors, threatening liquid fuels, there's optimism that more home-grown fuels will soon stay on the farm.

The Trump administration's demands for state data to carry out its investigation of waste, fraud and abuse in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are meeting resistance both from Democratic-led states and from Democrats in Congress. State officials also are puzzled by estimates USDA has released. 

President Donald Trump will continue a decades-long tradition of pardoning Thanksgiving turkeys at the White House this week. The birds’ grower, Travis Pittman from North Carolina, presented his birds in Washington on Monday. 

The Senate passed a bill by unanimous consent Thursday to allow whole and 2% milk to be served at school meals. The measure now goes to the House for approval.

House and Senate Democrats strongly criticized the Trump administration and congressional Republicans for attacks on SNAP as they announced legislation to undo cuts to the program in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Agricultural bankers are growing increasingly concerned about the financial stress facing row crop producers heading into 2026. 

Hemp, a versatile crop that looked to finally be fulfilling its potential as an alternative for farmers hammered by low commodity prices, is in trouble.