Articles by Lydia Johnson

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 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. 

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. 

The meat, dairy and produce industries like the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, but soybean growers, corn refiners and oilseed processors … not so much.

California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross will retire at the end of 2026. Todd Ferrara launched Ferrara Government Affairs, a new advocacy and consulting firm, in Sacramento. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a northern California Republican and fourth-generation rice farmer on the House Agriculture Committee, died. He was 65. Justin Benavidez, who was chief economist for the House Agriculture Committee's Republican staff for the past three years, is succeeding Seth Meyer as USDA chief economist.  

Justin Benavidez, who was chief economist for the House Agriculture Committee's Republican staff for the past three years, is succeeding Seth Meyer as USDA chief economist.

The Agriculture Department appointed Doug Hoelscher and Tate Bennett of the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute, founded by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, to roles at the department in the most recent announcement of political appointees. 

Justin Benavidez has been tapped to be USDA’s chief economist, succeeding Seth Meyer. Benavidez has been chief economist for the House Agriculture Committee’s GOP staff the last three years.

Justin Benavidez, who was chief economist for the House Agriculture Committee's Republican staff for the past three years, is succeeding Seth Meyer as USDA chief economist. 

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. Take a look back at Agri-Pulse's top stories in 2025.