Articles by Rebekah Alvey

Next week is shaping up to be a big one for ag policy. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says she’ll release her plan next week for reorganizing and downsizing her department. But she told members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting on Tuesday the downsizing won’t be as “drastic” as some observers fear.

Trade tips for specialty crops * Rollins grilled on disaster aid * Trump, Carney talk tariffs

Republicans on the House Agriculture Committee appear confident they can hold a markup early next week on their portion of the budget reconciliation bill, despite remaining policy decisions. 

Some food companies are beginning to phase out synthetic food dyes in reaction to the Trump administration’s goal of removing all color additives from the food supply by the end of 2026. 
However, the push is largely driven by state laws and the industry’s success in meeting these goals could hinge on the Food and Drug Administration efficiently evaluating and approving alternatives. Cuts to the agency could throw a wrench in this process. 

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins tells senators that the department is working to rehire some staff, primarily in the Farm Service Agency, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and wildfire response offices. 

The Senate Agriculture Committee voted along party lines Monday evening to send two USDA nominations to the Senate floor: Stephen Vaden to be deputy ag secretary and Tyler Clarkson to be USDA’s general counsel.

Colorado River dollars take hit in funding freeze * SNAP backers try to stem cuts * Trump to meet with Canada’s PM

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins faces back-to-back hearings this week, while House Republican leaders continued to struggle to agree on tax policy and deep cuts to SNAP and Medicaid that could be key to their budget reconciliation efforts.

President Donald Trump is proposing to slash non-defense spending by nearly 23% in a fiscal 2026 budget that contains $5 billion in cuts to USDA programs, including agricultural research, international food aid, conservation technical assistance to farmers, and rural development. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again initiative is a clear winner in the White House plan. 

We’re getting the first clues as to how farm equipment may be affected by President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Major manufacturer AGCO reported Thursday it’s looking at price increases as an option, and CNH Industrial announced an increase in product prices “in the low single digits.”