Editor's note: This is the third in our seven-part in-depth editorial series where we look ahead at “Farm & Food 2040.” Part three looks at how the failure to pass meaningful immigration reform is fueling adoption of the newest technologies in automation—primarily robotics—to stem the need for immigrant farmworkers. And we also feature new research identifying the "Farmer of the Future."

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue likes to tell people that he’s a “grow it and sell it kind of guy” who is always on the lookout for opportunities to do so. Increasingly, that means understanding world population and demand growth – outside of U.S. borders.

Continued Republican control of the Senate after this fall's elections is virtually assured by an abundance of races in Republican-leaning rural states, according to one of the Cook Political Report's top analysts.

Congressional Republicans are poised to send their historic package of individual and business tax cuts to President Trump's desk before Christmas and also plan to pass a new stopgap funding bill that could include disaster aid to growers hammered by this year's hurricanes.