Economy

China must spend $1.2B weekly to meet US ag pledges, Basse says

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 16:57:41 -0400

China needs to spend about $1.2 billion a week through December to fulfill its remaining 2026 agriculture commitments to the U.S., AgResource Co. President Dan Basse says.

Trump and Xi meet as farmers press for concrete trade actions

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 11:45:54 -0400

Today's meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping has ag policy watchers on edge as they wait to find out if the talks yield any positive developments for U.S. farmers.

Daybreak Sept. 24: Boozman says farm bill can’t wait

noah@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 08:39:14 -0400

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., says he’s ready to work with Democrats and House leaders over the October recess to reach agreement on a final five-year farm bill.

Trump and Xi to meet with billions in ag trade at stake

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:12:00 -0400

President Trump's Washington summit with Chinese President Xi will be under close watch as billions of dollars in agricultural trade is at stake.

USDA awards $26.5 million to value-added agricultural projects

hguthoerl@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:07:00 -0400

USDA Rural Development is awarding $26.5 million to 194 agricultural projects across the United States through the Value-Added Producer Grant program. The funding will help agricultural producers develop value-added products, conduct research and implement business and marketing strategies designed to expand their customer base and increase revenue.

For Yuma lettuce growers, it’s full speed ahead

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:02:00 -0400

Farmers in the Yuma, Arizona, region are expecting to plant their full acreages of lettuce this fall as federal officials say the cyclospora outbreak that sickened almost 13,000 people this past summer has abated.

Daybreak Sept. 22: Tom seeks to ease tensions on fertilizer

noah@agri-pulse.com — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:34:00 -0400

Kip Tom, Indiana farmer and the former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. food agencies, is pushing back on corn growers’ rhetoric in the fertilizer price debate. President Trump says he’s working on a “massive deal” to buy potash from Belarus.

Rollins tells dairy, other checkoffs to halt ESG initiatives

noah@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:28:49 -0400

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Thursday told the chair of the National Dairy Board and other checkoff organizations to stop several of what she labeled as its environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives, saying they were not aligned with Trump Administration policy.

House passes Russia sanctions bill giving Trump new tariff authority

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 22:17:06 -0400

The House passed Russian sanctions legislation that would give the President Donald Trump broad new tariff authority. The bill now heads to the president for his signature.

Trump urged by Rep. Davis to secure China soy pledge with Xi

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 13:06:15 -0400

Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., asks President Donald Trump to use next week's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping to secure a clear timeline for Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans. He also raises concerns about increasing U.S. competition with South America in the world's ag market.

Why ag groups want book-and-claim system for 45Z biofuel credit

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 06:11:00 -0400

Farmers and biofuel producers say the so-called book-and-claim method for carbon accounting under 45Z is crucial for ag producers to get maximum value out of the tax credit.

US trade war with Canada and beyond triggers biofuel worries

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 06:10:00 -0400

U.S. trade tensions are spurring concern over potential impact on the biofuel industry.

The Beef Bulk-Up: Meat cuts get larger but create challenges for presentation and processing

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 06:09:00 -0400

Meatpackers, retailers and consumers are increasingly being forced to adapt as growing cattle carcass sizes reshape how much meat each cut yields. The trend has left retailers puzzling over how to plate increasingly larger ribeyes and strip loins.

House Dems' report outlines policy recommendations for ag, rural communities

hguthoerl@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 06:06:00 -0400

A wide-ranging report released by a group of House Democrats recommends increased ag research funding, expanded access to credit for farmers, and streamlined regulatory approval for biotech solutions.

California’s diesel price spike to have short-term, long-term impacts

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 06:02:00 -0400

California’s average price for diesel fuel has topped $8 a gallon in recent days, just as growers are harvesting a multitude of crops. The immediate impact on growers depends on the commodity, but the increase is likely to have long-term effects on food prices.

Daybreak Sept. 15: CRA gets new leader

noah@agri-pulse.com — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 08:49:15 -0400

The outlook for a Senate Agriculture Committee farm bill brightened considerably on Monday after Sen. Mitch McConnell cast his first vote on the Senate floor since June.

CHS invests $700M to build major soy crush plant in Wisconsin

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:43:12 -0400

CHS, the largest U.S. farm co-op, is investing roughly $700 million to build Wisconsin's first large-scale soy crushing plant.

Washington Week Ahead: Farmers flock to Capitol Hill as costs soar

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 10:38:47 -0400

Capitol Hill will be bustling with farmers and ranchers this week as Congress races to wrap up a farm bill and other high-priority items before the November midterms.

Consumer prices up overall, but overall grocery costs stay the same

steve@agri-pulse.com — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:51:16 -0400

Grocery prices stayed steady but energy costs helped fuel a 0.4% increase in the overall Consumer Price Index.

Daybreak Sept. 11: WASDE due at noon today

noah@agri-pulse.com — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:35:55 -0400

September’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates will be scoured for any changes in the outlook for U.S. crop production, planted acres and more.

Surging sulfur puts fertilizer in jeopardy, lawmakers tell Trump

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 12:23:21 -0400

GOP lawmakers from Florida are calling on Trump to address soaring sulfur prices that are putting U.S. agriculture and food security at risk.

Diesel hits new high, threatening farmers amid ‘energy crisis’

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 06:10:00 -0400

Record-high diesel prices are further clouding the profit outlook for crop farmers.

The Beef Bulk-Up: Health tradeoffs emerge as cattle get heavier

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 06:08:00 -0400

The second part of “The Beef Bulk‑Up” series examines rising cattle weights and why experts say bigger animals face higher risks of lameness, joint problems, heat stress and certain heart, lung and liver conditions.

California touts cannabis tax revenue a decade after legalization

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 06:03:00 -0400

A decade after California voters passed Proposition 64 legalizing nonmedical uses of marijuana, the state says the legal market has generated nearly $8.4 billion in taxes, exceeding expectations.

Trump signs beef executive orders focused on competition, MCOOL

noah@agri-pulse.com — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 16:40:05 -0400

The Trump administration is seeking to advance mandatory country of original labeling for beef and bolster competition in the meatpacking industry through two new executive orders.

Farm earnings outlook brightens, though expected profits remain below 2025

noah@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 16:27:24 -0400

The Agriculture Department has raised its forecast for farm earnings in 2026 from February, though it continues to expect producers to see profit declines compared to last year.

The Beef Bulk‑Up: America’s cattle are getting bigger, bringing larger returns and new complications

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 06:12:00 -0400

This first installment of the “The Beef Bulk-Up” series examines the forces driving U.S. producers’ efforts to create heavier cattle, and what rising weights mean for the future of beef production.

Federal yield grade system faces scrutiny as cattle carcasses get fatter

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 06:11:00 -0400

As cattle feeders increasingly send fatter animals to slaughter, meat scientists and industry leaders are questioning whether USDA's 60-year-old grading formula needs an update.

New USDA initiative aims to spur cattle herd rebuilding with insurance, conservation program grazing changes

noah@agri-pulse.com — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:41:17 -0400

New insurance options, emergency grazing authorities on Grassland Conservation Reserve Program acres, and guaranteed loans for regional meat processors are among the elements of a packaged unveiled by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Monday to encourage producers to rebuild the U.S. cattle herd.

Washington Week Ahead: Biofuel rules and trade relations under scrutiny

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 18:34:55 -0400

Ag markets are under close watch as the Trump administration mulls biofuel rules for oil refiners and House lawmakers return to work facing thorny questions on farm policy, domestic spending and global trade.