Economy

Fertilizer, fuel prices drop with all eyes on Strait of Hormuz

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:41:36 -0400

Key nitrogen fertilizer prices are falling as the world waits to see if a preliminary U.S.-Iran peace deal will hold. Even in the best-case scenario, it will take time to get facilities back up and fully running, says Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Alexis Maxwell.

Daybreak June 17: Screwworm projects funded

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 08:55:39 -0400

The Agriculture Department is putting $105 million into 40 research projects aimed at better equipping the U.S. to combat the spread of New World screwworm, the agency says. The National Corn Growers Association and 15 state corn organizations are calling on USDA to fund research supporting the full value of corn as a driver of new market opportunities and farm revenue.

California lawmakers consider strict controls on data centers

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 06:05:00 -0400

As debate ramps up nationwide over the impacts of data centers, California legislators may impose strict controls on how new ones would operate in the state and who would pay to power them. The legislation comes as the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and high-capacity cloud computing is accelerating data center development nationwide.

Federal agencies roll out $125M in grants for university ag research

grace@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 06:01:00 -0400

USDA and the Department of Education announced $125 million in annual funding to improve agricultural research facilities for land-grant universities and other colleges of agriculture.

Corn faces grim outlook without new biofuel markets, study says

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:04:27 -0400

Demand for major U.S. crops like corn is waning while harvests get bigger, creating an urgent need to develop new new biofuel markets for American agriculture producers, a new study says.

Daybreak June 16: Fertilizer prices drop on news of peace deal

noah@agri-pulse.com — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:58:12 -0400

Price indicators for key farm inputs tumbled on Monday following news of the U.S.-Iran preliminary peace deal. The latest U.S. soybean crush data signals robust oilseed processing for the June-August quarter, says Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist for StoneX Group.

Daybreak June 11: USDA using terminated food programs to fund screwworm efforts

noah@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 09:18:39 -0400

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says the $1.3 billion fight against a potentially deadly livestock pest includes federal funds reallocated from a local food buying program. Rollins said USDA is “stretched” on using the Commodity Credit Corporation because the $30 billion annual cap has not been increased since 1987.

Trump says he's not sure whether to renew USMCA

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:05:58 -0400

President Donald Trump on Wednesday expressed doubts about renewing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement, which is up for reconsideration this year.

Winemaking weather woes muddle vineyard economics, study shows

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:05:00 -0400

A new Cornell University study examines the tradeoffs involved for wine grape growers when trying to adapt to more extreme weather versus completely changing grape varieties or picking up and moving elsewhere.

Daybreak June 9: Senate Ag’s farm bill gets pushed back

noah@agri-pulse.com — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 09:28:08 -0400

The Senate Agriculture Committee is expected to consider a farm bill during the work period between July 4th and August recesses, Chair John Boozman, R-Ark., says. The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced the nomination of Glen Smith to be undersecretary of agriculture for rural development along party lines, setting the stage for a Senate floor vote.

Washington Week Ahead: Rollins heads to Texas amid screwworm outbreak

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 17:15:13 -0400

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins heads to Texas on Monday as an expanding outbreak of New World screwworm threatens U.S. livestock.

Second screwworm case found in Texas

noah@agri-pulse.com — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 20:12:27 -0400

A second case of New World screwworm has been found in a Texas calf, the Agriculture Department confirmed Friday.

Rollins spars with Democrats over glyphosate, SNAP, farm income

grace@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:10:47 -0400

The safety of glyphosate, cuts in federal food aid and farm income losses were the focus of tense exchanges between Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Democrats during a House Ag Committee hearing on Thursday.

USTR proposes tariffs on 60 trading partners over forced labor policies

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:55:43 -0400

The U.S. Trade Representative is proposing tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on a wide range of imports from 60 economies, on the grounds that they’ve failed to block imports of goods produced using forced labor.

AFPM challenges EPA over biofuel mandate

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:43:40 -0400

The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers is challenging EPA in court over biofuel-blending rules that the oil refining group says are the most expensive regulations of President Donald Trump's second term and threaten U.S. transportation fuel supplies.

High input costs drive farmer sentiment down

grace@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:03:00 -0400

High input costs were the biggest concern for 51% of farmers as farmer sentiment went down by 2 points from April to May, according to the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index.

USTR proposes 25% Brazil tariff, citing ethanol, other trade barriers

noah@agri-pulse.com — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:54:57 -0400

The U.S. Trade Representative is proposing a 25% tariff on a wide range of Brazilian goods following an investigation into the nation's trade practices.

Washington Week Ahead: Rollins testifies, Senate farm bill wrangling begins

Sun, 31 May 2026 07:34:24 -0400

A flurry of high-profile events are on tap this week as Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins speaks on Capitol Hill, U.S. officials talk trade in India and Senate work on a new farm bill kicks into high gear.

USDA opening $1.625B specialty crop aid program

steve@agri-pulse.com — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:08:22 -0400

Specialty crop growers can apply soon for financial assistance under a $1.625 billion program announced by the Agriculture Department Friday.

Fertilizer probe is underway, FTC chairman tells farmers

steve@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 28 May 2026 16:06:55 -0400

The chairman of the Federal Trade Commission tells farmers who have long been critical of crop nutrient price swings that the FTC has launched a major investigation into U.S. fertilizer pricing practices,

Rail regulator accepts revised Norfolk Southern-Union Pacific rail merger application

noah@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 28 May 2026 14:41:53 -0400

The Surface Transportation Board on Thursday unanimously accepted Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern’s merger application for consideration after finding the rail companies’ second attempted application sufficient, kicking off a formal review of the proposed deal.

Farm policy in play as congressional midterm shakeup looms

Wed, 27 May 2026 06:07:00 -0400

Midterm election season is heating up, but a record number of lawmakers are heading for the exits.

Water use prompts congressional calls for data center scrutiny

Wed, 27 May 2026 06:06:00 -0400

Growing concern about the water and energy usage of sprawling data centers used to power AI is prompting calls for more federal oversight from both Republicans and Democrats.

House bill targets bridge repairs, Highway Trust Fund revenue and ag hauling rules

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 27 May 2026 06:05:00 -0400

A bill advanced by House lawmakers last week to reauthorize a slate of surface transportation programs for five years is generally receiving praise from farm groups and shipping organizations, though trucking weight limits and rail safety measures remain points of contention.

GOP to Trump: Take hard line with Mexico ahead of USMCA review

Fri, 22 May 2026 14:34:39 -0400

Twenty House Republicans are calling upon the Trump administration to take a hard line with Mexico ahead of a July review of the North American trade pact, known as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Surface transportation bill passes House committee

noah@agri-pulse.com — Fri, 22 May 2026 11:59:21 -0400

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee early Friday morning advanced a $580 billion bill to reauthorize a slate of road, bridge and transportation infrastructure programs for five years after approving amendments targeting rail safety and truck weights.

Bayer revises loyalty program requirements following DOJ scrutiny

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 20 May 2026 17:22:07 -0400

Major seed company Bayer is no longer requiring independent seed companies seeking discounts through its loyalty program to meet sales targets, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.

Daybreak May 19: Democrats want to keep three nations in USMCA

noah@agri-pulse.com — Tue, 19 May 2026 10:29:38 -0400

House Ways and Means Committee Democrats are urging the administration to tone down the rhetoric heading into discussions with Canada and Mexico on the future of a North American trade deal.

House panel unveils $580B surface transportation plan

noah@agri-pulse.com — Mon, 18 May 2026 10:11:13 -0400

The House Transportation Committee unveils a proposed $580 billion, five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill.

Washington Week Ahead: China deals, tomatoes and midterms in focus

oliver@agri-pulse.com — Sun, 17 May 2026 16:19:24 -0400

Agriculture markets are analyzing the outcome of President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, while U.S. lawmakers are taking in the latest sign of a tumultuous political season ahead.