Economy

Bipartisan water resources bills advance, but floor path remains uncertain

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:14:00 -0400

Biennial bills to authorize construction and maintenance of key lock and dam projects across the U.S. have advanced out of House and Senate committee, but to actually pass this year, they may need to hitch a ride on other major legislative vehicles expected to move before the end of December, a lawmaker and shipping industry advocates tell Agri-Pulse.

Grain group joins other shipping interests in calling for rejection of UP-NS rail merger application

noah@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 18:04:16 -0400

The National Grain and Feed Association on Thursday became the latest major shipper group to urge federal rail regulators to reject Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern’s most recent merger application, adding to recent calls from chemical, fuel, fertilizer and industrial transportation interests advocating against the deal.

Robust demand signals clash with acreage boost in latest WASDE

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 17:51:22 -0400

USDA's latest crop report contains mixed signals for corn and soybean growers, with some robust demand signals colliding with the agency's upward revision of expected harvests. U.S. wheat remains on track for the smallest crop in nearly 60 years.

Food costs remain relatively steady in latest Consumer Price Index

steve@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:48:35 -0400

Grocery prices fell slightly in July, but food prices overall were up 0.1% as consumers spent more at restaurants and eateries outside the home, according to the latest Consumer Price Index.

JBS to turn Pennsylvania beef plant into value-added processing facility

noah@agri-pulse.com — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:20:14 -0400

Meatpacking giant JBS has announced plans to turn its beef processing plant in Souderton, Pennsylvania, into a value-added processing facility, preserving about 400 jobs at a plant the company previously planned to close.

Senate passes bill to avert shutdown, delay hemp ban as midterms loom

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 15:50:01 -0400

The Senate has passed a stopgap measure to keep the government funded until Dec. 11, a move aimed at averting a government shutdown just weeks ahead of high-stake midterm elections. The spending bill also would delay a ban on certain hemp-related products by about a month.

Stalled farm bill spotlights ag woes and state budget strain

grace@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 19:00:52 -0400

The Senate farm bill is stalled, putting a spotlight on both economically strained crop growers and states.

Senate Ag Committee at odds over SNAP with farm bill at stake

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 10:39:07 -0400

The Senate Ag Committee farm bill is in danger of stalling due to partisan sparring over SNAP.

USDA to give producers 60-day extension on crop insurance premiums, Rollins says

noah@agri-pulse.com — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 11:45:48 -0400

USDA's Risk Management Agency plans to give producers 60 additional days to pay their crop insurance premiums, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Tuesday.

New Senate farm bill includes SNAP cost delays, year-round E15

noah@agri-pulse.com — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 20:35:48 -0400

The Senate Agriculture Committee unveiled revised farm bill text that would allow year-round access to higher ethanol-fuel blends at U.S. gasoline pumps and extend by one year the time that certain states would have to start sharing the cost of providing SNAP benefits.

Rural food insecurity ranks among nation’s highest, Feeding America report says

grace@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:14:00 -0400

Rural counties have some of the highest rates of food insecurity in the United States, making up 86% of the highest 10% of food insecurity rates, according to Feeding America’s annual "Map the Meal Gap" report released Tuesday.

Thune says $95B reconciliation measure is 'best path' forward

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 14:14:03 -0400

Senate Majority John Thune says he's embracing a reconciliation plan passed by the House as the best path to pass the SAVE America Act and provide funds for the military and farmers.

Daybreak July 24: USDA’ers slam reorg plans

noah@agri-pulse.com — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 09:13:48 -0400

Current and former USDA employees are bashing the department’s reorganization plans, saying it will lead to massive departures, loss of expertise and diminished services. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Thursday finalized its approximately four-month long investigation into 60 countries for alleged forced labor violations.

Daybreak July 23: ‘Farm crisis’ needs Congress’s attention, former ag leaders say

noah@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 09:50:37 -0400

Former ag leaders are calling on Congress to engage in a comprehensive examination of what they call a “crisis” in farm country that has been exacerbated by actions of the Trump administration. The House narrowly passed a $95 billion reconciliation measure on Wednesday thatcalls for fresh funds for the Iran war, new election laws, and as much as $12 billion to help a financially strained agricultural sector.

Daybreak July 22: House set for CR, reconciliation

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:06:59 -0400

The House on Tuesday approved a resolution, 214-211, that would allow for floor consideration of a continuing resolution that would keep the government funded through the midterm elections and reconciliation 3.0 under a closed rule. The House is expected to vote on the $95 billion reconciliation package Wednesday under a closed rule, meaning no amendments can be made to the measure on the floor.

AFBF report says economic losses will continue next year for farmers

grace@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:07:00 -0400

American Farm Bureau Federation’s most recent markets report indicates that economic losses are expected to worsen next year, in the face of high production costs, low commodity prices and tight margins.

Washington Week Ahead: Congressional time crunch, trade talks in spotlight

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 20:34:24 -0400

Farmer financial aid, a voluntary ethanol boost and an overdue farm bill are again in focus as Congress races against a legislative clock with a raft of competing concerns. Republican and Democratic lawmakers are pushing to get more aid for farmers to help sustain them until October, when updated safety-net programs passed by Congress last year take effect.

Daybreak July 17: Trump pushes for election bill

lydia@agri-pulse.com — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:28:55 -0400

President Donald Trump called on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act and urged Americans to call Capitol Hill and demand action on the bill that would require photo identification to vote in federal elections. The House Budget Committee has favorably reported its $95 billion reconciliation 3.0 package, which would provide up to $12 billion in farm aid, $10 billion for the GOP’s signature Save America Act and a total of $73 billion for the war with Iran.

Daybreak July 16: Reconciliation package released

noah@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:47:38 -0400

The House Budget Committee on Wednesday released the GOP’s third reconciliation package. Members and officials of the National Corn Growers Association, gathered in Washington, D.C., for their bi-annual Corn Congress, said Wednesday one of their top priorities is renewing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

House GOP fast-tracks reconciliation 3.0 with farm aid, Save America Act

grace@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 19:46:31 -0400

Republicans aim to fast-track a sweeping spending package that includes key agriculture investments.

Brazil shows why U.S. biofuel markets are critical, Johanns says

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 06:19:00 -0400

Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary and Senator Mike Johanns discusses the future of American agriculture and farm bills.

Next‑Gen Conservation: Digital tool integrates practices, maps, and machine learning

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 06:14:00 -0400

A new digital tool aims to make conservation planning easier for conservation districts, technical service providers, Natural Resources Conservation District specialists, and farmers by harnessing artificial intelligence, mapping technologies, and information about a wide array of practices.

Trump drops Hormuz toll after outcry from lawmakers, executives

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 14:01:48 -0400

President Donald Trump is reversing course on a plan to charge a 20% toll for other countries' cargoes moving through the Strait of Hormuz, saying it will be replaced with lucrative trade and investment deals for the U.S. by various Gulf countries.

Daybreak July 14: Trump to talk to nation Thursday as hostilities with Iran increase

noah@agri-pulse.com — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:06:00 -0400

President Donald Trump says he will address the nation Thursday night as U.S. strikes against Iran accelerate, raising fresh concerns about the potential toll on agriculture and the broader economy. Several poultry companies have agreed to pay nearly $44 million and limit the amount of their birds’ litter that can be applied to soils within the Illinois River watershed.

Hormuz dispute intensifies as U.S.-Iran ceasefire collapses

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 20:09:56 -0400

The breakdown of a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is threatening a fresh wave of disruption to global energy and agriculture supply chains.

U.S.-Iran dispute over Hormuz threatens farm economy anew

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 16:29:19 -0400

The U.S. military, under orders from President Donald Trump, says it will resume a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. The move, along with Trump saying the U.S. will charge other vessels a 20% toll for safe passage, further casts doubt on the interim peace deal between Washington and Tehran.

Daybreak July 13: Farm groups fly in to DC

noah@agri-pulse.com — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 09:15:02 -0400

Corn, soybean and ethanol groups will gather on Capitol Hill this week as the legislative window for completing top agriculture agenda items narrows. Official Washington was stunned by the death of Lindsey Graham, who had served as a Republican senator from South Carolina since 2003. He was 71.

Proposed EPA rule seeks to end DEF deratements

noah@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 17:23:50 -0400

The Environmental Protection Agency plans to stop requiring that diesel trucks automatically reduce power when their emissions exceed certain limits under a proposed rule that would also do away with a Biden-era plan to increase how long manufacturers must provide warranties for emissions equipment.

John Deere, FTC reach proposed deal to end right-to-repair antitrust suit

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:39:08 -0400

John Deere has agreed to make the same repair tools used by its dealers available to farmers and independent repair shops “on fair and reasonable terms," under a proposed settlement filed Wednesday that seeks to end an antitrust lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade Commission and five state attorneys general.

China's appetite for U.S. soy grows as trade outlook brightens

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:56:27 -0400

China made its biggest one-day purchase of U.S. soybeans since January amid expectations that trade relations between Washington and Beijing will continue to improve.