News

Daybreak: Sept. 29: Canada import ban in effect

noah@agri-pulse.com — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 10:08:06 -0400

President Donald Trump’s import ban on Canadian whey, alcohol and motorcycles went into effect today, and the trade war with Canada doesn't appear to be close to a resolution. Canada has been building new relationships abroad in a bid to reduce reliance on U.S. trade.

Corteva agrees to end pesticide loyalty programs in proposed settlement with FTC, states; company also settles case with Inari

noah@agri-pulse.com — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 18:21:52 -0400

Corteva has agreed to end a pesticide loyalty program and other incentives that the Federal Trade Commission and 12 states alleged shut generic competitors out of distribution channels as part of a proposed settlement. The company also said it reached a settlement with Inari in a separate case involving allegations of intellectual property theft.

Daybreak Sept. 28: Boozman foresees bipartisan talks on farm bill

noah@agri-pulse.com — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:15:19 -0400

Republicans and Democrats say a farm bill needs to pass Congress this year, so agriculture producers finally have up-to-date ag policies and in order to enact top ag priorities like year-round E15.

Washington Week Ahead: Farm bill politics, fuel and trade outlook in focus

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 21:07:27 -0400

The prospects for Congress passing a farm bill this year hinge on the next six weeks. Whether bipartisan farm bill talks meaningfully get started is the big agriculture issue to watch this week on Capitol Hill.

California regulators clear the path for voluntary E15 sales

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 11:45:05 -0400

California regulators on Thursday cleared the path for E15 sales in the state.

Daybreak Sept. 25: Mostly partisan divide over US-China summit; Hoeven sees farm bill vote after midterms

noah@agri-pulse.com — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:12:12 -0400

Congress is once again divided along party lines over the Trump administration’s summit with China — specifically, the two-month extension of a trade truce between the two nations.

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.

Brown seeks top Democratic spot on House Ag

steve@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:29:40 -0400

Ohio Democratic Rep. Shontel Brown has made it official: She wants to be the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee.

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.

Farm Journal Foundation drops emerging ag markets report

olivia@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 16:46:44 -0400

A new report by the Farm Journal Foundation proposes leveraging economic development and trade assistance programs to boost demand for U.S. agricultural trade in Africa and South Asia but many of the programs have faced uncertainty.

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.

Wetland easement drain tile setback rules stir fight over drainage in Prairie Pothole Region

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:10:00 -0400

Farmers in the Prairie Pothole region are calling for the Fish and Wildlife Service to rescind a 2024 rule requiring they keep from installing drain tile within a certain distance from wetlands protected under easement contracts, setting up a clash with sportsmen and wildlife advocates who see weaker protections as a threat to waterfowl habitat in one of North America's most important breeding areas.

Data centers try to solve their power problem

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:10:00 -0400

In response to rising crescendo of public opposition, the data center industry is promising to address some of the most persistent concerns about the hulking, industrial structures it is building across the United States.

Dairy industry reports progress removing artificial color in ice cream

hguthoerl@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:09:00 -0400

The dairy and ice cream industry is making progress towards removing certified artificial colors from ice cream products, with more than 40 processors representing more than 90% of ice cream sold at retail expected to complete the change by the end of 2027.

USDA creates new office to strengthen enforcement of Animal Welfare Act

hguthoerl@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:08:00 -0400

USDA has created a new office as part of a broader effort to strengthen enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), specifically targeting dog breeding operations.

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.

Groups say new dairy order could undermine collaboration

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:05:00 -0400

California’s State Water Resources Control Board voted last week to impose new waste discharge monitoring and mitigation requirements on Central Valley dairies. Farm groups say the decision could undermine a collaborative project that launched in 2006.

Christine Birdsong was intrigued by Reservoir Farms. Now she works there

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:04:00 -0400

Reservoir Farms on Monday announced that former California Department of Food and Agriculture Undersecretary Christine Birdsong has been hired as its head of external affairs, and she’ll shepherd the innovation hub’s growth into new regions and institutions across the U.S. and internationally.

Farm bills a top priority for new NASDA President Sandison

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:03:00 -0400

Washington State Department of Agriculture Director Derek Sandison was elected last week to lead the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. In an interview with Agri-Pulse, he spells out his priorities for the coming year.

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.

Bigger navel orange crop forecast as industry seeks price rebound

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:01:00 -0400

California’s navel orange production for the 2026-27 season is expected to be 84 million cartons, up slightly from the 82 million cartons collected from orchards last season, despite a warm spring that increased pest pressures.

Farm Hands West: Christine Birdsong joins Reservoir, American Pistachio Growers names Forbes CEO, Stater Bros. Markets has promoted Mike Reed

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

Christine Birdsong has joined Reservoir Farms as head of external affairs. American Pistachio Growers has named Mike Forbes as its president and CEO, effective Sept. 1. Stater Bros. Markets has promoted Mike Reed to executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Dairy Management Inc. names Corey Scott president and CEO

hguthoerl@agri-pulse.com — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 20:05:01 -0400

Dairy Management Inc. has named Corey Scott as its next president and CEO, succeeding Barbara O’Brien, who will retire following the 2026 Joint Annual Meeting of the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, National Milk Producers Federation and United Dairy Industry Association, scheduled for Oct. 19-21.

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.

Daybreak Sept. 21: Diesel prices keep rising; rail merger review continues

noah@agri-pulse.com — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 13:28:40 -0400

A massive Ukrainian drone strike in the Moscow region left a major Russian oil refinery ablaze, while the Iran-backed Houthis say they attacked oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest exporter of crude oil. The U.S. is the top overall oil producer.

Washington Week Ahead: High-stakes talks amid harvest squeeze

noah@agri-pulse.com — Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:50:38 -0400

Against the backdrop of a global fuel crisis roiling U.S. agriculture, President Donald Trump faces a jam-packed week of diplomacy, meeting with world leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York and hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington.

Daybreak Sept. 18: Checkoffs get marching orders on ESG; dicamba FOIA lawsuit filed

noah@agri-pulse.com — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:08:02 -0400

In a memo Thursday, USDA Undersecretary of Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dudley Hoskins ordered all federal checkoff programs to align their work with Trump administration priorities "favoring agricultural production, producer profitability, and freedom from ideologically driven mandates.”

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.

Energy prices likely to drive food prices higher, expert says

steve@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 16:53:40 -0400

Increases in energy prices are likely to drive food prices higher in the coming months, Ricky Volpe, a professor of agribusiness at California Polytechnic State University, said during a briefing with reporters today on FMI-The Food Industry Association’s latest report on grocery store trends and consumer behavior.