PJ Huffstutter

What we found: In a state that handed Trump three straight wins, where Trump flags flap near food aid flyers pinned on bulletin boards, the cost of his austerity push and its impact on food access is starting to show in Ohio (and beyond).

@reuters.com Evelyn Hockstein & I spent a week in the state, reporting on how federal economic policy changes are impacting the nation’s farming and food systems. It's the latest in our narrative series, and what we found was really eye-opening.
www.reuters.com/investigates...

Chris Judge’s “A Daily Cloud” project began in 2020, born from quiet days in the garden during lockdown. With simple lines and a touch of imagination, he turned everyday skies into playful scenes - one cloud at a time. [1/3]

Credits: adailycloud [FB]
#clouds #creative

Trump trade war costs US farmers lucrative Chinese export market for breeding pigs, cattle semen China is one of the biggest importers of American breeding pigs and other livestock genetic material. These lucrative niche export markets had been growing, but have dried up since Trump started a trade war with Beijing.

Ag story must-read: @reuters.com Heather Schlitz's fascinating tale about how the U.S.-China trade war has cost hog and cattle breeders a lucrative export market- and created an opportunity for farmers in Denmark to take market share. The headline is🔥!

www.reuters.com/world/china/...

And they've been a way for young farmers - who don't have a ton of collateral - to make that first farmland purchase or get access to operating cash.

The news and change comes as farmers in the Midwest are planting, the farm economy is struggling and USDA is facing sharp staffing reductions.

The USDA FSA direct and guaranteed loan programs have been politically heralded for being cost-effective and a boon to rural America for years. The guaranteed loan programs have be a lucrative opportunity for commercial banks and Farm Credit lenders (and yes, there have been issues, natch).

US farm agency to require DOGE approval for some loans Farm loan employees at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency will now need approval from billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to issue loans over $500,000, according to a memo seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

Farm loan employees at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency will now need approval from billionaire Elon Musk's DOGE to issue loans over $500,000, according to a memo seen by Reuters. The latest with Leah Douglas and myself on Reuters: www.reuters.com/world/us/us-...

"But PJ," you might ask. "What the heck does this have to do with agriculture?"

It matters (imho) because it underscores how volatile things are getting in the shipping sector. And anything impacting shipping could, in theory, ripple out to the movement & production of commodity crops.

Vehicle carriers seek relief from broad US port fees Operators of hulking car carriers are seeking relief from the U.S. Trade Representative's surprise plan to levy port fees on all foreign-built ships in that segment, including 20 vessels that guarantee transport for the U.S. military during a war or national emergency, three sources told Reuters.

Shipping: Operators of hulking car carriers are seeking relief from USTR's surprise plan to levy port fees on all foreign-built ships in that segment, including 20 vessels that guarantee transport for the U.S. military during a war or national emergency.

www.reuters.com/business/aut...

U.S. truckers are moving record volumes of goods after their customers stocked up ahead of President Donald Trump's tariffs, but an industry slowdown looms as those new duties start choking economic activity. What will that mean for truck freight rates for ag inputs later this year?

Next...

A couple really terrific reads by @reuters.com's Lisa Baertlein that, if you track agriculture, you'll want to check out:

🧵 First up, this trucking story...

www.reuters.com/business/tru...

As one producer said, "It's not like we are in a great ag economy. We don't have any room to give."

Kentucky farmers hit by one-two punch of trade war, historic floods Kentucky farmer Drew Langley got an early start planting soybeans this spring, hoping to boost yields to help soothe the sting of slumping prices after U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war with China put demand from the world's top importer in doubt.

Must-read @reuters.com agriculture story today: Julie Ingwersen headed to Kentucky for a story with Karl Plume about the impact of the trade war and historic flooding on commodity crop farmers.

www.reuters.com/world/us/ken...

As UC Davis economist Michael Carter told Reuters: "What's at risk of being lost is stuff that can make a difference in the lives of lots and lots of people."

@thekarlplume.bsky.social headed to @ucdavis.bsky.social recently for a deeply reported story he and I did, to try to answer this question. What we found was equal parts fascinating and concerning.

What's the impact of the Trump Administration slashing federal funding for ag research at land-grant and other universities - furthering the trend of cutting public backing for such work, at a time when rivals China and Brazil are doing the opposite? www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

Yes, city folks, your grocery prices are going up over time - partly because retailers pass on higher overhead expenses (like rents). Given that commercial real estate could be recovering this year, will that result in even higher grocery prices?

Hat tip to USDA's Charts of Note team!

China accounted for nearly 90% of U.S. sorghum exports last year, ramping up purchases of the crop it uses to feed livestock and make fiery baijiu liquor. (Which is tasty - and I will fight anyone who disagrees with me on that....) Now? Those sales have essentially evaporated.

Trump trade war dries up sorghum sales to China but US farmers plan to plant more U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war with China comes at a bad time for sorghum growers like Dan Atkisson in Kansas, who is nevertheless preparing to increase plantings by 25% this spring.

Apologies for the radio-silence, been on the road for work and for some family stuff. So - a catch-up on this terrific read by @reuters.com' Tom Polansek about the plight of the U.S. sorghum farmer.
www.reuters.com/markets/comm...

Exclusive: Trump health layoffs include staff overseeing bird flu response, source says The Trump administration has fired staff who were working on the Food and Drug Administration's bird flu response as part of its mass layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Latest on @reuters.com by @leahjdouglas.bsky.social: The Trump administration has fired staff who were working on the Food and Drug Administration's bird flu response as part of its mass layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services.

www.reuters.com/business/hea...

Reporting this story gave me a far better understanding of how pass-through funding evolved, and how and why this mechanism has been used for moving money from the federal govt to the states - fascinating stuff.

Trump funding cuts ripple through rural America The phone rang over the whine of Trey Yates' butter churn. The person calling was polite, but the message was devastating: Mountaineer Food Bank was ending Yates' butter contract, due to the federal government's funding cuts.

In West Virginia, where more than half the budget comes from federal funding, I spent a week following the story of a small farm / agriculture business to see how the Trump administration cuts are rippling across rural America. My lates on @reuters.com:

www.reuters.com/world/us/fed...

Brazil's coffee farmers turn to costly irrigation to quench global demand for the brew Drought hit coffee farmers in Brazil hard last year, drying up trees and driving global prices to record highs. But Rodrigo Brondani is expecting a bumper harvest.

Fantastic read today by @reuters.com Marcelo Teixeira and Roberto Samora about circle irrigation pivot practices in Brazil's coffee farm fields due to rapid shifts in rainfall patterns. For U.S. grain farmers used to such systems, it's worth a read:

www.reuters.com/markets/comm...

Thank you!

Trump cuts hit struggling food banks, risking hunger for low-income Americans Food banks across the country, already strained by rising demand, say they will have less food to distribute because of at least $1 billion in federal funding cuts and pauses by the Trump administration, according to Reuters interviews with organizations in seven states.

Before the Trump administration began, Trinity's Table deliveries of USDA-supplied food filled an 18-wheeler. Now, meal service to senior groups is at risk. My latest on the ripple effects of federal cuts with @leahjdouglas.bsky.social & @reneehickman.bsky.social

www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

US senators to urge USDA to reinstate canceled local food programs Democrats in the U.S. Senate will ask the Department of Agriculture to reverse the cancellation of programs that have funneled more than $2 billion for local food purchases to schools and food banks, according to a copy of a letter seen by Reuters.

First in @reuters.com: Democratic senators are planning a letter to USDA's Brooke Rollins asking her to reinstate two local food programs that the agency cancelled.

The programs have spent more than $2 billion on local food purchases.

www.reuters.com/world/us/us-...

The university's ag research is well known for its work on produce/specialty crops, biofuels and PFAS.

USDA suspends Maine university funding after Trump row over transgender athletes The U.S. Department of Agriculture has suspended funding for research and programs at the University of Maine, the school said on Tuesday, after President Donald Trump clashed with Governor Janet Mills over the state's refusal to ban transgender athletes from girls' sports.

USDA has suspended funding for research and programs at the University of Maine, after President Donald Trump clashed with Governor Janet Mills over the state's refusal to ban transgender athletes from girls' sports. The latest from @reuters.com:

www.reuters.com/world/us/usd...

Farmers put plans, investments on hold under Trump USDA spending freeze Nate Powell-Palm, an organic farmer outside Belgrade, Montana, was relying on a $648,000 grant from USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service to help build a feed mill - an economic lifeline for about 150 area organic grain farmers.

"As the president said, farmers need to start growing crops to sell here in the U.S. This is what we are trying to do. We just need our approved grant funding to be released." My latest on @reuters.com with @leahjdouglas.bsky.social & Tom Polansek:

www.reuters.com/world/us/far...

US, Canadian farmers face soaring fertilizer prices amid Trump trade war With only weeks until spring planting on both sides of the border gets underway, Canadian and U.S. farmers, already facing low grain prices, are bracing for another economic blow: even bigger fertilizer bills amid a North American trade war.

With only weeks until spring planting, Canadian and U.S. farmers, already facing low grain prices, are bracing for another economic blow: even bigger fertilizer bills amid a North American trade war. The latest from @reuters.com Ed White (I edited!)

www.reuters.com/markets/comm...