Farm Policy News

Farmers Voice Ag Economy Frustrations at Commodity Classic - Farm Policy News The frustration in the room at Commodity Classic has been palpable following a year in 2025 where strong production was again unable to overcome swelling costs and expenses. Farmers here are now looki...

2/2 "The frustration in the room was palpable following a year in 2025 where strong production was again unable to overcome swelling #costs and #expenses. #Farmers here are now looking harder to Washington for answers."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/farm...

Farmers Voice Ag Economy Frustrations at Commodity Classic - Farm Policy News The frustration in the room at Commodity Classic has been palpable following a year in 2025 where strong production was again unable to overcome swelling costs and expenses. Farmers here are now looki...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how "on the opening day of Commodity Classic, there were some angry conversations between #farm leaders and representatives of major fertilizer, seed, chemical and machinery companies."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/farm...

USDA to Vacate, Sell South Building as Reorg Begins - Farm Policy News The U.S. Department of Agriculture is selling its flagship South Building office hub on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and relocating employees to other locations across the country by the end...

2/2 "#USDA is also moving Food and Nutrition Service employees out of their leased office space in Alexandria." "FNS employees will be relocated to buildings that currently house the Forest Service and the Agricultural Research Service."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/usda...

USDA to Vacate, Sell South Building as Reorg Begins - Farm Policy News The U.S. Department of Agriculture is selling its flagship South Building office hub on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and relocating employees to other locations across the country by the end...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how the #USDA "is selling its flagship South Building office hub on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and #relocating #employees to other locations across the country by the end of the year."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/usda...

Beef, Most Fertilizers Exempt from New Trump Tariffs - Farm Policy News A new 10% tariff on goods from around the world took effect Tuesday — with a list of exemptions including beef. Other exemptions affecting the food and agriculture industries include trade-deal compli...

2/2 "Other (#tariff) exemptions affecting the #food and #agriculture industries include trade-deal compliant goods from Canada and Mexico, some #fertilizers (and) several categories of light and heavy-duty trucks."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/beef...

Beef, Most Fertilizers Exempt from New Trump Tariffs - Farm Policy News A new 10% tariff on goods from around the world took effect Tuesday — with a list of exemptions including beef. Other exemptions affecting the food and agriculture industries include trade-deal compli...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how "a new 10% #tariff on goods from around the world took effect Tuesday — with a list of exemptions including #beef."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/beef...

USDA Seeks Input on Data Collection as Confidence Falls - Farm Policy News USDA is asking farmers and other stakeholders to help examine how USDA can improve its data collection and analysis. The department is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) to examine USDA's statist...

2/2 "'We want to ensure at #USDA that we are framing the status of the #market, not driving #price outcomes, and that will be a major effort over the next year,' (Agriculture Secretary Brooke) Rollins said."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/usda...

USDA Seeks Input on Data Collection as Confidence Falls - Farm Policy News USDA is asking farmers and other stakeholders to help examine how USDA can improve its data collection and analysis. The department is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) to examine USDA's statist...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how amid growing questions over whether there are systemic issues with #USDA’s #data, the agency is "asking farmers and other stakeholders to help examine how USDA can improve its data collection and analysis."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/usda...

Ag Industry Calls for Trade Certainty After SCOTUS Strikes Down Trump Tariffs - Farm Policy News U.S. agriculture groups responded to the Supreme Court striking down President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs by calling for increased certainty in trade policy and carveouts for ag inputs in any ne...

2/2 But President Donald Trump already said "he will raise a temporary #tariff from 10% to 15% on U.S. #imports from all countries, the maximum level allowed under the law, after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his previous tariff program."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/ag-i...

Ag Industry Calls for Trade Certainty After SCOTUS Strikes Down Trump Tariffs - Farm Policy News U.S. agriculture groups responded to the Supreme Court striking down President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs by calling for increased certainty in trade policy and carveouts for ag inputs in any ne...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how U.S. #ag groups "responded to the #SupremeCourt striking down President Donald Trump’s emergency #tariffs by calling for increased certainty in trade policy and carveouts for ag inputs in any new tariffs."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/ag-i...

Ag Economy to Improve Slightly in 2026, USDA Projects - Farm Policy News The Agriculture Department is anticipating a slightly easier 2026 for U.S. ag producers, with prices for major commodities nudging higher and input and labor costs moderating, according to USDA Chief ...

2/2 “‘For the first time in several years, the #cost of #production is beginning to moderate,’ (USDA Chief Economist Justin Benavidez) said. Once adjusted for inflation, the total costs of seed, fertilizer and chemicals is set to fall 0.9%," he said.

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/ag-e...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how "the Agriculture Department is anticipating a slightly easier 2026 for U.S. #ag producers, with #prices for major commodities nudging higher and input and labor #costs moderating."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/ag-e...

Trump Signs Order Protecting Glyphosate, Phosphorus Production - Farm Policy News Invoking the Defense Production Act, President Donald Trump on Wednesday designated glyphosate-based herbicides and elemental phosphorus as critical to national defense and ordered Agriculture Secreta...

2/2 "The order also tells Rollins to protect domestic (#glyphosate and #phosphorus) suppliers from going out of business, but also shielding those companies from regulatory or financial pressures."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/trum...

Trump Signs Order Protecting Glyphosate, Phosphorus Production - Farm Policy News Invoking the Defense Production Act, President Donald Trump on Wednesday designated glyphosate-based herbicides and elemental phosphorus as critical to national defense and ordered Agriculture Secreta...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how President Trump "designated #glyphosate-based herbicides and elemental #phosphorus as critical to national defense and ordered Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to prioritize and secure domestic supplies."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/trum...

Bayer Proposes $7.25 Billion Roundup Settlement - Farm Policy News Agrochemical maker Bayer and attorneys for cancer patients announced a proposed $7.25 billion settlement Tuesday to resolve thousands of U.S. lawsuits alleging the company failed to warn people that i...

2/2 "Tuesday’s proposed #settlement comes after the U.S. #SupremeCourt agreed to hear an appeal in a case that Bayer argues will sharply limit its liability in the litigation."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/baye...

Bayer Proposes $7.25 Billion Roundup Settlement - Farm Policy News Agrochemical maker Bayer and attorneys for cancer patients announced a proposed $7.25 billion settlement Tuesday to resolve thousands of U.S. lawsuits alleging the company failed to warn people that i...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how Bayer "announced a proposed $7.25 billion #settlement Tuesday to resolve thousands of U.S. #lawsuits alleging the company failed to warn people that its popular #weedkiller Roundup could cause cancer."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/baye...

Number of U.S. Farms Shrank by 15,000 in 2025 - Farm Policy News The number of U.S. farms shrank by 15,000 in 2025, bringing the total to 1.865 million, USDA said (last week) in its Land in Farms report. This continues a long-lasting trend of declining farm numbers...

2/2 In the Midwest, #Illinois saw a loss of 400 #farms to 69,600 in 2025, Iowa saw a loss of 500 farms to 86,200, Indiana saw a loss of 500 farms to 51,500, Nebraska saw a loss of 200 farms to 44,100 and Minnesota saw a loss of 1,300 farms to 64,000.

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/numb...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how "the number of U.S. #farms shrank by 15,000 in 2025, bringing the total to 1.865 million, USDA said (last week) in its Land in Farms report." "This continues a long-lasting trend of declining farm numbers."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/numb...

House Ag Committee Releases New Farm Bill, Markup Set for Feb. 23 - Farm Policy News The House Agriculture Committee unveiled a draft farm bill Friday that would revamp a key international food aid program, boost risk management options for specialty crop growers and nullify Californi...

2/2 “The Republican-led panel aims to take up the (#FarmBill) legislation Feb. 23 and advance it out of committee by Feb. 25." The measure largely "tackles provisions not passed and signed into law last year as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/hous...

House Ag Committee Releases New Farm Bill, Markup Set for Feb. 23 - Farm Policy News The House Agriculture Committee unveiled a draft farm bill Friday that would revamp a key international food aid program, boost risk management options for specialty crop growers and nullify Californi...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how the House Ag "Committee unveiled a draft #FarmBill Friday that would revamp a key international food aid program ... and nullify California’s controversial Proposition 12 standards for animal welfare."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/hous...

Cargill Closing Wisconsin Beef Processing Facility - Farm Policy News U.S. agribusiness Cargill will permanently close its beef processing facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and eliminate 221 jobs, according to a filing with the state, the latest U.S. beef plant to be sh...

2/2 "The move comes as the US #cattle #herd has dropped to the lowest in 75 years, leaving meatpackers with fewer animals to keep plants running." "Rival #beef producer Tyson Foods Inc. earlier this year shut a cattle slaughtering plant in Nebraska."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/carg...

Cargill Closing Wisconsin Beef Processing Facility - Farm Policy News U.S. agribusiness Cargill will permanently close its beef processing facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and eliminate 221 jobs, according to a filing with the state, the latest U.S. beef plant to be sh...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how "agribusiness Cargill will permanently close its #beef #processing facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and eliminate 221 jobs ... the latest U.S. beef plant to be shuttered amid rising costs for meatpackers.”

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/carg...

Many Producers 'Fighting for Survival' in 2026, Survey Shows - Farm Policy News The U.S. ag economy enters 2026 in a clear crop-sector recession, but the deeper crisis is one of confidence. High input costs, weak prices, policy uncertainty and eroding trust in data have pushed ma...

2/2 In the first Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor of 2026, economists "pointed to a familiar but intensifying split in the #ag #economy: strength in livestock, particularly beef cattle, versus persistent financial stress across much of the row-crop sector."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/many...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how "the January #Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows high input costs, weak prices (and) policy uncertainty have pushed many producers from planning for #profitability to fighting for survival."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/many...

USDA Crop Data Reliability Remains Under Scrutiny - Farm Policy News The U.S. Department of Agriculture, long the world's gold standard for crop estimates, faces mounting doubts about the reliability of its data from farmers, grain traders and economists following deep...

2/2 Significant upward revisions to USDA’s final crop estimates in January "prompted #USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, which releases acreage estimates, to launch an internal review, said Lance Honig, a top NASS official."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/usda...

USDA Crop Data Reliability Remains Under Scrutiny - Farm Policy News The U.S. Department of Agriculture, long the world's gold standard for crop estimates, faces mounting doubts about the reliability of its data from farmers, grain traders and economists following deep...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how "the U.S. Department of #Agriculture, long the world’s gold standard for crop estimates, faces mounting doubts about the reliability of its #data from farmers, grain traders and economists."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/usda...

U.S. Farm Bankruptcies Increased 46% in 2025 - Farm Policy News The U.S. Courts report that 315 farm bankruptcies were filed in calendar year 2025, up 46% from 2024. While still down from recent highs, this is the second year in a row of increased filings.

2/2 "The #Midwest and #Southeast each filed 121 and 105 Chapter 12 (#farm #bankruptcy) cases, respectively, far outpacing any other regions. This is a 70% increase in filings for the Midwest, and a 69% increase in the Southeast."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/u-s-...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how "the U.S. Courts report that 315 #farm #bankruptcies were filed in calendar year 2025, up 46% from 2024. While still down from recent highs, this is the second year in a row of increased filings."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/u-s-...

U.S. to Quadruple Beef Imports from Argentina - Farm Policy News President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order temporarily expanding the amount of beef the U.S. can import from Argentina, a move the White House says is aimed at lowering prices but that...

2/2 “Economists have said increased U.S. #imports of #Argentine #beef will likely be too small to significantly lower costs for grocery store shoppers, but the shipments could help improve margins for food companies."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/u-s-...

U.S. to Quadruple Beef Imports from Argentina - Farm Policy News President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order temporarily expanding the amount of beef the U.S. can import from Argentina, a move the White House says is aimed at lowering prices but that...

1/ Today's Farm Policy News Summary covers how "President Trump signed an executive order Friday that quadruples the amount of #beef #imported into the U.S. from #Argentina under a new trade agreement with the South American country."

farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/02/u-s-...