Author: staff

Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican and doctor by training, has long advocated the “food is medicine” concept, the idea that diet plays a role in preventing and curing disease. Now he has emerged as one of the leading congressional champions of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement launched by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Along with Senate GOP colleagues Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Rick Scott of Florida, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Marshall has formed a MAHA caucus. Among the senators’ goals:  Work with RFK Jr. to be the legislative force that…

By Ana Mano SAO PAULO, March 13 (Reuters) – Brazilian soybean farmers will reap an even bigger crop in the 2024/25 season than previously expected, according to forecasts released by crop agency Conab on Thursday, as deepening trade tensions are likely to increase demand from China. Brazil’s soybean crop, which farmers are harvesting now, is expected to total 167.37 million tons, about 1.3 million tons more than in Conab’s February forecast and above an all-time record of 155.7 million tons in the 2022/23 season. Conab data showed that more than 105 million tons of that production will be exported, up 7% from the previous season. Brazil, the world’s biggest producer and…

By Stine Jacobsen and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen COPENHAGEN, March 14 (Reuters) – The United States has reached out to Denmark and other European nations asking if they can export eggs as Americans face surging egg prices, the Nordic country’s egg association said on Friday. The request from the U.S. Department of Agriculture coincides with a raft of new U.S. tariffs on countries, including in Europe, and the threat of more. President Donald Trump has also threatened economic sanctions unless Denmark hands over control of Greenland to the United States. U.S. wholesale egg prices are shattering records as an accelerating outbreak of bird flu in laying hens slashes…

More than 100 USDA agency offices are some of the latest to be selected by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for lease termination. They’re on a list of nearly 750 government offices on the department’s “Wall of Receipts” falling under the real estate category. Agencies affected include Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) and their locations cut across 39 states and four territories. Will one of your local offices be affected? Take a look at this map of office locations to find out. In the map, each circle represents a terminated office lease. Hover over…

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) recently reintroduced a bill to assist agricultural producers after adverse weather events. The Livestock Disaster Assistance Improvement Act directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to improve the accuracy of the U.S. Drought Monitor, which factors into disaster programs. “South Dakota farmers and ranchers are all too familiar with working through extreme weather conditions, especially drought,” Thune said. “These common-sense updates to disaster programs would help provide greater and expedited assistance to producers when they need it the most. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan legislation that would make the Drought…

By Cami Koons Iowa farmers and institutions lost an estimated $11.3 million in federal funding to support the purchase of locally raised foods, following the recent termination of two U.S. Department of Agriculture programs.  The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship notified partners Monday afternoon that agreements made under the Local Food for Schools, or LFS, program and Local Food Purchase Assistance, LFPA, program announced in late 2024, was terminated by USDA.  Ryan Marquardt, owner of Wild Rose Pastures in Van Meter, said the programs, which began in 2022, have increased gross sales on his 20-acre cattle, egg, and…

Federal court rulings in California and Maryland have ordered multiple government agencies to reinstate probationary employees who they say were unlawfully terminated under directives from the Office of Personnel Management. U.S. District Judge William Alsup of California found that the firings violated legal protections, while U.S. District Judge James Bredar of Maryland ruled that the Trump administration had failed to follow proper procedures for large-scale layoffs, including providing a 60-day advance notice. As a result, 14 federal departments — including Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs — along with several agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the…

Today, May corn closed down 6¾¢ at $4.58½ per bushel. From last Friday’s close, the contract ended the week down 10¾¢. This was the fourth consecutive week-over-week lower close for the contract. May soybeans ended the day up 5¼¢ at $10.16 per bushel. From last Friday’s close, the contract was down 9¢. This was the third consecutive week-over-week lower close for the contract. May wheat contracts ended the day in the red. CBOT wheat closed down 5½¢ at $5.57 per bushel. KC wheat was down 1½¢ at $5.86. Minneapolis wheat was down 2¢ at $6.01¾. June live cattle ended the…

The Los Angeles Times has reported a potentially troubling genetic mutation in dairy cows infected with H5N1 bird flu in San Bernardino County, but federal agencies have yet to confirm the findings. The mutation, known as PB2 E627K, has previously been linked to increased mammal-to-mammal transmission and higher disease severity, raising concerns among scientists. This development comes nearly a year after the first cases of bird flu were detected in Texas dairy cattle. While official confirmation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Centers for Disease Control is still pending, researchers have identified the mutation in four herds, believed to…

By Tom Polansek, Mei Mei Chu, and Laurie Chen CHICAGO/BEIJING, March 14 (Reuters) – Hundreds of U.S. meat plants granted access to China in a 2020 “Phase 1” trade deal with President Donald Trump are set to lose export eligibility on Sunday, threatening roughly $5 billion in trade to the world’s largest meat market amid a renewed trade war. Losing access to China would deal a fresh blow to American farmers after Beijing earlier this month imposed retaliatory tariffs on some $21 billion worth of American agricultural goods, including 10% duties on U.S. pork, beef and dairy imports. Beijing requires food exporters to register with customs…