Author: staff

By Leah Douglas WASHINGTON, July 10 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Thursday it would no longer consider a farmer’s race or sex in many of its farm loan, commodity and conservation programs, ending a longstanding effort by the agency to address its history of discrimination. The move was made to align with the Trump administration’s directives to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion policies across the federal government and because the USDA has adequately addressed past bias, the agency said in a final rule. “Moving forward, USDA will no longer apply race- or sex-based criteria in its decision-making processes, ensuring that its programs…

By Manoj Kumar NEW DELHI, July 10 (Reuters) – A delegation from India is expected to visit the United States soon for trade talks, a government official told reporters, as the two countries look to iron out disagreements over duties for auto components, steel, and farm goods. India is among the few countries that are still negotiating a trade deal with Washington, as President Donald Trump ramps up his trade war with the threat of sharply higher tariffs from Aug. 1. A team of Indian officials on an extended visit to the U.S. recently failed to secure a deal as the two countries were unable to…

Senate appropriators unanimously advanced a more moderate, bipartisan plan for 2026 funding levels at USDA and FDA than their House counterparts, with boosts to WIC and measures to prevent field office closures.  The overall bill allocates $27.1 billion in discretionary funding, an increase from the House-appropriated $25.5 billion.  The biggest increase in funding levels went to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. The program’s funding would increase by $500 million, which is expected to cover projected increases in participation. The bill also maintains the full Cash Value Benefit for fruits and vegetables, which saw slight cuts in…

Selecting the right seed doesn’t have to be rigorous trial and error. Digital seed selection tools unite field data, artificial intelligence (AI), and human expertise, so you can make the right choices for your field.  GHX MaxScript GHX by Golden Harvest is one of the tools available to farmers when making corn and soybean seed selections. MaxScript, available in GHX, pairs the farmer with its digital tools and a Golden Harvest adviser to prescribe the right hybrids and rate at the field level. MaxScript looks at three elements when choosing seeds for each field: soil productivity, 20-year weather history, and…

The reconciliation bill Congress passed this month cuts nutrition program spending by an estimated $186 billion over 10 years. Agri-Pulse spoke with Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., an ag committee Democrat who represents the Detroit metropolitan area. After the cuts to SNAP, “I don’t think it’s going to be smooth sailing for what you call the skinny farm bill,” Thanedar said.Then, Tara Smith with Torrey Advisory Group discusses when producers can see the boost to commodity and crop insurance programs included in reconciliation, and Arlan Suderman at StoneX discusses the extension of the country-specific reciprocal tariff deadline. Watch the Episode Want…

Father-daughter duo Ron and Lilli Kreider say focusing on cow comfort, following sustainable practices, trusting the next generation, and treating employees like family are the keys to success on their Pennsylvania farm. Listen to the Podcast Subscribe to 15 Minutes With a Farmer on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please rate and review us! Lilli Kreider is the herd manager at Kreider Farms. Courtesy of Kreider Farms Meet the Kreiders Ron’s grandparents, Noah and Mary Kreider, purchased the farm from Mary’s father, John B. Hershey (a cousin of chocolatier Milton Hershey), 90 years ago. Hersheys had been farming…

1. Wheat Futures Lower; Corn, Beans Little Changed Wheat futures were lower in overnight trading, and corn and soybeans were little changed ahead of today’s supply and demand reports from the USDA.  Higher wheat stocks are possible in today’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report from the agency amid narrowly higher quarterly stockpiles and planted acres.  Old-crop corn exports are expected to rise, and new-crop output may be down narrowly from the June estimate. No adjustments for new-crop demand or yield are expected.  The soybean balance sheet should remain little changed, but higher carryout is possible amid increased…

Some farm-state lawmakers are eyeing potential opportunities for the U.S. agricultural sector should President Donald Trump follow through on his threat to impose steep new tariffs on Brazil. The president shared a letter to Truth Social on Wednesday addressed to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva that outlined new 50% duties on imports from Brazil on Aug. 1 over his displeasure at the country’s treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The president also indicated that he would open an investigation into the country’s unfair trade practices. “I’m very happy to keep Brazil out of my agriculture market,” Sen. Roger Marshall,…

By Ryan Hanrahan Bloomberg’s Ilena Peng, Dayanne Sousa, and Mariana Durao reported that “President Donald Trump’s unexpected move to threaten a 50% tariff on Brazil risks roiling global commodity markets, disrupting trade on everything from beef to coffee.” “The U.S. is Brazil’s second-largest trading partner, trailing only China. But while the two nations compete directly in some markets like corn and cotton, Brazil — an agricultural powerhouse — also produces tropical goods like coffee that can’t be grown in the continental U.S.,” Peng, Sousa, and Durao reported. “Brazil has been ramping up beef shipments to meet growing U.S. demand, and is…

The U.S. Department of Labor has issued a citation against Tyson Foods’ Keystone Foods subsidiary following a fatal boiler explosion and fire at its poultry processing plant in Camilla, Georgia, in December 2024. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Keystone Foods for a serious violation and proposed a penalty of $16,550. According to the OSHA investigation, two workers at the facility were seriously burned when a hose filled with oil ruptured during maintenance, igniting an oil mist and causing a fire and explosion in the plant’s boiler room. Inspectors concluded the company failed to ensure that employees followed internal…