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USDA raises U.S. agricultural export forecast
U.S. agricultural exports are expected to strengthen as USDA raised its trade forecast and projected a smaller agricultural trade deficit for fiscal 2026. USDA's Economic Research Service and Foreign Agricultural Service forecast agricultural exports at $179.5 billion, up $3 billion from the agency's May projection. Imports are forecast at $204.5 billion, down $1 billion from May. That would produce an agricultural trade deficit of about $25 billion, compared with the $29 billion deficit...
Findings from April Cattle on Feed Report
The Cattle on Feed Reports from USDA provide a look at the inventory of cattle in feedlots throughout the United States. The April Cattle on Feed Report shows another year over year decrease according to USDA livestock analyst Michael McConnell. McConnell points out...
U.S. to use tariff funds to offset high fertilizer prices
The Trump administration is preparing to direct tens of billions of dollars from tariffs and renegotiated trade deals toward strengthening domestic fertilizer production, according to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Speaking before lawmakers during a House...
AG trade deficit drops 42 percent
New numbers from USDA show progress in reducing the U.S. agricultural trade deficit, but officials say there is still more work ahead to return to a long-standing trade surplus. USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg says when the...
Iowa FFA members fight food insecurity at annual convention
Since 2012, Iowa FFA members have helped package pre-made meals to fight food insecurity during the annual Iowa FFA Leadership Conference. Servant leadership is one of the core values of the FFA, which means that events and opportunities like this truly resonate with...
USDA launches National Proving Grounds Network for AgTech
USDA’s recently launched National Proving Grounds Network for AgTech is designed to help ag-tech companies develop products that can help farmers be more profitable and successful through real world testing. USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics...
Senators introduce bill aimed at stabilizing farm labor costs
U.S. Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina and several Republican colleagues have introduced legislation aimed at stabilizing agricultural labor costs and providing greater certainty for farmers. The proposal, known as the Farmworker Access and Retention Modernization,...
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Younger consumers continue to cook more pork
Demand for ground pork continues to grow, driven by its versatility in the kitchen and its role as a gateway protein for younger consumers learning to cook with pork. Gen Z and millennial consumers are leading in both purchase frequency and annual spending. Neal Hull,...
Major progress on beef trade at U.S.-China summit
On Friday, May 15, China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) granted a five-year registration extension to 425 overdue U.S. beef establishments in China’s Food Import Food Establishment (CIFER) system – a critical step toward restoring market access for U.S....
NWS cases less than 100 miles from U.S. border
There are over 1,800 active cases of the New World Screwworm in Mexico, and 15 of those cases are now less than 100 miles from the U.S. border. Rear Admiral Michael Schroyer, the associate administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, says that...
China agrees to $17 billion in ag purchases
China has agreed to purchase at least $17 billion in U.S. agricultural products annually through 2028. That’s according to a White House fact sheet released Sunday following President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing. The agreement came after meetings between Trump and...
USDA watching western drought, Midwest summer outlook
Summer weather patterns remain difficult to predict heading into the heart of the growing season, but USDA Chief Meteorologist Brad Rippey says current forecast models continue pointing toward ongoing drought concerns across much of the western United States. Speaking...
