Top Stories
USDA finalizes specialty crop assistance program details
The USDA announced it has finalized the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program, announced late last year. Danny Munch, an economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the funds are part of the USDA’s broader Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. The assistance is available to farmers who planted specialty crops in 2025 and reported those acres to the Farm Service Agency. Munch said the USDA is already preparing pre-filled applications for eligible farmers. For more information,...
Real Pork Scholar Program invests in the future of the pork industry
The Real Pork Scholar Program is one way the Pork Checkoff is establishing a firm foundation for the future of the U.S. pork industry. Hailey Schweke, a graduate student at the University of Minnesota and a Real Pork Scholar, said this program is focused on...
USMEF takes deep dive into Mexican market at U.S. Red Meat Symposium
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) recently held its inaugural U.S. Red Meat Symposium in Mexico City as U.S. red meat exports are hitting record levels in Mexico. With support from USDA, the Beef Checkoff Program and the National Pork Board, the symposium...
Converting melon waste into bioplastics
Farmers and the Ag industry are always looking for innovation; both to drive demand, find ways to reduce waste products, and help the environment. We may focus a lot on things like biofuels, aviation fuels, and other products for which our corn and soybeans are used....
REAP funds available for rural renewable energy projects
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is announcing $145 million in funding for 700 loan and grant awards through the Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP, to help agricultural producers and rural small business owners make energy efficiency improvements and...
Bearish Quarterly Grain Stocks and Acreage Reports stunts grain markets
The Quarterly Grain Stocks Report had a bearish tilt to it today, as most of the numbers came in higher than expected. The Acreage Report had an even greater bear effect to the grains, as both corn and beans came in differently than what was predicted. Allendale...
NCBA pushes back against lab-grown meat in the U.S. military
In one of their most recent Beltway Beef Podcast episodes, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association talked about a new project being introduced by the Department of Defense. The National Defense Authorization Act is used to fund the DoD and projects within it. The...
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More Ag News
After bird flu was found in pigs; now what?
Bird flu, or H5N1, jumped the species barrier twice this spring. It infected dairy cattle and humans. Given the physiological similarities between humans and hogs, we said it was probably no longer a matter of “if” but “when” hogs got caught up in the mix as well....
Positive momentum for carbon market programs
Carbon markets have been in the ag industry for a while now, and they are another source of revenue for farmers across the country. Ryan Winter, grower success manager with Agoro Carbon, said they’ve been very pleased with the enrollment growth in their programs....
Innovative new U.S. pork burger sees success in Colombia
At the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s (USMEF) Strategic Planning Conference in Tucson, Arizona, USMEF Latin America Representative Homero Recio updated members on promotional activities for U.S. red meat in South America. One of those activities is an exciting new...
Modern Ag Alliance working to ensure farmers have necessary crop protection tools
The Modern Ag Alliance was formed this year to advocate on behalf of farmers so that they can continue to have access to crop protection tools. The alliance is a coalition led by Bayer and several ag stakeholders concerned with the way in which pesticides are being...
Ethanol production reaches record high
Ethanol output rose to a record high in the seven days that ended on Nov. 8, according to data from the Energy Information Administration. Production jumped to an average of 1.113 million barrels a day, the agency said. That’s up from 1.105 million barrels a week...
