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USDA moves forward with mandatory relocation despite pushback
The USDA Rural Development Mission Area intends to move nearly 3,000 members of its workforce out of the Washington, DC area, according to a report from Meatingplace. The relocation aims to modernize operations, increase accountability, and ensure federal resources are positioned where they can deliver the greatest impact. NOTUS reports that employees throughout the department overwhelmingly did not plan to move to new offices across the country – 80% say they would rather quit than move. This...
Trade mission to Peru is underway
USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Daniel Whitely arrived in Lima, Peru, this week to begin an agribusiness trade mission to expand market access. The goal is to boost U.S. agricultural exports to address the $3.66 billion trade deficit with Peru....
Brazil’s corn crop surges, exports dip
Brazil continues to pose strong competition in global agricultural trade, and 2025 will be no different. With favorable weather and solid market positioning, the conditions are aligning for another strong year for Brazilian crop production and exports. This growing...
Rural America helping to power AI innovation
Rural America is becoming the home of more data centers to power artificial intelligence. Jeff Johnston, Lead Economist for Infrastructure with CoBank, says the rural areas of the United States are helping to lead the charge forward for AI technology. Johnston says...
South American Weather and Crop Update (6-10-25)
Much of the forecast for Brazil and Argentina has remained the same week-over-week. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an explanation of the latest weather patterns in South America. Safrinha harvest progress in Brazil is behind the yearly average, but...
Deadline extended for AFBF Ag Innovation Challenge
Aspiring entrepreneurs now have more time to complete their applications for the Ag Innovation Challenge. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), in partnership with Farm Credit, has extended the deadline to register for the 2026 Ag Innovation Challenge to June...
Crafting the message for the consumer
Taste What Pork Can Do™ is the new industry wide consumer campaign from the National Pork Board. The campaign is similar in size and scope to successful campaigns of the past such as Pork, The Other White Meat. Kiersten Hafer with the National Pork Board says the...
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National Weather Service issues La Nina watch
The National Weather Service recently enacted a La Nina watch which means that the climatic system could develop in the fall or winter months. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says that despite the watch being put in place, a La Nina weather pattern forming is not a...
Thinking smarter- and shorter- with new seed genetics
We’ll be learning a lot from this year’s corn crop, and much of that will be evident when harvest comes around. While the crops look good right now, there’s looming disease pressure that could cause some issues before the crop makes it to the bin. Clayton Robinson,...
U.S. bison industry gains access to key overseas markets
The European Commission has proposed legislation that would allow some duty-free access for U.S. bison meat into the European Union. With this legislation, the current 20% tariff on U.S. bison would be eliminated under an annual tariff rate quota (TRQ) for 3,000 mt of...
Concerns over Mississippi River levels as harvest approaches
There's continued evidence that we may once again experience some low water conditions on the lower Mississippi River this fall. The prospects for restricted barge transportation this fall may come as a surprise for many given the healthy amounts of rainfall...
Rural veterinarian shortages draw federal attention
Rural America is built on small towns where life often looks a little different from what it does in big cities. We know the trade-offs, and for the most part, we accept them. Having fewer shopping options is a small inconvenience, while limited broadband has long...
