Agriculture
Preserving equity through active risk management remains critical in a volatile, supply-driven market.
USDA data indicates that 13.7 percent of U.S. households experienced food insecurity in 2024, the highest rate since 2014, even as most households remained food secure.
Weather, Tight Supplies, and Planning Shape Farm Decisions
Bigger cows must wean proportionally heavier calves to justify higher ownership costs.
Read the full press release published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Farmer Bridge Assistance payments provide immediate balance-sheet support heading into 2026, but remain a short-term bridge rather than a substitute for long-term market recovery.
High ownership does not always translate into high output, underscoring the importance of structural differences in understanding state-level farm performance.
Benchmark machinery costs against those of similar-sized, high-performing operations to inform equipment and investment decisions.
2023 Farm Bill
While the 2018 Farm Bill received an extension under the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” Act, the National Pork Producers Council wants lawmakers to do more to support the sector.
Row crop losses in 2025 are outpacing last year. With no disaster aid yet approved, many operations face a tough financial bridge to 2026 even as Farm Bill improvements remain a year away.
If the House concurs and the President signs, USDA services and farm-bill programs resume at full speed with authorities extended for another year.
Trending Stories: Livestock
Pork producers warn that proposed definitions of “ultra-processed” food in guidelines from the “Make America Healthy Again” plan could negatively impact industry-standard bacon, sausage, and feed practices.
Retail pricing confirms tight cattle supplies and supports continued leverage for producers, reinforcing the need for disciplined risk management.
Sen. Deb Fischer reintroduces the HAULS Act to update hours-of-service exemptions and definitions affecting livestock and agricultural haulers. She joins us on Market Day Report to share more about her proposed legislation.
Trending Stories: Crops
Farm CPA Paul Neiffer outlines the key difference between previous ECAP payments and the Farm Bridge Assistance Program.
China’s pullback is hitting core U.S. commodities hard, reshaping export expectations for soybeans, cotton, grains, and livestock.
Trending Stories: Machinery
A new study found that retaining the EPA’s half-RIN credit protects soybean demand, farm income, and crushing-sector strength while preserving biofuel market flexibility.
Lewie Pugh with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) discusses the gap in truck driver education programs and how it impacts road safety and supply chain economics.
A permanent national E15 standard would boost corn demand, lower fuel costs, and provide a stable path for U.S. energy security.
Trending Stories: Sustainability
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) are praising the passage of a bill to delist gray wolves as an endangered species by the U.S. House last week.
Western Caucus member Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) details the SPEED Act on Champions of Rural America. The legislation aims to reform NEPA, streamline permitting, and expand domestic energy development.
With record grain harvests and rising global ethanol demand, leaders across the ag and energy sectors are pushing for year-round E15 sales to mitigate the strain on grain trade.
