U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has been answering questions before the Senate Ag Committee for her confirmation hearing.
Vermont Senator Peter Welch had the chance to ask Rollins a few questions, one of which included adequate labor for dairy farmers. He says the state cannot milk their cows without immigrant labor and wants to make sure whatever decisions are made on the border do not deprive dairy farms access to labor.
“I know there is great concern amongst our ag community on what immigration under President Trump will look like. My commitment to you is this - that understanding the data and understanding the impact of those in the ag community, dairy farms, I think especially, are concerned, but everybody is. Ensuring that we’re working with the nominee over at Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who is from Oregon...I know that these cows need to be milked 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It doesn’t go away. If there’s no one to milk them, then that’s big trouble.”
Agricultural exports continue to be a key contributor to rural employment. However, rural businesses still struggle to fill numerous job openings.
October 06, 2025 10:46 AM
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated this week that the government will intervene to help, following China’s withdrawal from the U.S. soybean market. One trader says the industry will remain in a holding pattern until Tuesday.
October 03, 2025 01:04 PM
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Farm CPA Paul Neiffer joins us to provide an updated analysis of projected ARC and PLC payments and potential delays due to the ongoing government shutdown.
October 03, 2025 11:02 AM
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“It, all of a sudden, says that tracking and fighting hunger is not a priority, apparently, at the federal level.”
October 02, 2025 01:22 PM
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In a final rule published in the Federal Register, the Department states that it will no longer base wage rates on the Farm Labor Survey.
October 02, 2025 11:20 AM
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Farmers are in the midst of harvest as the government descends into a shutdown and the Farm Bill expires. Key federal departments, crop reporting, and aid programs important to the agricultural sector are now on hold.
October 02, 2025 10:54 AM
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