Editorials
In a landmark preliminary agreement filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Deere & Co. agreed to a $99 million settlement to resolve a consolidated class-action antitrust suit.
Rail consolidation could affect grain basis, freight rates, and service reliability across major producing regions.
For communities that depend on agriculture as their primary economic engine, the recession is not defined by headlines on Wall Street. It is defined by the quiet disappearance of the businesses that once processed, serviced, and supported the crop.
For the broader agricultural industry, a railroad antitrust case in Kansas could lead to the dismantling of legacy regulatory shields, creating a more fluid, market-driven transportation grid that prioritizes moving crops efficiently over protecting historic rail monopolies.
The debate now matters as much as the policy — market rules and regulatory clarity depend on whether Congress can finish the bill this year.
The long-term viability of a ranching operation often hinges on how effectively its owners navigate the overlapping layers of IRS regulations, state tax incentives, and USDA disaster programs.
Greater transparency into USDA-backed lending can help rural lenders and producers better assess credit availability and investment trends.
In a landmark ruling delivered in late 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court significantly narrowed the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act.
From “right to repair” to investigations into the “Big Four” meatpackers, antitrust issues were a major legal topic in 2025 and promise to have a long-term impact on the agriculture industry in the future.
Structural efficiency supports cattle prices and resilience — breaking it risks higher costs and greater volatility.
How the Public Trust Doctrine Threatens Agricultural Property Rights
Firm to Farm: A Property Rights Victory — The “Top 10" Agricultural Law and Tax Developments of 2025
North Dakota CO₂ Storage Law Struck Down
Last year was a busy year for pesticide litigation in the United States. At No. 10, it kicks off RFD-TV Legal Expert Roger McEowen’s list of the “Top 10” Agricultural Law and Tax Developments of 2025.
On a spreadsheet, it looks like the ultimate way to harvest extra profit. But in the eyes of the IRS—as RFD-TV Farm Legal & Tax Expert Roger McEowen explains—this “tax-free” bank can quickly turn into a field full of weeds.
Outdated reporting thresholds reduce cash-market visibility and increase the urgency of comprehensive Mandatory Price Reporting reform.
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.
While agriculture doesn’t predict every recession, the sector’s long history of turning down before the broader economy
The allure of rural property — with its promise of space, freedom, and self-sufficiency — is undeniable, but local zoning regulations govern the reality.
ARC/PLC, marketing loans, and crop insurance each matter at different points in the price cycle — and the new Farm Bill strengthens the balance among them.
For tight margins, contract grazing leverages existing acres into new income streams and spreads risk. Here are some tips for row crop farmers looking to diversify.
RFD-TV expert Roger McEowen explains why a “skinny” Farm Bill is likely in the future, but its scope may change due to provisions contained in the Big, Beautiful Bill.
China’s grain expansion model may be hitting its limit. Lower prices, high rents, and policy fatigue threaten future output — with ripple effects across global feed and oilseed markets.