NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — U.S. agriculture still faces uncertainty from the European Union’s (EU) deforestation regulation, even after the European Commission released a simplification package. USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service says the package does not resolve key U.S. concerns over due diligence statements and geolocation data.
The EU says its changes could reduce annual company compliance costs by about 75 percent compared with the original rule. The package includes updated guidance, revised questions and answers, product-scope changes, and information system updates.
The concern for U.S. agriculture is that low-risk suppliers may still face paperwork and traceability burdens. USDA says operators sourcing from low-risk countries must still collect the required information and provide geolocation coordinates for production plots.
USDA says U.S. agricultural and timber production is not driving deforestation, with forest cover remaining stable and extensive across the country. The rule could affect $9 billion in U.S. agricultural exports, including beef, soy, wood, rubber, and derived products.
The regulation is scheduled to take effect on December 30, 2026, leaving U.S. exporters and farm groups watching whether the EU makes further changes.
Farm-Level Takeaway: EU simplification may reduce some paperwork, but U.S. exporters still face costly traceability requirements.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist
Ben Kurtzman with American Farmland Trust discusses the growing pressure on farmland and ranchland and the steps being taken to help conserve farms and ranches across the country ,as unrest in the Middle East adds more obstacles for producers.
March 11, 2026 03:18 PM
·
NRECA CEO Jim Matheson warns that rising electricity demand from AI and data centers could strain the grid and affect rural electric cooperatives if U.S. power infrastructure cannot keep up.
March 11, 2026 11:59 AM
·
Weather remains the primary driver for wheat price outlook.
March 11, 2026 10:58 AM
·
For producers, success this season will require more than just a clean field; it will require meticulous record-keeping, a proactive written mitigation plan, and a constant eye on both the forecast and the federal docket.
March 10, 2026 05:04 PM
·
HTS Commodities’ Lewis Williamson provides updates on how growers are preparing for spring planting in an unpredictable agricultural landscape.
March 10, 2026 03:45 PM
·
RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney explains how geopolitical developments in the Middle East can create energy-driven pressures that impact the supply chain and reshape demand for certain ag products.
March 10, 2026 03:27 PM
·
