Farm Action wants DOGE to investigate checkoff program fraud

Farm Action is calling on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to investigate what they call fraud within the checkoff programs.

In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Elon Musk, Farm Action says checkoff programs lack transparency and oversight and cost farmers more than a billion dollars annually. They say more than 60 farm groups have called for some checkoff reform over the years.

Since taking office, President Donald Trump has directed cuts across the government, with more possible in the coming weeks. DOGE is asking the public to help identify areas for investigation, including agencies within the USDA.

Related Stories
Demand for farm loans surged in the first quarter of the year, topping the previous record set in 2016.
Congress is seeking insight from meteorologists and weather researchers on how new technology can enhance safety and response times to severe weather and prevent future disasters.
Roger McEowen with the Washburn School of Law joins us now with the highlights.
A group of 32 Democratic senators is urging ag lawmakers to halt their opposition to Prop 12 in the next Farm Bill.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Mexico’s tougher, two-step treatment and added checkpoints are catching cases before they can spread—good news for producers near the border.
Despite tariffs having a less significant impact on exports, corn producers struggle with tariff-related increases on inputs, which complicates their bottom line.
Jack Daniel’s will end its Cow Feeder Program, which served around 100 livestock operations near the distillery, and redirect spent grains to its anaerobic digester.
Prepare for acute UAN risk and a brief urea shock; maintain steady ammonia and phosphate plans, and monitor potash basis on the coasts.
Software developers at John Deere Digital are addressing challenges with their new Operations Center, which helps farmers make decisions on the fly.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.