It has been a couple of months since the Trump Administration began shutting down USAID. As the industry works to adjust, the Washington Grain Commission says it is hoping to see the program get back to its roots.
“There’s been a push for a while to increase this transparency and accountability, and what they say is ‘put the food back in food aid’. There’s been quite a shift in the last five or ten years, even, to cash payments overseas or purchasing commodities overseas, often from our competitors. So, we would like to see a return to the original intent of the program,” said Casey Chumrau.
She is hoping the program can be reworked, saying farmers in the Pacific Northwest rely on that business.
“It is a significant part of the PNW’s export plan, I would say at this point. Food aid is, if you would count it as a country, a top ten market for soft white in the last decade. And so that wheat is purchased commercially like any other bushel of wheat and does support our farmers and then, obviously, helps battle hunger across the world as well.”
USAID’s most recent budget was around $40 billion. It began in the 1960s under President Kennedy, and averaged about $2 billion a year in small grains purchases.
Oil-led rallies can move soybean prices quickly, but sustained gains will require continued strength in soybean oil and broader biofuel demand signals.
January 22, 2026 10:39 AM
·
Dairy farmer and Discover Ag co-host Tara Vander Dussen joined us to discuss the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, her experience at the signing, and what’s next for her family and farm.
January 21, 2026 12:42 PM
·
Analysts say a Supreme Court decision on tariffs could reshape protein markets, strain U.S.-China trade, and force farmers to rethink global demand strategies.
January 21, 2026 12:03 PM
·
President Donald Trump speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, addressing SNAP spending, tariff threats against Europe, market reactions, and the upcoming USMCA review.
January 21, 2026 11:50 AM
·
From meatpacking settlements to landmark NEPA rulings, Roger McEowen outlines the top legal developments in 2025 that will shape agriculture in the years ahead.
January 20, 2026 03:39 PM
·
From rising trade tensions in Europe to a pending Supreme Court decision on tariffs and shifting demand from China, global trade policy spearheaded by President Donald Trump continues to shape the outlook for U.S. agriculture—adding uncertainty as farmers navigate another volatile year.
January 20, 2026 01:14 PM
·
