A big issue in 2024 was USDA’s push for “climate-smart” ag practices. The department poured $3 billion in tax dollars into getting farmers to enroll in projects to reduce emissions and sequester carbon.
With a new administration now in office, many are wondering what might lie ahead.
Roger McEowen with the Washburn School of Law spoke with RFD-TV’s own Suzanne Alexander on efforts under the previous administration, the impact on producers, and how new leadership could change USDA’s policies.
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“It, all of a sudden, says that tracking and fighting hunger is not a priority, apparently, at the federal level.”
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.
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.
Trump’s upcoming talks raise hopes for U.S. soybeans, but China’s record purchases from Brazil and Argentina show America’s market share remains under heavy pressure.
USDA’s report shows wheat strength overall, with winter wheat yields setting records, while spring wheat and rye saw declines. Oats and barley remain constrained by record-low acreage despite stable or rising yields.
Bigger-than-expected corn and wheat stocks are bearish for prices, while soybean figures were neutral. Farmers may face additional price pressure as harvest accelerates.
