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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USDA Rural Development Director for Kentucky, Travis Burton, joined us to discuss the Princeton facility (formerly Porter Road Meats), now backed by the USDA, and its role in expanding domestic meat processing capacity.
Nearly everyone in the South Texas ag community appears extremely worried about the potential of a New World screwworm epidemic, according to a local veterinarian. RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey reports.
Rural population growth and stabilizing economic indicators point to post-pandemic recovery, but uneven income, shifting industries, and regional divides remain key challenges for rural communities.
Decoupled base acres may amplify income inequality and distort planting decisions as farm program payments increase.
Corn and wheat exports remain a demand bright spot, while soybeans are transitioning into a more typical late-winter shipping slowdown.
Despite rising costs and growing food insecurity, meat demand remained strong in 2025 as higher-income consumers offset cutbacks elsewhere. Economists break down the K-shaped economy, upcoming USDA cattle reports, livestock production outlooks, and renewed debate over beef imports and country-of-origin labeling heading into 2026.
