Farmers are on Capitol Hill this week, warning lawmakers about the state of the ag economy. Profits are tight, and one specialty crop grower warns it could significantly impact when he goes to the bank this year.
“The land cost, all of our input costs, the way they’ve escalated over the past 4-5 years has been nothing like I’ve ever seen before,” said Ryan Talley. “It really hamstrings our availability of financing to get loans when everything is costing 30-60% more. The available funds are no longer available.”
Prop-12 was also a big topic at the hearing.
Related Stories
Roger McEowen with the Washburn University School of Law joined us to provide legal insight and context on these issues facing agriculture. Today, he discusses pesticide litigation.
Sen. Deb Fischer reintroduces the HAULS Act to update hours-of-service exemptions and definitions affecting livestock and agricultural haulers. She joins us on Market Day Report to share more about her proposed legislation.
Strong crush demand and rising ethanol production are pressuring feedstocks, as traders monitor storage risks and supply chain uncertainty and await the upcoming January WASDE report.
According to multiple reports, Sen. Amy Klobuchar is considering a bid for Minnesota governor. If elected, this would open a key seat on the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Dr. Seth Meyer Concludes Service; Dr. Justin Benavidez Appointed USDA Chief Economist
Last year was a busy year for pesticide litigation in the United States. At No. 10, it kicks off RFD-TV Legal Expert Roger McEowen’s list of the “Top 10” Agricultural Law and Tax Developments of 2025.
USDA data indicates that 13.7 percent of U.S. households experienced food insecurity in 2024, the highest rate since 2014, even as most households remained food secure.
Read the full press release published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
A look at the legislative year ahead as lawmakers return to Washington with a slate of trade concerns to tackle in 2026—from new Chinese tariffs on beef imports to the USMCA review this summer.