More than 20 lawmakers have written Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins, warning the plan could go sideways for farmers. They argue Congress was left in the dark and warn any future moves out of the Beltway would be a mistake.
The group of 23 lawmakers who wrote USDA leadership were all democrats, but some Republicans, like Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, also took issue with the roll out. He says that USDA only came to the table after the fact, leaving lawmakers little time to digest the information.
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The USDA says the framework is about “ending abusive government overreach” and “protecting farmers, families, and private property.”
Farm numbers still favor small operations, but production, resilience, and risk management are increasingly concentrated among fewer, larger farms.
The USDA opened a new sterile fly-dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in South Texas to prevent a potential outbreak of New World screwworm and protect the small U.S. cattle herd.
The agreement formalizes coordination between the two departments to address security concerns affecting U.S. agriculture.
Strong corn exports offer support, while soybeans and wheat remain weighed down by ample global supplies, according to the USDA’s latest WASDE report for February.
