Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy is doubling down on rural hospitals and the role they play in rural communities.
Speaking alongside Texas Governor Greg Abbot, he says that rural health goes far beyond the hospital walls.
According to the Secretary, “These institutions are not just medical providers, they’re, in most cases, they’re the single largest employer in those areas. They have the highest paying jobs, and when they lose them, they, as we talked about before and it’s not just the hospital that closes. It’s the pharmacy that closes. It’s the stores that close, and the community collapses. So we have to, and President Trump understands, preserve these rural hospitals, and they were closing at an epidemic rate.”
Some of these issues are being addressed.
The recently passed Big Beautiful Bill includes the Rural Transformation Program. It will spend $50 billion over the course of five years, helping offset other provisions in that legislation.
As ag lawmakers in the Senate await the House vote on the Farm Bill, they are eager to discuss the challenges farmers face before it is their turn to take up the critical legislation.
March 26, 2026 04:29 PM
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Productivity gains are supporting supply despite limited herd expansion.
March 26, 2026 03:23 PM
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Elena Chavez with Halter provided insight into the company’s virtual fencing technology, its adoption in the U.S., and the impact of recent funding on ranching operations.
March 26, 2026 03:21 PM
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The Biden Administration launched the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access (ILCMA) program in 2023 to help underserved farmers facing barriers to land ownership.
March 26, 2026 02:20 PM
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Justin Tupper with the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association joins us to discuss the USDA’s voluntary labeling updates, industry priorities, and the outlook for U.S. cattle producers.
March 26, 2026 12:26 PM
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Higher machinery costs are raising per-acre production expenses.
March 26, 2026 10:34 AM
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