Trump Administration drops charges against the Maude Family Ranch

The Trump Administration announced it has dropped criminal charges against a South Dakota ranching family.

Charles and Heather Maude faced federal charges over a fence-line and planting disputes involving 50 acres of federal land. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said it was a civil case, and the charges should never have escalated. She said the actions of the previous administration caused turmoil for the Maude family.

The Maude Family will speak at a news conference in Washington tomorrow.

Related Stories
In a call with reporters on Tuesday, RFD-TV News reporter Lily Raby asked Senate Ag Committee member Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) for his opinion on Des Moines school leaders’ decisions to halt ag education programs, which also threatens the future of the city’s FFA chapter.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

FFA education inspires Chelsey Keiser to become the first female horse jockey.
Ryan Dunsbergen, soybean product manager for Golden Harvest, shares an overview of their new soybean seed lineup and what growers can expect in 2026.
Bioethanol is becoming a global standard. For growers, that boom comes as drops in Mississippi River levels and in soybean demand occur in tandem, leaving barge space for corn and wheat.
The government shutdown has touched nearly every sector of the ag industry since it began, and now impacts are spilling over into dairy.
With China halting U.S. soybean purchases and talks tied to broader strategic issues, growers face renewed export uncertainty.
Talks highlight the widening role of agriculture in U.S.–India trade policy, though neither side appears ready for major concessions before tariff issues and oil imports are resolved.