The Chesapeake Bay Region is set to receive several million dollars in support from USDA. It will help manage invasive catfish while making good use of those pests.
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins has committed $6 million in grants to expand seafood processing and target invasive wild-caught catfish. USDA will work with Maryland’s ag department to launch a $2 million pilot program that will put those catfish into local food banks.
Rollins says the move is a win for fishermen, local economies, and families in need.
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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.
Higher livestock prices reflect resilient demand, even as disease and herd shifts reshape 2026 supply expectations.