WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — New details are emerging around federal agriculture spending as the White House releases a proposed budget targeting the U.S. Department of Agriculture. President Donald Trump’s latest budget proposal calls for cutting USDA spending by nearly 20 percent, or just under $5 billion, in the next fiscal year.
The plan describes parts of the agency as a “bloated Washington bureaucracy” and outlines reductions across several areas.
Some of the largest cuts would impact international food aid programs, including Food for Peace and the McGovern-Dole Food for Education program. The administration argues that those programs are costly and slow to deliver assistance.
The proposal also supports previous efforts to move USDA staff out of Washington, D.C., and into regional hubs, saying the shift would better align with an America-first agriculture policy.
Federal aid helps, but producers will bear most of the losses. Balance sheets may look stable, but margins remain fragile without policy support.
February 18, 2026 01:49 PM
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RFD NEWS Markets Specialist Tony St. James reviews the USDA’s Farms and Land in Farms 2025 Summary.
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Strong corn exports support prices while soybeans lag yearly pace. However, large carryover stocks limit upside despite solid yields.
February 18, 2026 12:41 PM
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Lori Stevermer with the National Pork Producers Council reacts to the USDA’s speedline proposal, the new Farm Bill’s fix for California’s Prop-12, and other policy developments impacting the pork industry.
February 18, 2026 12:18 PM
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South Texas farmers say water shortages continue despite Mexico’s renewed payments under the 1944 Water Treaty.
February 18, 2026 11:39 AM
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Roger McEowen with the Washburn School of Law reviews key highlights from the House Agriculture Committee’s latest farm bill proposal.
February 17, 2026 12:16 PM
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