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.
Placements and marketings beat expectations, but declining on-feed totals and feeder constraints keep the supply story supportive for cattle prices into 2026. Dr. Derrell Peel, with Oklahoma State University, joined us to break down cattle-on-feed numbers and provide his broader market outlook.
January 23, 2026 04:40 PM
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USDA Rural Development Director for Kentucky, Travis Burton, joined us to discuss the Princeton facility (formerly Porter Road Meats), now backed by the USDA, and its role in expanding domestic meat processing capacity.
January 23, 2026 03:39 PM
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Nearly everyone in the South Texas ag community appears extremely worried about the potential of a New World screwworm epidemic, according to a local veterinarian. RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey reports.
January 23, 2026 11:56 AM
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Rural population growth and stabilizing economic indicators point to post-pandemic recovery, but uneven income, shifting industries, and regional divides remain key challenges for rural communities.
January 23, 2026 08:00 AM
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Decoupled base acres may amplify income inequality and distort planting decisions as farm program payments increase.
January 22, 2026 12:56 PM
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Corn and wheat exports remain a demand bright spot, while soybeans are transitioning into a more typical late-winter shipping slowdown.
January 21, 2026 10:36 AM
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