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.
The New World Screwworm case was detected roughly 119 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border — at nearly the same latitude as Zapata, Texas.
On Tuesday’s Cow Guy Close, host Scott Shellady spoke with USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden about the decision, what he saw during a recent tour of the property, and why the department believes closure is the best path forward.
Flour milling demand stayed generally steady, but total wheat grind remained slightly softer year over year.
Cotton prices improved last week, but drought, storms, and uneven planting are keeping risk elevated.
Farm legal expert Roger McEowen joins us to discuss the importance of a traditional Farm Bill and his concerns over shifting policy approaches.
USDA Chief Economist Justin Benavidez says the cattle industry may be nearing a turning point that could gradually reshape supply, prices, and profitability in the years ahead.
