Congress is getting to work on a tax package that would extend the 2017 tax cuts.
Some ag industry members advocate for the death tax as a possible tax cut and ask for a permanent exemption for farmers and ranchers. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says this would protect thousands of farms.
“This is a country that is custom-built for agriculture. Everyone else in the world is jealous of what we have and because of the quality of what we have, and we’re really good at using it. The problem is as that value goes up if the tax code doesn’t reflect that, then you’re going to have a lot of people that are caught up in it. That’s one of the things we found in our tax survey is that if that death tax rolls back, we have 61% of those 1,200 survey respondents that are going to suffer from this, and that’s reflective on the whole industry. This is not a handful of people that are going to get caught up in it. If this prevents back to that $5,000,000 adjusted for inflation, if it goes back then that’s going to hit a ton of people,” according to Kent Bacus.
Bacus says that a permanent repeal of death taxes on ag land has strong support in both the House and Senate, but he believes that it is going to come down to crunching the numbers.
“We want permanency in this, but as far as, you know, Congress’s ability to pay for all of it— we don’t know. It’s still a little early to tell. I think, there’s broad support for having permanent repeal of this, but you know, as they get to those backrooms and they crunch numbers, we don’t know what that outcome is going to look like,” he notes. “But that’s why we have to come down so hard on this. We can’t start compromising on the get-go. Otherwise, you’re never going to achieve. So, we’ve taken that firm position that we need full permanent repeal of the death tax. We need this for future generations.”
He expects Congress to send a package to President Trump by the end of May, but he says that there could be some hang-ups in the Senate.
Tyson’s Nebraska plant closure and falling Cattle on Feed numbers send cattle markets tumbling. Analysts warn of tighter supplies, weak margins, and rising global competition.
November 25, 2025 12:05 PM
·
Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller warns horse owners after EHV-1 cases linked to the Waco WPRA Finals. Horses linked to recent Waco events should be isolated and closely monitored, as early action is critical to stopping the spread of EHV-1.
November 24, 2025 02:47 PM
·
One trader said the products entering the U.S. are primarily grind and trim, noting that the volume and type of beef, on its own, should not cause a major disruption. However, he says fund traders are reacting heavily to headlines rather than market realities.
November 24, 2025 02:42 PM
·
Farm legal expert Roger McEowen reviews the history of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule and outlines how shifting definitions across multiple administrations have created regulatory confusion for landowners.
November 24, 2025 12:38 PM
·
Leslee Oden, president of the National Turkey Federation, and Jay Jandrain, CEO of Butterball, joined us in the studio on Monday to discuss the history, significance, and expectations surrounding this year’s presidential turkey pardon.
November 24, 2025 12:04 PM
·
According to November’s Cattle on Feed Report, Nebraska now leads the nation in cattle feeding as tighter supplies continue to reshape regional market power and long-term price dynamics.
November 24, 2025 11:47 AM
·
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) estimates that the move will save farmers and ranchers $2.5 billion each year. The group warns that new methods for calculating the adverse-effect wage rate would result in lower pay for foreign workers.
November 24, 2025 11:32 AM
·
Tyson’s closure reflects deep supply shortages in the U.S. cattle industry, tightening packing capacity, weakening competition, and signaling more volatility ahead for cow-calf producers and feedyards.
November 21, 2025 07:02 PM
·
Mike Steenhoek of the Soy Transportation Coalition discusses industry reactions to the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger, the Surface Transportation Board’s review process, and current conditions on the Mississippi River.
November 21, 2025 01:59 PM
·
