With deportation raids sending a chill across farm country, the Trump administration wants to make it easier for U.S. farms to hire migrant workers, angering critics across the political spectrum.
On January 1, new emergency rules took effect, allowing U.S. farms to hire more workers and pay less in wages for migrants coming in on H-2A temporary labor visas.
Read MoreOver 2.0 million landowners rented out 348 million acres of farmland, according to the results of the 2024 Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land (TOTAL) survey results released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Of these acres, 79% are owned by non-farming landlords.
Read MoreThe Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has designated eight north Louisiana parishes as Natural Disaster Areas following the severe winter storm in January.
Read MoreU.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said the Trump administration is working to ease labor restrictions for Louisiana farmers, particularly those in the aquaculture industry, as planting season begins amid rising diesel prices and ongoing visa limitations.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it has awarded over $26.8 million to grant projects through the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP). The program helps local and regional food entities develop, coordinate, and expand producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets, and local food enterprises. LAMP includes the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP), and the Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP).
Read MoreThe USDA already has obligated more than $6 billion in payments under its new Farmer Bridge Assistance Program just days after enrollment opened.
Read MoreEvery year, farmers and ranchers are awarded EQIP conservation cost-share funding to implement practices that improve soil health, water quality, and climate resilience.
Read MoreThe World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) is prepared and released by the World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB). The report is released monthly, and provides annual forecasts for supply and use of U.S. and world wheat, rice, coarse grains, oilseeds, and cotton. The report also covers U.S. supply and use of sugar, meat, poultry eggs and milk, as well as Mexico’s supply and use of sugar.
Read MoreUSDA’s March World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates risks getting lost in the mix as the escalating war with Iran feeds volatility across markets, including grains. Traders are also looking ahead to the March 31 Prospective Plantings Report and the quarterly Grain Stocks Report due at the end of the month.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) today announced a construction contract with Mortenson Construction to build a new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas. This facility is a key component in Secretary Rollins’ sweeping 5-prong strategy (PDF, 1005 KB) to fight New World Screwworm (NWS), as it will expand USDA’s domestic response capacity, bolstering protection for U.S. livestock, wildlife, and public health.
Read MoreThe chief ag negotiator with United States Trade Representative says the administration is working to ensure a fair and balanced relationship with China.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for March 2026, which are effective March 1, 2026. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.
Read MoreAgriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins unveiled USDA's new “One Farmer, One File” initiative Thursday at the 2026 Commodity Classic, promising a single streamlined digital record that follows producers across all agency systems and slashes paperwork burdens.
Read MoreRAFI’s grantmaking programs aim to support farmers across the Southeast U.S. and Caribbean islands in their efforts to access land and infrastructure, transition to sustainable practices, and recover from disasters and farm crises. Since the 1990s, our grantmaking has evolved to reflect shifts in the agricultural landscape and our growing focus on sustainability, equity, and resilience in farming communities.
Read MoreUSDA is asking farmers and other stakeholders to help examine how USDA can improve its data collection and analysis.
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