Policy
A new bipartisan bill introduced in Congress seeks to give WIC participants more options when it comes to the types of milk they can choose.
The department says it will relocate more than half of its Washington, D.C., staff to five hubs around the country, as well as consolidate or eliminate regional offices.
At least nine dairies in Texas were targets of I-9 audits over the weekend. Producers argue it’s a “broken” immigration system, and the recent audits prove the E-Verify program has flaws. Despite criticism, the dairy industry is pushing to be included in the H-2A guest worker program.
On Saturday, President Trump threatened to impose 30% tariffs on Mexico and the European Union starting on August 1. The announcement came after a string of new tariff threats last week.
Over 90% of U.S. ice cream makers vow to remove artificial colors from ice cream made with real milk by 2027 in a voluntary industry effort.
Secretary Rollins takes decisive action and shuts down cattle, bison and equine trade due to further northward spread of the devastating pest in Mexico.
In what it calls a comprehensive action plan for agriculture security, USDA unveiled seven critical areas the Trump administration will address, and securing and protecting U.S. farmland from being owned by China topped that list.
Technology overhaul, staffing upgrades at the local level and program tweaks aim to improve service for 23,000 farmers.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” brings a range of updates for dairy farmers including extended DMC coverage, expanded tax relief, insurance incentives and pricing transparency measures.
The deal, according to President Trump, allows the U.S. “total access” to Vietnam’s markets with a zero tariff on U.S. products exported to Vietnam.
The on-again, off-again reports regarding ICE raids is sowing confusion for those who rely on immigrant labor and causing labor shortages because employees aren’t showing up for work.
The Senate and House each have their own Committee proposals for President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill. There are some key differences in each that could impact farmers and ranchers.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announces plans to reopen Moore Air Base in Texas as a New World screwworm sterile fly distribution facility. Long-term production is anticipated to be 300 million sterile flies per week.
While the 1,000-page bill includes spending increases for agriculture-facing programs by $56.6 billion over the next decade, there’s one major priority that didn’t make it into the House’s version.
The Senate Agriculture Committee has advanced the bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, a major step toward restoring whole and 2% milk options in schools.
Over the weekend, the most sweeping updates to the Federal Milk Marketing Orders in over two decades officially took effect, impacting how milk is priced across all 11 orders nationwide.
The third round of disaster aid payments through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program is the largest amount appropriated by Congress. USDA Deputy Undersecretary Brooke Appleton says those payments are being prepared now.
Top of the list: Reforming the FSA loan program, regulatory action to disincentivize federal funding for solar panels on productive farmland and expanding permitting of unused or underused federal land for long-term leases.
The massive bill faced two major hurdles, passing out of both the House Agriculture and House Ways and Means Committees. While the legislation is filled with positive tax provisions for farmers, potential cuts to SNAP are creating controversy.
NCBA applauds Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ aggressive efforts to suspend Mexican cattle, horse and bison imports, saying Mexico’s corruption and mismanagement has caused the pest to spread closer to the U.S.
The April Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor found most agricultural economists think it could be 2026 before we see Congress final pass a new bill. One reason why is the fact Congress passed $10 billion in ECAP payments late last year.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins testified in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, fielding questions on everything from USDA’s bold budget cuts and frozen funding to the fate of the nearly $21 billion in disaster aid.
Accounting for about 15% of USDA’s total workforce and representing FSA, NRCS, FSIS, APHIS and other departments, 3,877 staff signed contracts in February for the first deferred resignation program and 11,305 in the second round in April.
Agriculture is an export dependent business. At peak uncertainty, the industry could go either way: Gain ground with new trade deals or take a big hit as exports further decline.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joined Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins on a tour of Texas, including a stop at a family farm. USDA says the trip focused on food security and learning how farmers are working to make America healthy again.
Ocean shipping transports about 80% of global trade — from coal and corn to bananas and cement. The revisions tackle major concerns from the global maritime industry that feared virtually every cargo carrier could face steep, stacking fees.
After China retaliated with its own tariffs, the U.S. said on Tuesday that 104% duties on imports from China would take effect shortly after midnight, even as the Trump administration moved to quickly start talks with other trading partners targeted by Trump’s sweeping tariff plan.
Supporters of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act say more milk choices in school lunches mean healthier kids, less waste and a stronger future for dairy.
President Trump has announced a series of reciprocal tariffs, scheduled to start over the next few days, on some of agriculture’s most significant trade partners. The outcomes could be a net positive for dairy producers, some industry members say.
In a Wednesday morning press conference, ahead of Trump announcing his global tariff plan, Sheinbaum says Mexico will “announce a comprehensive program, not a tit for tat on tariffs,” but added, “we have a plan to strengthen the economy under any circumstance.”