Election
As producers navigate financial strain and D.C. disconnect, realities such as steep input costs, trade frustrations and E15 limbo are becoming decisive factors shaping the rural vote.
Since being confirmed on Feb. 13, Secretary Rollins has been in the Washington D.C., USDA office for a few hours. Most of her time has been spent visiting farmers, ranchers and ag businesses in Kentucky, Kansas and at Top Producer Summit.
Trump recently signed three executive orders imposing tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. This marks the first time a president has used powers granted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977.
In an announcement on Saturday, Trump said her “commitment to support the American farmer, the defense of American food self-sufficiency and the restoration of agriculture-dependent American small towns is second to none.”
Trump taps Howard Lutnick for Commerce Secretary, signaling tariff-heavy trade strategy. Lutnick has called the tariffs a negotiating tool that could be used to convince other countries to bring down their own levies or to force companies to move production to the U.S.
Threats of widespread tariffs and concerns about retaliation continue to stoke uneasiness in agriculture. With a growing trade deficit and hopes the U.S. could re-embark on the Phase One trade deal with China, could the focus back on trade be positive for agriculture?
As the list continues to evolve, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly playing an active role in the cabinet selection.
Ag industry groups recognize the crucial role that immigrant workers play in the U.S. food system. They emphasize that these workers often take on physically demanding jobs that many American-born workers are unwilling to do.
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) wins Majority Leader race. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) was eliminated on the first ballot. And Thune beat Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) 29-24 on the second ballot.
Trump stated that Zeldin would “ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions” to “unleash the power of American businesses.” The administration aims to maintain “the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet” while pursuing deregulation.
One of the biggest anticipated changes that could impact farms across the U.S. is the possible change to the tax policy under a second Trump administration.
Now that the election results are in, the parlor game of who President-elect Donald Trump will tap to serve on his Cabinet has returned, and there’s a host of possibilities.
Trump garnered even stronger support in rural America versus his still robust rural vote in this first administration. That is likely a backlash against the ag policy moves of the Biden/Harris administration that focused on underserved and minority rural citizens.
Which Presidential Candidate Is More Likely to Tame Inflation or Support Farm Policies and Biofuels?
Ahead of the election, the October Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor asked economists which presidential candidate will be better for agriculture on taming inflation, providing more certainty on farm policy, as well as more likely to support biofuels policies.
The race tightened over the weekend as the Des Moines Register’s final presidential poll shockingly had Harris up three points in the state, underscoring that the election will be closer than current market expectations
The October Monthly Monitor reflects cautious optimism in certain areas of agriculture, marked by export strengths and potential price recoveries, but shadowed by long-term rebuilding challenges, weather dependencies and the impact of the upcoming election.
Washington insider Jim Wiesemeyer fills the guest’s chair on this episode of Unscripted to share what he’s hearing about the upcoming presidential election. Wiesemeyer offers plenty of insight into key topics such as the impact of early voting and how the next administration can help or hurt the production ag industry.
As agriculture faces multiple challenges, USDA’s latest net farm income forecast is masking the reality for farmers. While livestock margins have improved for 2024, high input costs and below breakeven prices for row crops means margins could be the worst in nearly 20 years.
Based on a farmer poll and the Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor, farmers and economists differ on whether Harris or Trump would be better for agriculture, particularly when it comes to trade.
On the heels of the recent debate, we’d like to know which presidential candidate, Democrat Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump, you believe will have a more positive impact on agriculture.
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) released the unedited responses from Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump to its questionnaire on federal agricultural policy.
This decision marks a significant transformation in Vance’s political career, as he has evolved from being a vocal critic of Trump during the 2016 election to becoming a staunch ally and supporter of the former president.
Unrelenting inflation continues to weigh down the U.S. economy and agriculture. Still, CoBank says it believes the Fed will stick with its decision to cut interest rates three times in 2024.
Devin Nunes once said all he wanted to do was work on a dairy farm. Now the man from the rural Central Valley of California is running one of the most scrutinized, complex and politically fraught congressional investigations in recent memory.
Get your day started with a brief rundown of key news.
Vice President Kamala Harris recently floated this policy to crack down on price gouging, but looking back on a similar plan from the Nixon administration shows not everything needs a second chance.
When ag equipment manufacturers start shedding union line workers, shuttering plants and shifting factories to Mexico, and there’s a glut of used equipment covering dealer lots, you know the tide is quickly turning.