Latest News From USDA

USDA raised its consumer food price forecast again, to 8.5% to 9.5% for 2022. The agency had initially predicted a 2% to 3% rise in prices. Eggs, fats and oils, and poultry prices are making the biggest gains.

The CPI, an inflation gauge measuring what consumers pay for goods and services, rose 1.3% from May to June. Prices were up across the economy, with gasoline far outpacing other categories, up 11.2%.

According to the USDA, 2020 farming activities in the U.S. made up 11.2 percent, or 670 of 5,981 million metrics tons, of the U.S.’s total carbon contribution.

Transforming the U.S. food system by improving supply chains and addressing issues exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic was detailed by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack during a speech at Georgetown University.

USDA raised its estimated range of 6.5%-7.5% y/y increase from a range of 5%-6%, according to the May Food Price Outlook report, the highest forecast for all food prices and restaurant prices since 1981.

Speculation over whether U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack was arrested last week made its rounds on social media over the weekend, but USDA confirmed to Farm Journal the story is false.

USDA's 2022 food price inflation forecasts are already at a 14-year high with forecasts for consumer food price inflation increased again this month. All food prices now seen rising 5% to 6% vs 4.5% to 5.5% in March.

Food prices continue to climb across the board. According to the latest Consumer Price Index, increasing grocery prices account for the largest share of the hike. However, shoppers don't view prices as high.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack provided more details regarding the general CRP signup that ended March 11. He said only 1.8 million of the 4 million acres in expiring contracts will be re-enrolled in the program.

USDA says the launch of the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) will address increases in supplemental feed costs in 2021. Phase 1 of the payments is expected to total $577 million.

With the ongoing war in Ukraine, a recent U.S. Farm Report viewer asked about the U.S. and energy independence. John Phipps provides a reality check of the current situation when it comes to crude oil and petroleum.

President Biden's USDA FY 2023 budget proposal focuses on climate, conservation and research with $3.8 billion discretionary spending increase for USDA with climate, conservation and clean energy the major focal points.

USDA now expects food price inflation in 2022 to be from 4.5% to 5.5%, compared with 2021, based on the all-food Consumer Price Index. No category shows a potential decline.

The Northwest Seaport Alliance is partnering the USDA to bring the Port of Seattle a 49-acre pop-up site that will accept both dry and refrigerated agricultural products for temporary storage.

As the Ukraine crisis continues to grab the world’s attention, President Biden's State of the Union address declared the U.S. is in a better place than it was a year ago, while agriculture was left largely unmentioned.

Expect Russia's invasion of Ukraine to dominate the State of the Union address tonight. As for issues affecting agriculture, there may be few details offered, says USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Congress returns Monday, but to a very different situation due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is expected to be one of the key issues President Biden talks about during his State of the Union address.

Wiesemeyer says “you don’t spend some $300 million on these [soybean crushing] plants without a solid foundation of a market in the future.”

Rep. Garamendi says the USDA partnership with the Port of Oakland “isn’t going to solve the problem” because shippers deliver product to the U.S. and leave ports with empty containers.

AFBF President Zippy Duvall told members this week he will continue to press for policy that progresses agriculture, citing AFBF's work on changes to the White House's "America the Beautiful" plan as an example.

AFBF's in-person annual convention focused on everything from H-2A workers, drought, supply chain chaos and policy changes like the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed the group Monday.

The House and Senate are on recess this week, but work is ramping back up to finalize 2021 legislation before the New Year begins.

AgriTalk Host Chip Flory and Pro Farmer policy analyst Jim Wiesemeyer discuss plans Congress will probably have these last weeks of 2021, including the debt ceiling and the Build Back Better plan in the Senate.

The White House says 95.6% of USDA employees have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or filed for an exemption, but the number who've received the vaccine is the lowest among reported federal agencies.

The Biden administration kicked off the nearly week-long trip EU climate trip with a $1 billion announcement. And there's more funds in the Build Back Better program, but some say details are still sparse.

Biden's new Build Back Better plan could have a sweeping impact on ag. The plan provides a boost to biofuels and conservation efforts and expands USDA's proposed minority farmer and rancher debt relief by $6 billion.

The White House’s executive order signed in September requires all USDA employees to be vaccinated by Nov. 22, and includes county FSA offices and employees, as well as elected county committee members who are paid.

In an unprecedented move, the Biden administration unveiled a broad plan to tackle record retail meat prices. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said consolidation in beef, pork and poultry processing is leading to higher prices.

Hurricane Ida, and possible aid to producers, was a big topic of the Farm Journal Farm Country Update with Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack Thursday. Vilsack highlighted when additional aid may be on the way. 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will join Clinton Griffiths for a virtual live town-hall Sept. 2 at 2 p.m. CDT. Farmers and ranchers will ask about the most pressing issues and opportunities they face.

Starting in October, average benefits for SNAP will rise by more than 25% after a USDA released report found the cost of a nutritious, cost-effective diet is 21% higher than the base calculation for SNAP benefits.

A big increase in benefits is on the way for Americans receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The average SNAP benefit will increase for FY 2022 beginning on Oct. 1, according to the agency.

After President Biden signed a sweeping Executive Order late last week, NCBA and other livestock groups praised the President's focus on meat, poultry. However, not every ag group is on board with the President's plan.

USDA Secretary Vilsack is expected to announce $500 million in new funds to expand meat processing capacity during a trip Friday to Council Bluffs, Iowa, according to Jim Wiesemeyer.

USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack is scheduled to travel to Nebraska Friday for what the agency is calling a "major announcement." It could include details of the Biden Administration's plan to create more competition within ag.

An expected executive order by the Biden Administration could have sweeping impacts on agriculture, and includes allowing USDA to create new rules to increase competition in the meat industry and protect producers.

The dollars tagged for such purposes are part of the Build Back Better program, the Biden administration’s COVID-19 relief plan.

“I like to say you’re going to have to have a permit to do normal farming decisions,” he told Chip Flory, host of AgriTalk.

USDA is continuing its rollout of aid to segments of the agriculture industry impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To help with the ongoing demand for food in the U.S., USDA announced it is investing $1 billion in the country's food bank networks.

Farmers who insured their crops and planted cover crops will now be eligible for a financial bonus from USDA. Not all crops are included in the new program, and acres need to be reported by June 15th.

The plan requires conserving 440 million acres.

The plan is now called "America the Beautiful," and is a 10 year, locally-led and voluntary nationwide effort to conserve, connect and restore 30% of the nation's lands and waters by the year 2030.

The federal government is facing another lawsuit over The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. A group of farmers from five states claim they're ineligible for loan forgiveness program because they're white.

Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller has filed a personal lawsuit against the federal government claiming COVID relief plan discriminates against some white farmers and ranchers.

USDA will open CRP enrollment with higher payment rates, new incentives and a more targeted focus on the program’s role in climate change mitigation.

Details of a U.S. land and water related executive order could be unveiled soon. Known as the ’30 by 30’ plan, it would place 30% of U.S. lands and 30% of U.S. waters under federal jurisdiction by 2030.

The second round of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) restarted April 5. Farmers have 60 days to either apply or make modifications to their existing CFAP 2 applications.

USDA will move forward with $20 per acre payments for price-trigger crops outlined in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) round three with checks going out starting in April.

For a fifth year, the White House is publicly recognizing March 23, 2021, as National Ag Day. As part of the proclamation, the White House salutes farmers and ranchers for the contributions they continue to make.