Farm Policy, Food Supply & Rural Coverage
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Mexico's EU Trade Deal Threatens $1B in US Dairy Exports
A new Mexico-EU agreement restricts cheese names, putting American dairy producers' access to the Mexican market at risk and squeezing already-thin margins.
First Phosphate Plant in 40 Years Could Cut US Import Dependence
A new phosphate fertilizer plant near New Orleans could reduce US import dependence by 60 percent, offering relief to farmers struggling with input costs.
Canada's $20B Tariff Hits Farmers Where It Hurts Most
After Washington escalated trade tensions, Ottawa struck back with duties on US agricultural equipment—pushing tractor and machinery costs higher just as farmers face tight margins.
Corn Hits $5 a Bushel, But Yields Are Falling Fast
Record-high corn prices look good on paper, but farmers face a dangerous trap: yields are dropping sharply, squeezing margins despite the headline numbers.
Judge Halted H-2A Wage Cuts. Vineyards Ignore the Ruling
Despite a federal court blocking wage reductions, Mendocino County vineyards continue enforcing cuts, exposing the gap between legal victories and worker protection.
USDA Shelves Cyclospora Research as Food Safety Gaps Widen
Funding cuts force USDA to shutter three cyclospora research projects. The timing could not be worse as consumers worry about contaminated produce.
Roadless Rule Under Threat: What Logging 45 Million Forest Acres Means for Farms
The Trump administration is moving to open millions of acres of protected national forest to logging and development. For farmers, it signals accelerated climate chaos and eroded water sources.
When Towns Lose Their Grocery, Farmers Lose a Market
A year after Shoals, Indiana's last grocer closed, rural communities rely on convenience stores. The cascading cost for local food systems and farm viability.
Nevada Goes to Court Over Colorado River Water
As Western drought drags on, Nevada breaks ranks to sue over Colorado River allocation, raising stakes in the fight for farm and city survival.
Ukraine Crisis Dims Hopes for US Wheat Prices
As Russia escalates attacks on Ukraine's grain corridor, US wheat farmers face price chaos from a war they can't control. Global market shocks keep reshaping harvest season earnings.
Trump Eyes Gutting Rules on Beef Processors
The administration is considering cutting safety and labor rules on meat processing plants. Critics warn this favors consolidation, not competition.
Trump Formalizes Beef Import Plan Amid Rancher Backlash
The administration moved forward with expanded beef imports despite fierce opposition from U.S. cattle producers already squeezed by consolidation and volatile markets.
Western Wildfires Scorch 7.5M Acres, Displace Ranchers
Thirty-seven fires have burned 7.5 million acres across the Pacific Northwest. Ranchers face years of lost grazing land as recovery timelines stretch impossible.
Canada Retaliates With Tariffs on U.S. Dairy and Seafood
In response to Trump's July tariffs, Canada targeted American milk, cheese, and hundreds of fish products—escalating trade tensions that threaten already-fragile farm economics.
Federal Judge Blocks Trump Admin's H-2A Wage Cuts
A federal court ruled the Department of Labor's plan to lower seasonal farmworker wages unlawful, handing a win to farmworker advocates.
Iowa's bet on beginning farmers: tax credits alone won't cut it
Iowa's largest tax incentive for new farmers supports a handful of beginners yearly. The program reveals a harder truth: subsidizing access isn't the same as solving why young people can't afford to farm.
The real history of Black farming: recovering the NFA legacy
A forgotten agricultural organization trained generations of Black students in the segregated South. Now historians are recovering its story—and its lessons for young farmers today.
FTC Deere Settlement Renews Push for Federal Repair Rights
A ten-year FTC settlement opens dealer-grade repair resources to farmers and independent shops. Advocates say Congress should make those protections permanent.
USDA Reopens Cattle Imports, Hands Screwworm Risk to Ranchers
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins opens the Douglas, Arizona port to cattle imports after a year of closure for screwworm control. Ranchers face the disease burden.
Climate's Cherry Crop Reckoning Hits Michigan Hard
Traverse City's cherry harvest, a generational livelihood, faces a cascading climate crisis: bud kill, frost damage, and unsustainable water demands threaten the region's iconic fruit.
Southwest farmers face steep water cuts as Colorado River dries
The Department of Interior announced drastic reductions to Colorado River allocations, threatening irrigation farmers in three Western states and signaling harder times ahead for drought-stressed agriculture.
Farm Subsidies for Urban Millionaires. Congress Keeps Paying.
Senators Chuck Grassley and Peter Welch agree: city residents shouldn't collect farm payments. Yet Big Ag's revolving door keeps the subsidy machine spinning.
Workers in a Pit: What Farm Safety Really Means
A Colorado emergency call reveals the gap between food-safety regulations and worker protection—Big Ag isn't held accountable when workers are hurt.
Climate Grants Finally Coming to Rural Farms. Will Farmers See a Dollar?
A court order forces the release of billions earmarked for rural climate work. But getting that money to family farmers depends on federal agencies moving fast and designing programs that actually fit farm economics.
Cotton jassid is ravaging the Southeast. Here's what farmers face.
An invasive leafhopper is spreading through U.S. cotton fields, threatening yields and forcing growers to adapt—fast.
Seven States Block $85B Railroad Merger Threatening Farm Shipments
State attorneys general unite to oppose a Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, arguing the consolidation would crush rural shippers and eliminate rail competition for farmers.
Federal Court Upholds EPA's First PFAS Hazard Standard
A federal appeals court unanimously rejected an industry lawsuit challenging EPA's landmark 2024 designation of two 'forever chemicals' as hazardous substances, protecting water supplies nationwide.
Tariffs Aren't About Trade. They're About Crushing Small Farmers
New tariffs on farm equipment aren't protecting anyone—they're accelerating the machinery consolidation that's already locked farmers into John Deere's grip.
Trump's Beef Import Waiver Tests His Farm Base
The Trump administration is allowing 300,000 tons of imported beef at reduced tariffs for 90 days—a move that divides his core rural supporters over cheaper meat vs. domestic rancher survival.
Tariff Waiver on Beef Imports Sets Domestic Ranchers Up for a Squeeze
Trump administration green-lights 300,000 tons of ground beef imports at reduced tariff rates, threatening cattle prices already under pressure from consolidation and weak markets.
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