The Agribusiness Update

The Farm Credit System remains financially sound, but rising credit risk is becoming a concern, and Ag groups praise the Senate Ag Committee's farm bill for permanently transferring the Food for Peace program to USDA.

During the 2026 National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Annual Meeting, members elected Washington State Ag Director Derek Sandison as NASDA's new President, and a federal judge considers a temporary pause on USDA plans to relocate employees across the country.

GFB's I Farm. I Vote. campaign is encouraging Georgians to become informed, engaged and active participants in the electoral process, and a federal judge considers a temporary pause on USDA plans to relocate employees across the country.

Florida Ag Commissioner Wilton Simpson and the Florida Ag Hall of Fame announced their 2027 Hall of Fame Inductees, and high fuel prices are another financial headache for farmers.

Since 2023, declining wine consumption left California winegrape growers with an oversupply of grapes, forcing many to sell at a loss or watch it rot on the vines, and high fuel prices are another financial headache for farmers.

Wheat futures remain volatile as traders weigh continued disruptions to Black Sea grain exports, and a bill requiring AM radio in new vehicles is headed for a House vote.

Ag technology took center stage at a field day last month as a dozen developers showed off “smart” weeders, autonomous bird hazers and an autonomous lettuce harvester, and China purchased about 1 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans last week, providing a boost to American growers.

Florida lawmakers are urging the Trump administration to address sharply higher sulfur prices that threaten domestic phosphate fertilizer production and increase costs, and China purchased about 1 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans last week, providing a boost to American growers.

Warfare between Russia and Ukraine is elevating uncertainty in global wheat markets as attacks threaten agricultural infrastructure around the Black Sea, and Farmers are reporting difficulty obtaining federal conservation assistance after substantial staffing reductions at USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The U.S.–Canada trade dispute is creating new concerns for American farmers as retaliatory tariffs and import restrictions kick in, and the 2026 wheat harvest continues to make progress, with hard red winter wheat now complete and soft white wheat nearing the finish line.

With harvest underway, California farmers are again struggling to find buyers for their winegrapes, and the 2026 National Cover Crop Report indicates growing interest in cover crops.

Nutrient Management Level 2 is part of the award-winning Greenhouse Online Training program offered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension, and the 2026 National Cover Crop Report indicates growing interest in cover crops.

President Trump signed two executive orders aimed at strengthening the U.S. cattle industry, and the Department of Justice is expanding its investigation into record-high beef prices.

California is moving closer to making E15 gas available after lawmakers unanimously approved legislation removing the final barriers to selling the higher-ethanol blend, and Tyson Foods lowered its fiscal 2026 profit and sales forecasts.

Georgia Farm Bureau increased its overall membership for the first time in 11 years, pushing numbers to 216,621 statewide, and Tyson Foods lowered its fiscal 2026 profit and sales forecasts.

The Smoke, Wine, and Grapes Analytical Chemistry Lab at Oregon State University is open for business, and USDA is launching a pilot project that relies more heavily on technology to improve its U.S. crop acreage and yield estimates.

A dispute over cheese names has become a sticking point in U.S.-Mexico trade negotiations, and USDA is rolling out a broad package of programs aimed at rebuilding America's beef herd and strengthening the nation's cattle industry.

U.S. dairy producers are stepping up efforts to increase the protein content of milk due to changing market incentives and global demand, and Canada's retaliatory tariffs may not be directly aimed at American farmers, but ...!

A court ruling casts uncertainty over recent reforms to the H-2A ag guestworker program, leaving current wage rates in place for now, and U.S. ag exports are expected to strengthen as USDA raised its trade forecast and projected a smaller ag trade deficit for 2026.

Canada is escalating its trade fight with the U.S., announcing retaliatory tariffs on about $19.9 billion worth of U.S. goods, including dairy and agricultural equipment, and ag leaders say farm country is facing a serious crisis and farmers are increasingly afraid to speak publicly.

USDA began reopening Southwest ports for livestock trade last week, more than a year after suspending crossings to slow the spread of New World Screwworm, and USDA sent a delegation to Australia last week to strengthen export opportunities for U.S. farmers and ranchers.

California lettuce was not implicated in a sprawling cyclospora outbreak that's sickened thousands of people this summer, and American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall is urging the U.S. and Canada to return to the negotiating table.

During the Southeast Summer Conference in July, six state pork organizations announced the formation of the Southeast Pork Alliance, and American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall is urging the U.S. and Canada to return to the negotiating table.

California farmers, agribusiness leaders and state officials are urging the U.S., Mexico and Canada to extend and strengthen the USMCA, and the Agricultural Coalition for the USMCA is urging the Trump administration to exempt all products from new 50% tariffs on Canadian goods.

Florida Farm Bureau member Kate English has been appointed to the EPA's Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee, and Democratic senators seeking answers from the USDA after a major error in U.S. beef export sales data.

Lynda Hopkins, of the California Air Resources Board, criticized anticipated cuts to state-funded programs that incentivize climate-smart farming practices, and Democratic senators seeking answers from the USDA after a major error in U.S. beef export sales data.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called steep new U.S. tariffs on $20 billion worth of his country's goods “a miscalculation” after trade talks with Canada collapsed, and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association criticized a social media post by President Trump regarding beef imports.

Canada has temporarily avoided a 50% U.S. tariff after reaching a last-minute agreement with the Trump administration, and retail potato sales remained stable during the 12-month period from July 2025 through June 2026.

Tyson Foods will close two beef facilities and seek a buyer for a third, and U.S. fruit production has declined 32% and vegetable have fallen 10%, while fresh fruit and vegetable IMPORTS have each increased about 70%.

More than 700 Alabama farmers wandered on down to Mobile Bay for the Alabama Farmers Federation Farm & Land Conference, and U.S. fruit production has declined 32% and vegetable have fallen 10%, while fresh fruit and vegetable IMPORTS have each increased about 70%.

Georgia Farm Bureau presented Representative Lynn Smith with its 2026 GFB Commodity Award, and the summer abundance of U.S.-grown produce makes it the perfect time to enjoy fruit pies and other desserts.

USDA says a Texas facility designed to produce sterile flies for New World Screwworm control will open next spring, earlier than expected, and Canadian trade officials are meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer as both countries work to avoid new tariffs scheduled to take effect tonight.

U.S. agricultural tractor sales dropped nearly 11% in July compared to last year, with combine sales down more than 5%, and Hard Red Winter wheat harvest is nearly complete, with less than 10% remaining, and the crop continues to grade U.S. No. 1.

The USDA has $35 million for partnerships to respond to the threat of feral swine to American agriculture, and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar says she's committed to working with Senate Ag Chair John Boozman to advance a new Farm Bill.

After the Senate Ag Committee failed to advance the farm bill, National Farmers Union President Rob Larew said farmers cannot afford more delay, and although volume of U.S. beef exports was down slightly in June, the value was up to $790 million.

Senate Ag Chair John Boozman says he will reconvene committee members in September to vote again on his farm bill package, and the U.S. trade deficit declined in June but remains only slightly below levels seen before President Trump's second term.

The annual Joint Ag Issues Summit will be held Aug. 20, at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry, and the International Fresh Produce Association is asking federal health officials to expand how they investigate Cyclospora outbreaks.

California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act could ultimately remove 500,000 to 1 million acres from production as farmers adapt to limited groundwater supplies, and the International Fresh Produce Association is asking federal health officials to expand how they investigate Cyclospora outbreaks.

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins is encouraging Americans to continue supporting local producers following National Farmers Market Week, and the Farm Credit System reports net income of $2.2 billion for the second quarter, up from $1.9 billion during the same period last year.

Harvest is expected to conclude soon for California cling peaches, which are used for canning, and the Senate Ag Committee failed to advance its Farm Bill Thursday after Democrats rejected the Republican proposal.

The South Carolina State Fair is now hiring for this year's fair, taking place Oct. 15-25, and the Senate Ag Committee failed to advance its Farm Bill Thursday after Democrats rejected the Republican proposal.

An increasing number of California specialty crop farmers are minimizing labor and chemical costs through the adoption of high-tech herbicide sprayers, and the average value of U.S. cropland has climbed above $6,000 an acre for the first time.