The Agribusiness Update

Mexican Ag Minister Julio Berdegue reaches agreements with Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins on Mexican tomato imports, and the U.S. has denied Japan's push for full exemption from both “reciprocal” and country-specific tariffs.

House Ag Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig is calling for the Farm Bill to get done, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed optimism that “substantial progress” in U.S./China trade negotiations.

A proposed tax credit aimed at assisting California farms and boosting farm employment failed to advance out of Committee, and U.S. food and ag exports to Mexico surged 65% the past four years.

Alabama farmer Monica Carroll brings decades of ag experience to her new role as the state's Farm Service Agency executive director, and U.S. food and ag exports to Mexico surged 65% the past four years.

There were 84 ransomware attacks against the food and agriculture industry in the first three months of 2025, and over 15,000 USDA employees have taken one of the Trump administration's two financial incentive offers to leave the agency.

After a four-year downward trend, U.S. farm bankruptcies are on the rise again, and the Trump administration plans to put a nearly 21% duty on fresh Mexican tomatoes starting July 14.

With debate about ultra-processed foods frequently making headlines, UC-Davis researchers publish their work, and the EPA released its final Insecticide Strategy with practical protections for federally endangered and threatened species.

Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index and the Tropical Storm Option are tools to help deliver prompt assistance to producers in hurricane-prone areas, and the EPA released its final Insecticide Strategy with practical protections for federally endangered and threatened species.

California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act has reshaped groundwater use for many farmers and groundwater users, and Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a second round of payments for producers through the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops Program.

Tariffs and retaliatory tariffs have California farmers doing what they can to preserve their relationships with foreign buyers, and USDA will lead a trade mission to Hong Kong May 12-16 to enhance market access and expand American ag exports.

Summer air quality precautions are now in place for north Georgians through September 30, and USDA will lead a trade mission to Hong Kong May 12-16 to enhance market access and expand American ag exports.

Family farm bankruptcies increased by 55% last year and are trending even higher this year, and U.S. egg production totaled 8.63 billion in March 2025, a 7% drop from the same month last year.

California winegrape growers continue to tear out vineyards in response to a historic drop in wine demand, and Pepsi announces it will “accelerate” its transition to natural ingredients amid pressure from the White House.

Florida ag groups are celebrating passage of the 2025 ‘Florida Farm Bill,' approved by the Florida Legislature, and Pepsi announces it will “accelerate” its transition to natural ingredients amid pressure from the White House.

With California wolf populations growing and livestock attacks on the rise, the state will consider allowing more aggressive forms of nonlethal hazing to deter the predators, and some 88% of Canadian agri-businesses say Canada should strengthen trade ties with other countries besides China and the U.S. due to rising trade tensions.

Archer Daniels Midland will permanently close its soybean processing plant in Kershaw, South Carolina, and some 88% of Canadian agri-businesses say Canada should strengthen trade ties with other countries besides China and the U.S. due to rising trade tensions.

An upcoming Penn State Extension webinar titled “Communicating with Farmers Under Stress” to learn the signs of stress and how to help, and the Washington Apple Education Foundation elects Tyler Price, CEO of Price Cold Storage & Packing, as its new board chairman.

The value of some California farmland declined from 2023 to 24, and for most U.S. farm households, off-farm jobs help keep their operations running.

The launch of the 2025 Georgia Grown You-Pick Agritourism Map, the ultimate guide to fresh, hands-on farm adventures across the state will soon be released, and for most U.S. farm households, off-farm jobs help keep their operations running.

Many provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are set to expire this year, some that provide important relief for farm families, and twelve states have sued the Trump administration to stop its tariff policy.

Latest AI innovations from five ag technology companies demonstrated at the recent University of California field day, and Court of International Trade confirmed findings that Mexican companies dumped tomatoes into the U.S. market at significant margins.

USDA's 2024-25 forecast for global cotton production is down slightly month-over-month but a 7% increase from last year and the highest since 2017-18, and Court of International Trade confirmed findings that Mexican companies dumped tomatoes into the U.S. market at significant margins.

A new study in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology found sauerkraut may provide substantial benefits to gut health, and the value of U.S. industrial hemp production in 2024 was up 40% over 2023.

With Cinco de Mayo approaching, now's the time to dig into guacamole and maybe even plant the tree that produces it, andthe value of U.S. industrial hemp production in 2024 was up 40% over 2023.

Researchers in Japan have produced nugget-sized chunks of chicken using animal cells, signaling a breakthrough in lab-grown food production, and the 2025 Feeding the Economy Report says over 47 million people in the U.S. work in the agricultural and food industries.

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says easing restrictions for noncitizen farmworkers is a top priority, and U.S. fruit intake declined 7% in 2017-18.

One of Florida's largest citrus growers plans to build a 3,000-acre community in southwest Florida after announcing it would abandon its citrus operations, and U.S. fruit intake declined 7% in 2017-18.

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the cancelation of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, and Mexico says it will begin talks with the U.S. to renew a bilateral agreement on Mexico's tomato exports.

A bill moving through the House would delist wolves from the Endangered Species Act, and a new CoBank report says rapidly worsening expectations in agriculture are elevating economic concerns.

Georgia farmers are expected to plant more peanuts and corn in 2025, while cotton acres are forecast to decline, and a new CoBank report says rapidly worsening expectations in agriculture are elevating economic concerns.

UC-Berkeley, assistant professor Alexandra Hill's research shows California's 2016 agricultural overtime law has not achieved its goal of increasing earnings for farmworkers, and USDA warns that major staff cuts are coming, offices closed, and people will be forced to relocate.

Alabama farmers are encouraged to nominate research and Extension personnel for two awards from the Alabama Farmers Federation by the deadline of June 6, and USDA warns that major staff cuts are coming, offices closed, and people will be forced to relocate.

Republican Senators introduced legislation Tuesday that would strike down California's animal-welfare law created through Proposition 12, and sales of corn, soybeans and wheat all plunged week to week in the seven days that ended on April 3, according to data from the USDA.

The forecast for all U.S. oranges for the 2024-25 season is 2.46 million tons, up 2% from the previous forecast but down 8% from last year, and the White House and congressional lawmakers have begun discussing a tariff relief package to deal with the potential economic repercussions.

California dairy farmers are expected to meet the state's goal for reducing methane emissions from their farms ahead of schedule, and the White House and congressional lawmakers have begun discussing a tariff relief package to deal with the potential economic repercussions.

California dairy farmers are expected to meet the state's goal for reducing methane emissions from their farms ahead of schedule, and the White House and congressional lawmakers have begun discussing a tariff relief package to deal with the potential economic repercussions.

President Trump proposes new program to help legalize farmworkers and reduce the risk of farmers losing undocumented workers to mass deportations, and Ethan Lane, of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, applauds President Trump's reciprocal tariff announcement.

President Trump proposes new program to help legalize farmworkers and reduce the risk of farmers losing undocumented workers to mass deportations, and Ethan Lane, of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, applauds President Trump's reciprocal tariff announcement.

China increased its tariff on U.S. imports to 125% on Saturday, and farmers across the U.S. were pleased to hear most countries will get a 90-day reprieve from the new tariffs.

A visionary ag education and research leader and a stalwart business leader and ag industry supporter were recently inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame, and farmers across the U.S. were pleased to hear most countries will get a 90-day reprieve from the new tariffs.

China increased its tariff on U.S. imports to 125% on Saturday, and farmers across the U.S. were pleased to hear most countries will get a 90-day reprieve from the new tariffs.

California Bountiful TV, produced by the California Farm Bureau, and its host and executive producer, Aubrey Aquino, won two TASTE Awards, and China's Finance Ministry is now imposing a 34% tariff on all U.S. imports.