Industry Ag News 7/25

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), refocusing its core operations to better align with its founding mission of supporting American farming, ranching, and forestry.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today in Florida met with agricultural leaders and producers and announced additional U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) assistance to help producers recover from Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton. Secretary Rollins signed a block grant agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) that provides recovery assistance for Floridian farmers.

Global investment firm Carlyle announced that it has entered into a $250 million forward-flow agreement to purchase newly issued farm operating loans from FarmOp Capital, a leading provider of farm operating loans in the US. This partnership will enable FarmOp Capital to increase their origination capacity and expand capital access for independent row crop farmers across the U.S.

Corn has officially claimed the top spot as the most-used plant-based ingredient in U.S. pet food, according to a recent report released by the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER). The 2024 Pet Food Ingredient Analysis, which was released in March, underscores corn’s critical role in one of agriculture’s most dynamic markets.

The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) and the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), joined by more than a dozen other representatives of the North American fresh fruit and vegetable sector, are urging the leaders of the United States, Mexico, and Canada to swiftly resolve ongoing tariff disputes that threaten the affordability, accessibility, and stability of fresh produce supplies across the continent.

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) elected its 2025-26 officers at the 2025 ASTA Leadership Summit, which took place in Washington, D.C. June 8-11, 2025. The 2025-26 officers, who began official duties on July 1, are Chair: Dave Treinen, Syngenta Seeds; First Vice Chair: Bryan Gerard, JoMar Seeds; and Second Vice Chair: Crystal Rose Fricker, Pure Seed.

In the year ahead, the United Soybean Board (USB) will boost demand for U.S. Soy, drive on-farm resilience and bring value to the nearly half a million U.S. soybean farmers. Led by its 77 farmer-leaders, USB recently approved a $121.3 million budget for the 2026 fiscal year, strategically allocating funds across vital research, promotion and education investments. This spans the food, feed, fuel, industrial, exports and sustainable production market segments.

In an effort to honor and express gratitude for the hardworking farmers who produce our food supply, Culver’s is launching their annual “To Farmers With Love Contest”—a nationwide effort running July 14 through Aug. 1. The fast-casual restaurant chain is inviting guests to nominate a farmer making a meaningful impact in their community for a chance to win a trip to attend a Tim McGraw concert at the Field of Dreams Movie Site on Aug. 30, 2025, or the Velocity Music Festival on Aug. 31, 2025, both held in Dyersville, Iowa. To learn more about the concert or to nominate a farmer for a chance to win a VIP experience, visit https://www.culvers.com/to-farmers-with-love-contest.

The Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year state winners have been announced for 2025. State winners for 2025 include:
Dr. Issac “Nealy” Barrett, Jr. | Alabama Farmer of the Year 2025;
Jeremy Allen | Arkansas Farmer of the Year 2025;
James “Jim” Alderman | Florida Farmer of the Year 2025;
Kent Hamilton | Georgia Farmer of the Year 2025;
David “Harrell” Overman | North Carolina Farmer of the Year 2025;
Jeff Wilson | South Carolina Farmer of the Year 2025;
and Steve Hopkins | Virginia Farmer of the Year 2025.

A distinguished humanitarian, business leader and diplomat, Cindy Hensley McCain became the World Food Programme’s Executive Director on April 5, 2023. Prior to joining the World Food Programme, she served as United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies in Rome, and is the former Chair of the Board of Trustees of Arizona State University’s McCain Institute for International Leadership. She has also served on the Board of Directors of Project C.U.R.E, CARE, Operation Smile and Halo Trust, and was Chairman of her family’s business, Hensley Beverage Company.

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