During a speech on the Senate floor Monday, Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) addressed the economic crisis facing ag producers across America, stressing the need for long-term solutions for farmers and ranchers. “Producers of corn, soybeans, and other top commodities are under crushing pressure. Rising input costs and uncertainty have driven farm finances to levels reminiscent of the 1980s crisis, which …
Sen. Marshall Pleased With Ag Input on MAHA Report
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) is pleased that the most recent Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) report on the Strategy to Make Our Children Healthy Again included a lot more input from the agriculture sector. “I think the first rendition of MAHA was written without much input from agriculture,” said Sen. Marshall during the Ag Outlook Forum last week in Kansas …
Trump Talks Up Farmers in Iowa
President Donald Trump celebrated the passage of his One Big Beautiful Bill and touted his plans for the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding next year with an address at the Iowa State Fairgrounds focused on farmers. “This bill rescues over two million family farms from the so-called estate tax or the death tax. In other words, before Trump, you …
MAHA Creates Concerns for Farmers
President Donald Trump’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission issued its first report on childhood health Thursday, creating concerns in the agriculture community about what it could mean for the future of crop protection tools. Making the announcement at the White House with President Trump, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy said the report is a call to action …
Trump Says Tariffs May Require Adjustment Period
In his address to Congress Tuesday, President Donald Trump said farmers may have to “bear with” him when it comes to tariffs on agricultural products, but he promises it will be worth it. “A new trade policy will also be great for the American farmer. I love the farmer. We’ll now be selling it to our home market in the …
Treasury 45Z Guidance Offers Little Clarity for Farmers
The biggest piece of the puzzle for the 45Z Clean Fuels Production Credit implementation was left out of the guidance issued last week by U.S. Treasury, leaving farmers still uncertain about what practices they would need to implement this year for the crops to qualify. The guidance includes both a notice of intent to propose regulations on the section 45Z …
DWFI Podcast 40 – Irrigation’s Role in Agricultural Productivity
In the 40th episode of the Water for Food Podcast, Daugherty Water for Food Institute (DWFI) Director of Communications and Public Relations Frances Hayes sits down with Darren Siekman at the Valmont Industries headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. Darren is the Vice President of Policy and Industry Strategy at Valley Agriculture, a Valmont Company. The two discuss Valmont’s history and global …
Farm Income Continues to Fall
The USDA Economic Research Service 2024 Farm Sector Income Forecast shows farm income is down again this year, but not as much as it was last year. While the report compares different measures of farm income, the bottom line is that, adjusted for inflation, net farm income is forecast to decrease by $9.5 billion (6.3 percent) from 2023 to 2024. …
DWFI Podcast 39 – Navigating Climate Change in Nebraska
Navigating climate change: impacts on water stress and agricultural production in Nebraska Nebraska, located in the U.S. “Corn Belt,” is well known for its agricultural and livestock production, generating around $31.1 billion in agricultural cash receipts in 2023. But how will climate change impact long-term agricultural production, and how can we adapt to changes to ensure water security and food …
Thanksgiving Costs for Farmers and Consumers
Thanksgiving dinner will cost less than it did last year, but still more expensive than before the pandemic, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual survey of the average cost of the classic holiday feast for 10, which is $58.08 or about $5.80 per person. This is a 5% decrease from 2023, which was 4.5% lower than 2022. Two …