This week’s agriculture news highlights growing demand for U.S. grains, including increased soybean exports during the 2024–25 marketing year, along with continued efforts to expand corn demand. We also take a closer look at challenges facing the animal agriculture sector and how industry groups are working to address them. In the agriculture headlines this week: China has purchased about 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans, fulfilling its pledge by the end of February. The U.S. Supreme Court will review Durnell v. Monsanto (Roundup), a case with major impacts for farmers. We also cover new efforts to boost corn demand, congressional funding for some agencies in fiscal year 2026, potential expansion of farmer aid and Canada’s newly announced trade framework with China. This week’s interview focuses on some ways groups are advocating for animal agriculture and the resources available for producers and ag groups, featuring Animal Agriculture Alliance’s Director of Communications and Marketing Emily Ellis. She shares how recent food and nutrition reports are being interpreted and what the nonprofit organization has learned over the past year. Stay connected with us for more agriculture content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, along with our weekly videos!
On today’s show, we cover lawmaker agriculture priorities, global ag news and crop protection considerations as farmers plan for the 2026 growing season following a challenging year of disease pressure. Agriculture news this week covers what federal lawmakers will be prioritizing these upcoming few weeks from a discussion heard at the American Farm Bureau Convention earlier this week, and the group’s top policy priorities for the year ahead. Today’s show also shares the newly signed Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act and what it means for schools and dairy farmers, delays to USDA’s ARC and PLC programs until after the 2026 planting season, developments involving Venezuela and the energy industry and a new report showing U.S. agricultural equipment sales declined compared to the previous year. This week’s interview is with Dean Grossnickle, Technical Development Lead at Syngenta, who joins the show to discuss pre and post-emerge crop protection strategies, especially in light of late-season disease pressure seen last year including Southern rust. The conversation highlights why weed control is more critical than ever and the questions Grossnickle is hearing from farmers this winter as they build their weed management plans. Stay connected with us for more agriculture content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, along with our weekly videos!
This week’s agriculture news highlights both the wins and challenges facing ethanol, biodiesel, poultry and beef markets, along with a timely interview focused on keeping farms safe during the winter months and the resources available to help. Top agriculture headlines include what recent surveys reveal about the current state of the farm economy, what the northernmost detection of New World screwworm in Mexico — approximately 200 miles from the U.S. border — could mean for ranchers, an update on China purchasing more soybeans, plus the latest weather and market outlook. Today’s interview focuses on farm safety considerations and the important role local fire departments play on farms. Pittsville Fire Company Chief Jerry Minor shares insights for producers, along with the challenges and rewards of serving as a rural firefighter. He also explains how firefighters can access resources through the National Farm Medicine Center and how those tools support emergency preparedness in rural communities. Stay connected with us for more agriculture content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, along with our weekly videos!
This week’s agriculture news covers USDA priorities for the year ahead, newly released commodity payment rates, and a drone ban that could impact farmers. We also take a closer look at the tools producers can use to help prevent New World screwworm from entering their herds. Agriculture headlines this week include what the USDA will be prioritizing in 2026, reports projecting a trade deficit this year, and an official report showing USDA has lost 18% of its workforce. Additional coverage includes lawmakers divided on whether a farm bill can be passed in 2026, a historic rail merger application being filed, and a study estimating the economic impact of a beef packing plant closure in Nebraska. Today’s interview features Elanco Beef Technical Consultant Dr. M. Wayne Ayers, who discusses available tools and ongoing conversations around preventing New World screwworm, Asian longhorned tick, lice, and other parasites. Stay connected with us for more agriculture content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, along with our weekly videos!
This week’s agriculture news includes an avian influenza update, ongoing water challenges impacting agriculture, and what it will take to rebuild the U.S. cattle herd alongside insights producers and growers should know as the year wraps up. Agriculture headlines this week on today’s podcast cover major policy and trade developments, including the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 passing both the House and Senate and now awaiting President Donald Trump’s signature. Plus, the U.S. and Mexico have reached an agreement to meet water delivery obligations, and we break down what to know as the 45Z clean fuel tax credit is set to take effect at the end of the month. Today’s featured interview looks ahead to 2026, with Rabobank Senior Beef Economist Lance Zimmerman sharing insights on cattle herd rebuilding, total inventory trends, demand outlook, and regional perspectives on the beef market. Stay connected with us for more agriculture content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, along with our weekly videos!
This week’s show breaks down the latest national agriculture policy developments from new USDA farmer aid efforts to a closer look at the growing use of the prefix “bio” and what it means for today’s farmers. This week’s episode dives into top agriculture policy headlines including USDA’s $12 billion in one-time bridge payments to support farmers, a new $700 million Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program and updates on USDA reorganization and crop insurance. We also cover what the latest Federal Reserve rate cuts mean for producers, China’s extended deadline to purchase additional soybeans now until February, and takeaways from last week’s USMCA public hearings. Bio is a word used often in agriculture, but what’s the story behind the prefix and how is it defined today? James Glueck, executive director of the Plant Based Products Council, explains what “bio” means for both farmers and consumers in today’s interview, and shares insight into the expanding bioeconomy, and outlines the group’s farm bill priorities. Stay connected with us for more agriculture content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, along with our weekly videos!
This week’s agriculture news highlights global trade discussions involving China and other countries, along with an in-depth look at the fall grain harvest and the broader global context for demand of U.S. grains. Coverage includes updates on China’s pledge to purchase U.S. soybeans and where the United States currently stands regarding access to the European and Indian trade markets. Additional stories include comments from U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer about the possibility of the U.S. withdrawing from the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement next year, as well as expectations for a potential ad-hoc farmer payment announcement in the coming week. Other developments touch on what the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative could mean for corn and fresh produce organizations, along with tax and healthcare considerations for farmers. Today’s show also features insights from CoBank Knowledge Exchange Grains and Oilseeds Lead Economist Tanner Ehmke on record crop production, storage capacity challenges, transportation logistics and the global demand outlook. The discussion explores both short and long-term strategies to strengthen demand certainty for U.S. corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum. Stay connected with us for more agriculture content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, along with our weekly videos!
Cattle markets, avian influenza updates and new whole milk legislation kick off today’s show, followed by an interview recapping 2025 equipment trends and expectations for a busy stretch ahead. This week’s agriculture news includes continued disappointment across the industry after Tyson Foods announced last week it will shut down its Nebraska plant in January, a New World screwworm update, and a recent horse disease outbreak. We also break down newly analyzed cost data highlighting the need to address financial strain for farmers, a new USDA trading program, available biofuel production payments and ongoing pressure from ag groups for year-round E15 sales. This week’s interview highlights factors influencing the equipment market with BigIron co-founder and co-owner Mark Stock. He discusses what’s selling from tractors to planters and which regions are seeing the most activity. Stay connected with us for more agriculture content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, along with our weekly videos!
Industry leaders shared key agriculture learnings from 2025 and how those lessons can be applied to the year ahead on today’s show. This episode also features coverage from the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention, plus the latest headlines across agriculture. Agriculture news this week includes new details on a major railroad merger and why it matters for soybean growers, positive reactions from ag groups to the newly proposed Waters of the United States definition and China purchasing one million tons of soybeans. We also cover a recent report showing ag lenders expect only about half of U.S. farm borrowers to turn a profit in 2025, along with a look at rising food costs heading into Thanksgiving and what that means for farmers. Today’s show features many conversations with agriculture leaders, including a panel discussion on ag markets. One conversation is with StoneX Vice President of Fertilizer Josh Linville, who shares insight on global and domestic fertilizer trends and what they mean for farmers. He also discusses fertilizer-related news highlighted last week by President Donald Trump. Stay connected with us for more agriculture content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, along with our weekly videos!
Trade in both the crop and livestock sectors is discussed on this week’s episode, along with top agriculture headlines from across the nation. Agriculture news this week includes what the federal government’s reopening means for farmers and how the shift may affect hemp growers. The USDA announced new progress in preventing New World screwworm from entering the U.S., as well as updated plans to support dairy farmers in the year ahead. Additional headlines highlight President Donald Trump’s call for the Department of Justice to investigate potential anticompetitive practices in the U.S. meatpacking industry and new data on cover crop usage. Trade conversations continue on today’s show with updates from the crop sector, followed by insight on the livestock side from U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom. He discusses global demand for U.S. pork and beef in 2025, priorities heading into 2026, the difference in export numbers with and without China, and the challenges and opportunities shaping trade access. Stay connected with us for more agriculture content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, along with our weekly videos!