EPA Allows Nationwide E15 Sales This Summer

The Environmental Protection Agency issued an emergency fuel waiver allowing sales of E15 gasoline nationwide during the summer driving season. By doing this, the EPA keeps E15 on the market, giving consumers more choices at pumps across the nation. Several U.S. agriculture and biofuel supporters reacted positively. “EPA’s decision is a step toward greater American energy dominance,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “More fuel in the marketplace allows Americans to spend less of their hard-earned money at the pump this summer.” The National Corn Growers Association says this waiver helps corn growers and rural communities. “We deeply appreciate the administration and the EPA for making year-round access to E15 a priority,” said NCGA President Kenneth Hartman Jr. Rob Larew, president of the National Farmers Union, says nationwide E15 is a huge win for American farmers and consumers. “This creates new markets for farmers and keeps more energy dollars here,” Larew said. 

U.S. and Mexico Reach Agreement on Screwworm

The U.S. and Mexico reached an agreement on how to handle a damaging livestock pest called New World screwworm. Reuters says the agreement was reached only after Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins threatened to limit Mexican cattle imports coming through the southern U.S. border. Screwworms can infect livestock, wildlife, and in rare cases, they can infect people. The screwworm flies leave maggots that burrow into the skin of living animals, doing significant and often fatal damage. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said earlier this week that Mexico had been working to respond to the screwworm outbreak and strengthening its prevention efforts. The U.S. typically imports over one million Mexican cattle every year. Blocking Mexican cattle imports would only tighten U.S. supplies that have dropped to their lowest levels in decades. Washington blocked Mexican cattle from late November 2024 to February 2025 after Mexican officials discovered the screwworm, which America eradicated in 1966. 

Major Water Win for Texas Farmers and Ranchers

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a major win for American agriculture by securing the Mexican government’s agreement to meet the current water needs of farmers and ranchers in Texas. That’s part of the 1944 Water Treaty, which the U.S. said Mexico hasn’t been living up to. The Mexican government committed to transferring water from international reservoirs and increasing the U.S. share of the flow in six of Mexico’s Rio Grande tributaries through the end of the current five-year water cycle. “Mexico finally meeting the water needs of Texas farmers and ranchers under the 1944 Water Treaty is a major win for American agriculture,” said Secretary Rollins. The agreement between the U.S. and Mexico solidified a plan for immediate and short-term water relief to meet the needs of Texas farmers and ranchers for this growing season. It includes water releases and continued commitments through the end of this cycle, which concludes in October.

Trade Mission to Expand Ag Exports to Hong Kong

USDA will lead a trade mission to Hong Kong from May 12-16 to enhance market access and expand American agricultural exports. The delegation includes more than three dozen agribusinesses, trade organizations, and representatives from five state departments of agriculture. “Hong Kong is a key gateway for U.S. agricultural exports, connecting our farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses with one of the most dynamic markets in Asia,” said Mark Slupek of the Foreign Agricultural Service. In 2024, Hong Kong was the 18th-largest market for U.S. ag products, importing $1.4 billion in goods. As a free port and gateway to Southeast Asia, Hong Kong plays a crucial role in facilitating food and agricultural exports. Hong Kong is also considered Asia’s culinary capital and ranks as the eleventh-largest market for U.S. consumer-oriented agricultural products. Trade mission participants will engage in business-to-business meetings with buyers from Hong Kong and a buyer delegation from the Philippines.  

Corn Growers Disappointed with Herbicide Decision

Leaders of the National Corn Growers Association expressed disappointment with a decision by the International Trade Commission affirming that Corteva Agriscience was harmed by imports of a critical herbicide called 2,4-D. This decision means that duties will be placed on imports of the herbicide at a final rate determined later by the U.S. Department of Commerce. “We are concerned and alarmed by this ruling,” says Illinois farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman Jr. “Corn growers should not be forced to rely exclusively on one domestic supplier, and today’s decision threatens to cause significant availability shortages for 2,4-D.” Shortages will hamper the work of U.S. farmers, who are already facing a tough environment due to a prolonged period of high input costs and low prices. The herbicide 2,4-D is a growth regulator that targets broadleaf weeds, which are particularly challenging weeds for corn growers to manage. 

Administration Drops Criminal Charges Against SD Farm Family

The Trump administration dropped criminal charges against Charles and Heather Maude, a South Dakota family who has a small cattle and hog operation. This family endured politically motivated prosecution waged by the Biden administration over 50 acres of federal land. “The Maudes are not criminals,” said Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins. “They’ve worked that land since the early 1990s, and something that should have been a minor civil dispute that was over and done quickly turned into an overzealous criminal prosecution on a hardworking family that was close to losing their home, children, and livelihood.” A politically motivated witch hunt was launched against the Maude family over a fence line and planting dispute with a small family farm that has cultivated land near federal grasslands since the early 1900s. “No family farmers or ranchers should have to go through everything that the Maude family did,” says NCBA President Buck Wehrbein. 

Wednesday Watch List

Markets

U.S. Q1 GDP at 7:30 a.m. CDT

Personal Consumption Expenditure at 9 a.m. CDT

EIA Petroleum Status Report including weekly ethanol production at 9:30 a.m. CDT

Weather

A low-pressure center is forming along a front in the Southern Plains on Wednesday. Heavy rain and severe weather have been issues here for the last couple of days and continue again for Wednesday. The system will move northeast with more widespread showers and thunderstorms getting into the Midwest and Delta as well.

Farm Bankruptcies on the Rise Again in 2025

Family farm bankruptcies increased by 55% last year compared to 2023 and are trending even higher this year as farmers continue to grapple with depressed agricultural commodity prices and high input costs. While much of the industry-wide distress predates his second stint in the White House, President Donald Trump has quickly nudged more farmers closer to the brink of going under and created turbulence for producers trying to make ends meet.  Unpredictable tariffs, immigration overhauls, federal program cuts, and frozen Agriculture Department funding are now part of the discussions farmers are having as they seek financial help. “'What’s going on in Washington?' is the subject of almost every conversation that I have,” said farm bankruptcy attorney David Mills. Farm bankruptcy filings soared in 2019 during the height of Trump’s trade war with China, which targeted U.S. agriculture with a sweeping retaliatory tariff regime mirroring the response China is pursuing today. Trump’s administration sent farmers an estimated $23 billion covering export losses to try to stop more farms from going under.

China Says It Won’t Be Affected by Loss of U.S. Grains and Oilseeds

China’s grain supply won’t be affected by a loss of U.S. feed grain and oilseed imports, thanks to abundantly available substitutes on the global market and sufficient reserves at home. The world’s top buyer of soybeans is set to receive a mammoth amount of oilseed from South America in the second quarter, easing a supply shortage and helping to further cool animal feed prices. Inbound shipments, mainly from Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, are poised to climb to more than 30 million tons during the period from April to the end of June. China has moved to diversify its sources of grains in recent years and has shifted to buying more Brazilian soybeans as the trade war sparked by President Donald Trump’s tariffs makes purchases of US crops unviable. American grains like soybeans, corn, and sorghum can be easily substituted and the supplies on the international market are quite sufficient. Even without purchases of US feed grains and oilseed, there won’t be much impact on China’s grain supply.

Corn and Soybean Planting Ahead of Average in Latest USDA Report

The USDA said that as of April 27, 24% of the corn crop in the country’s top states has been planted. That’s ahead of the five-year average of 22%. According to the report, corn planting has begun in every one of the top 18 states. 24 percent of the corn has been planted in all top producing states. Five percent of the corn crop has emerged across nine of the top corn-growing states. That’s just ahead the five-year average (4%). Corn has emerged in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The USDA said that as of April 27, 18 percent of the soybean crop in the nation’s top states was in the ground. That’s ahead of the five-year average of 12%. According to the report, soybean planting has begun in all 18 states: Arkansas: 45%, Illinois: 22%, Indiana: 10%, Iowa: 25%, Kansas: 13%, Kentucky: 16%, Louisiana: 70%, Minnesota: 13%, Mississippi: 54%, Missouri: 25%, Nebraska: 13%, North Carolina: 17%, Tennessee: 25%, Wisconsin: 6%.

Bird flu in Cows Shows No Signs of Adapting to Humans — Yet

H5N1 grows well in dairy cow udders, which may actually be good news for people. When traces of H5N1 bird flu showed up in cow’s milk last year, it raised fears that the virus could become more infectious to humans. So far, that hasn’t happened. Cows were surprise hosts for the virus. Influenza viruses latch on to sialic acid attached to sugar molecules that decorate the outside of cells. It turns out that the way sialic acid is attached to some sugar molecules on cow mammary gland cells resembles attachments, or receptors, in birds. This arrangement allows the H5N1 virus to infect birds and cows. Cattle also have sialic acid attachments like those that flu viruses use to grab and infect human cells. Researchers feared that having both human-like and birdlike receptors in the same mammary glands might make it easier for bird flu viruses to adapt, making transmission between people easier.

Sunflower Acres Expected to Increase in 2025

U.S. growers say they will plant 49% more sunflowers this year. Oilseed crushers and bird food buyers were expecting an acre increase given small carryover seed stocks. Non-oil sunflower acres were somewhat below most traders’ thoughts. According to the USDA, growers intend to plant 1.07 million sunflower acres in 2025, an increase of 49% from last year’s record-low planted area. Compared with last year, growers in seven of the eight major sunflower-producing states expect an increase in planted acreage this year, with California representing the only state that is expecting a decline from 2024. The largest increase in planted area from last year is expected in North Dakota. Area intended for oil-type varieties, at 960,500 acres, is up 62% from 2024, with non-oil varieties estimated at 112,000 acres, down 12% from last year. The estimate for oil-type varieties was within industry expectations.

USDA-FSIS to Withdraw Proposal to Declare Certain Salmonella Types as Adulterants in Raw Poultry Products

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will withdraw a proposed rule that would consider certain Salmonella serotypes and levels as adulterants in numerous raw chicken and turkey product categories. FSIS noted it had received 7,089 comments on the proposed framework, titled Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products, during the comment period, which closed on Jan. 17, 2025. The agency went on to say that it believes that the comments have raised several important issues that warrant further consideration. Therefore, FSIS is withdrawing the Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products proposed rule and proposed determination to allow the agency to further assess its approach for addressing Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry products.

Tuesday Watch List

Markets

Advanced U.S. Trade Balance In Goods for March at 7:30 a.m. CDT

Consumer Confidence at 9 a.m. CDT

Livestock Annual Income Summary - NASS at 2 p.m. CDT

Weather

A front is stalled out across the Southern Plains, with the northern end of it shifting through the Ohio Valley on Tuesday. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will occur in this zone Tuesday, causing some areas of heavy rain and severe weather.

Hemp Acreage on the Rise

U.S. industrial hemp production rose sharply in 2024, with total crop value reaching $445 million, a 40 percent increase over the previous year, according to the latest National Hemp Report. Planted acreage expanded to nearly 45,300 acres, up 64 percent from 2023. Harvested acreage climbed 60 percent to just under 32,700 acres. The growth reflects both increased planting and higher yields, which rose from 669 to 1,757 pounds per acre. Floral hemp led the surge, with production more than doubling to 20.8 million pounds, a 159 percent jump year over year. It accounted for 87 percent of the total value of hemp grown in the open, cementing its position as the industry’s economic driver. Seed hemp also posted notable gains. Its value rose nearly 500 percent to $16.9 million, the largest percentage increase among hemp categories. The report signals renewed momentum in the hemp sector, following several years of market fluctuation after legalization under the 2018 Farm Bill.

PepsiCo “Accelerating” Transition to Natural Snack Ingredients

PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said the snacking giant will be “accelerating” its transition to natural ingredients amid increasing consumer demand and pressure from the White House to remove artificial colors from foods. Laguarta said during PepsiCo’s first-quarter earnings call with analysts on Thursday that the Cheetos and Doritos maker plans to have transitioned “all the portfolio into natural colors or at least provide the consumer with natural color options” in the next “couple years.” Still, he underscored that PepsiCo’s chips, puffs and other snacks are safe, and the company stands by the existing science. “Every consumer will have the opportunity to choose what they prefer,” he said. The comments come two days after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the department wants food companies to voluntarily remove or replace commonly used synthetic colors before the end of 2026.

Land O’ Lakes CEO says Trump Policies are "Real Concern" in Rural America

America urgently needs immigration reform to support US farmers, Land O’ Lakes CEO Beth Ford said Thursday. Farmers want to support US President Donald Trump’s economic agenda, but there is “real concern” over possible labor shortages and lost profits. “What needs to be recognized is the necessity that [farmers] have labor available,” Ford said. “Immigration reform, broadly, is critical.” Farmers “invest in this country,” adding that the industry is over represented in the military. “At the same time, there’s real concern. The first thing they talk to me about is labor, immigration, [and] the lack of available labor for their farms.” Immigrants make up roughly half of America’s farm laborers, said Ford, who chairs the Business Roundtable’s immigration committee Commodity prices have slid in recent years and many farmers don’t turn a profit. With Trump’s tariffs now threatening exports, Ford said she is most worried about 2026, and how duties will reshape the trade landscape.

Archer Midland Daniels Closing SC Soybean Processing Plant

Archer Daniels Midland said it will permanently close its soybean processing plant in Kershaw, South Carolina, later this spring as part of its cost-cutting plan announced earlier this year, according to Reuters. The Kershaw plant is the smallest of more than a dozen dedicated soy processing facilities operated by ADM in the U.S., with the capacity to crush 50K bushels per day. ADM has been cutting jobs and downsizing some operations since announcing in February that it planned to cut costs by $500M-$700M over 3-5 years. The Kershaw plant would be the first U.S. soybean processing plant to close following a multi-year, industry-wide expansion amid soaring vegetable oil demand from biofuels makers, but the biofuel sector recently has been cutting production due to uncertainty over U.S. biofuels policy and the potential for a worsening trade war.

Researchers Seeking Environmental Solutions through Cover Cropping

Oklahoma State University multi-disciplinary scientists are teaming up to research how cover crops can improve the environmental impacts of cattle foraging. “We need to find new approaches to beef cattle production systems that are economically beneficial to producers, and ideally, would have an environmental benefit as well,” said Andrew Foote, associate professor in the OSU Department of Animal and Food Sciences. “The industry is making great progress with improving methane emissions from beef cattle, but we are lacking in improvement with nitrogen emissions.” Fertilizing crops and cattle foraging on harvested cropland cause methane and nitrogen emissions. “That’s why we came up with this research project to look at using legume cover crops in the summer to fix nitrogen in the soil to minimize the amount of fertilizer producers need to put down for planting wheat in the fall,” Foote said.

Egg Production Down Year-over-Year

U.S. egg production totaled 8.63 billion in March 2025, a 7% drop from the same month last year. That figure includes 7.35 billion table eggs and 1.28 billion hatching eggs — with 1.18 billion from broiler-type hens and 104 million from egg-type hens. The average number of laying hens in March was 351 million, down 8% year-over-year. Despite the smaller flock, productivity slightly improved: hens produced 2,458 eggs per 100 layers, up from March 2024. As of April 1, the U.S. layer count remained at 351 million, split among 287 million producing table eggs, 60.4 million producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 4 million producing egg-type hatching eggs. The daily lay rate averaged 79.1 eggs per 100 layers, a slight dip from a year earlier. Meanwhile, 60.7 million egg-type chicks hatched in March — up 11% from March 2024.

Monday Watch List

Markets

Export Inspections at 10 a.m. CDT

Weekly Crop Progress at 3 p.m. CDT

Weather

A low-pressure center will work from the Northern Plains through the Upper Midwest on Monday. Heavy rain in the Dakotas will move through the Upper Midwest and the setup looks pretty good for a major severe weather outbreak with all hazards being possible. Additional thunderstorms will develop south through the Southern Plains with potential for hail and heavy rainfall as well.

Off-Farm Income Keeping Some Operations Afloat

For most U.S. farm households, income from off-farm jobs like teaching, driving a bus, or managing a bank branch helps keep an operation running. In 2023, an AFBF Market Intel Report says 23 percent of farm household income for farm families comes from farming itself, which means 77 percent of the income comes from other sources. In 2023, 96 percent of farm operators (the principal operator and their spouse) earned money from off-farm sources. About 72 percent of the off-farm income in recent years has come from earned sources like wages and salaries (61 percent) and non-farm business income (11 percent). The other 28 percent came from unearned sources like Social Security, veteran’s benefits, pensions, dividends, and interest. The smaller the farm, the more dependent on off-farm employment. Among farms with less than $100,000 in gross sales, over 60 percent of those operators worked at least one day off the farm. 

Dairy Industry Voluntarily Removing Artificial Colors From School Lunches

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins applauded the International Dairy Foods Association announcement for its “IDFA Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment.” It’s a voluntary, proactive pledge to eliminate Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 in milk, cheese, and yogurt products sold to K-12 schools for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs beginning during the 2026-2027 school year. Rollins said America’s dairy farmers and milk processors have always led the way in providing our families and schoolchildren with healthy, nutritious, and delicious milk products. “While I look forward to getting whole milk back into our schools, this announcement shows how the dairy industry is voluntarily driving change and giving consumers what they want, without government mandates,” she said. “I thank IDFA and the dairy industry for leading the way and look forward to other industries working together to Make America Healthy Again.” 

Registration for the Public Land Council’s Annual Meeting

Registration is open for the Public Land Council’s 57th annual meeting to be held in Flagstaff, Arizona, from September 16-18, 2025. “The Annual Meeting is when we come together as an industry to plan our advocacy efforts for the upcoming year, hammer out grassroots policies, and discuss upcoming rulemaking and legislative priorities,” says PLC President Tim Canterbury. “As federal lands ranchers, we have the opportunity to modernize antiquated laws like the Endangered Species Act, as well as cut government red tape getting in the way of meaningful, long-term planning for land health.” He also said being involved in the conversation is the best way to protect Western livestock production and its way of life. PLC is the only national group that defends the rights and interests of cattle and sheep producers who utilize federal lands and grazing permits as part of their operations. “No better time than now,” Canterbury added. 

“Farmers Under Stress” Webinar Aimed at Ag Professionals

An upcoming Penn State Extension webinar titled “Communicating with Farmers Under Stress” is aimed at helping participants learn the signs of stress and how to help. The webinar will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Eastern Time on May 15, 2025. The program is designed for ag industry professionals, loan officers, family members of farmers, and concerned citizens. The session will cover how to communicate with and respond to farmers and their family members when they need assistance. The webinar will teach participants to build awareness of the stressors affecting farmers and their families. The webinar will help attendees recognize the signs and symptoms of anxiety and warning signs of suicide. Participants will learn to assess, approach, and assist farmers who are showing changes in their mental health. The webinar is free, but attendees must register before the start to get the access link. For information, go to extension.psu.edu.

Highest Ethanol Production in Three Weeks

Ethanol output jumped to the highest level in three weeks, and inventories dropped during the seven days ending on April 18. Data from the Energy Information Administration says production rose to an average of 1.033 million barrels a day. That’s up from 1.012 million barrels the week prior and the highest since March 28. The Midwest produces the most ethanol in the country, and output rose to 976,000 barrels a day from 955,000 barrels the previous week, also the highest in three weeks. Gulf Coast production increased to 25,000 barrels a day, up from 24,000 barrels a week earlier. That was all the gains, as East Coast output was unchanged for the third straight week at 12,000 barrels a day. Rocky Mountain production fell by 1,000 barrels a day to 10,000 barrels on average, and West Coast output dropped by the same amount to 9,000 barrels a day.

12 States Sue Administration Over Tariffs

A dozen states have sued the Trump administration in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York to stop its tariff policy, claiming it is unlawful and has brought chaos to the American economy. Yahoo says the lawsuit challenges Trump’s claim that he could arbitrarily impose tariffs based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The suit asks the court to declare the tariffs to be illegal and to block government agencies and its officers from enforcing them. The 12 states suing the administration include Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, and Vermont. The suit says Trump’s policy has been subject to his “whims rather than the exercise of lawful authority.” The suit claims only Congress, not the president, has the power to impose tariffs, and the president can only invoke the IEEPA when the emergency presents an “unusual and extraordinary threat” from abroad. 

Friday Watch List

Markets

Consumer sentiment at 9 a.m. CDT

Food Price Outlook at 10 a.m. CDT

CFTC Commitments of Traders Report at 2:30 p.m. CDT

Weather

An active weather week ends with more showers and thunderstorms with a system moving through the Midwest on Friday. Widespread showers and thunderstorms are forecast from the Southern Plains into the Northeast. A briefly quiet period is setting up behind the system across the North-Central U.S., but will not last long.

Death Taxes Threaten Farm Families

Many provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are set to expire this year. The American Farm Bureau says that adds a big task to the Congressional to-do list: updating the tax code. Many of those expiring provisions provide important relief for farm families. AFBF Associate Economist Samantha Ayoub (aye-OOB) says while reductions in the corporate income tax rates were made permanent in 2017, income tax cuts for individuals began to phase out in 2022, with the biggest tax increases are coming with expirations at the end of this year. For some farm families, grieving the loss of a loved one comes with an additional burden, that being a hefty tax on everything their family member left to them. Without an act of Congress, the estate tax exemption will drop by 50 percent to $7.61 million on January 1, 2026, putting the future of thousands of family farms at risk. 

Soybean Farmers Respond to Disaster Assistance

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that $340.6 million in disaster assistance is available to help farmers and rural communities affected by natural disasters. The American Soybean Association is pleased that the funding has become available and applauds the administration for following through on its promise to help the many farmers and others who’ve been in need following extraordinary circumstances. “We appreciate the administration for seeing these devastating circumstances and coming to the aid of farmers and rural communities,” says Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association and a soy farmer from Kentucky. “When natural disasters strike, we have very little recourse to protect our livelihoods.” He also says this funding will help many people who are trying to rebuild their homes and businesses and hopefully restore some normalcy after enduring hurricanes, floods, and fires and the outcomes of these disasters. ASA thanks the USDA for its Rural Development Disaster Assistance Package 

Argentina Corn Production Expected to Jump

The USDA’s attaché office in Buenos Aires is predicting corn exports from Argentina will climb to the third-highest level on record and will surge higher in the 2025-2026 marketing year. Shipments of corn will total 37 million metric tons in the upcoming season, which is an increase from 34 million tons during the previous year. The main destinations for corn exports from the South American country are Vietnam, Peru, Malaysia, South Korea, Chile, and Saudi Arabia. Argentina’s production will surge to 54 million metric tons, up from 49 million tons last year, which, if realized, would be the country’s fourth-largest crop on record. The planted area will rise almost 13 percent to 17.8 million acres. “Given current market conditions, farmers returns are projected better for corn than soybeans, similar to the combination of wheat followed by second soybeans on the same field in Argentina’s core production area,” USDA said. 

Summit Trying to Salvage Pipeline in South Dakota

Summit Carbon Solutions faces a critical decision from regulators on April 22. The Des Moines Register says the company may have found a way to salvage its planned carbon capture pipeline in South Dakota if it’s given a chance to do so. Summit’s solution would avoid a legal or political battle against a new law that bars the company from using eminent domain to obtain the land easements it needs to build the pipeline. The company filing with the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission says if it's given enough time, it can plan out a route for its $9 million carbon capture pipeline. It would make a plan to eliminate pipeline segments that connect the ethanol plants where there is significant landowner opposition. “By reducing the number of participating plants, eliminating those more problematic line segments, and thereby minimizing the project’s footprint, we can reduce the overall number of opposed landowners,” the filing said.

March Milk Production Up One Percent

Milk production in the 24 major milk-producing states during March totaled 19 billion pounds, up one percent from March 2024. February revised production, at 17 billion pounds, was down 2.4 percent from February 2024. The February revision represented an increase of 26 million pounds from last month’s preliminary production estimate. Production per cow in the 24 major states averaged 2,125 pounds for March, four pounds above March 2024. The number of milk cows on the farms in those states was 8.96 million head, 72,000 head more than in March 2024 and 9,000 above February 2025. Milk production in the United States during the January-March quarter totaled 56.7 billion pounds, down 0.3 percent from the same quarter in 2024. The average number of milk cows in the U.S. during the quarter was 9.4 million head, 36,000 head more than the October-December quarter and 58,000 head more than the same period last year. 

Global Cotton Forecast at a Seven-Year High

The USDA’s cotton projections for 2024-2025 forecast global cotton production at 120.9 million bales, down slightly month-over-month but a seven percent increase from 2023-2024. It’s also the highest total since 2017-2018. The major cotton-producing countries are projected to be mixed in 2024-2025, as declines in India and Pakistan are offset by larger year-over-year increases in China, Brazil, the United States, and Australia. Global mill use is projected to increase slightly in 2024-2025 to 116 million bales, up 1.2 million bales or 1.1 percent from the previous year. Among the top spinning countries, however, only China is projected lower this season. World production in 2024-2025 exceeds the mill use estimate, with global ending stocks rising nearly seven percent. World cotton stocks are projected at 78.9 million bales, the second-highest level since the 2015-2016 marketing year. World imports are forecast at 42.4 million bales this season, down four percent from 2023-2024.

Thursday Watch List

Markets

Weekly Export Sales at 7:30 a.m. CDT

Initial Jobless Claims at 7:30 a.m. CDT

Weekly Slaughter at 2 p.m. CDT

Weather

As has been the case the last couple of days, two stalled fronts, one north and one south, continue to produce areas of showers and thunderstorms for Thursday. A low-pressure system will form along the northern front and increase the coverage across the Central Plains and Iowa for today and tonight. Some areas of severe weather will be possible in the southwestern Plains again as well.

Farm Bankruptcies Climbing in 2025

Farm bankruptcies grew 55 percent from 2023 to 2024 and are trending even higher in 2025. Farmers are continuing to struggle with low prices for their agricultural commodities and the high costs of inputs needed to grow those crops. Bloomberg says unpredictable tariffs, immigration overhauls, federal programs being cut, and frozen USDA funding are now part of the challenges farmers face as they look for financial assistance. The Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago says the share of the district’s farm loan portfolio assessed as having “major or severe” repayment problems was 4.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024, the highest point it reached since late in 2020. The Kansas City Fed said at the end of March that as farm debt grew and conditions in the farm economy deteriorated, delinquency rates increased modestly from historic lows. The American Farmland Owner says Iowa leads all other states with 12 bankruptcies this year. 

USGC: Value of Ag Exports Passes $28 Billion

The U.S. Grains Council updated its Value of Grains Exports study with the latest available information about the financial benefits of ag exports to communities around the country. “The value of export markets for the U.S. agricultural industry cannot be understated and by providing this resource for U.S. producers, we hope to demonstrate the importance of trade worldwide,” says Bryan Jernigan, USGC director of communications. “Anyone can look at this information to better understand how exports from their state contribute to overall, top-level trade numbers that benefit the U.S. economy.” Results from the study, jointly commissioned by the National Corn Growers Association, show that the $28.96 billion in grain and grain products exported indirectly supported a total economic output of $86.2 billion in 2021. The number of jobs linked directly or indirectly to grain exports is approximately 346,400. For every dollar grain exports generate, it supports $2.98 in business sales.

NSP Looking for Board of Director Candidates

National Sorghum Producers has opened applications for its 2025 board of directors. NSP is looking for new producer leaders who are passionate about advancing the crop and shaping the future of the sorghum industry. “We often hear that getting involved is the most important thing we can do to ensure tomorrow for our industry and the next generation,” says NSP Chair Amy France. “In today’s uncertainty, there are no truer words.” She also says NSP is excited to help drive effective policy and promote, advocate for, and defend the sorghum industry. “We encourage and welcome all who have a passion for sorghum, agriculture, and the future of our family farms to apply,” France added. Board members are instrumental in advancing policies and building relationships that benefit sorghum farmers and the industry. Applications are due on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, by 5 p.m. Central Time. For more information, go to SorghumGrowers.com.

2025 Stockmanship & Stewardship Registration is Open

Registration is open for three Stockmanship & Stewardship Events taking place this summer. Stockmanship & Stewardship is an educational experience for cattle producers, featuring low-stress cattle handling demonstrations, Beef Quality Assurance educational sessions, facility design sessions, and industry updates. The events take place in Watertown, South Dakota, June 26-28; Canyon, Texas, August 13-14; and September 4-6 in Springfield, Missouri. During each event, producers can get BQA certified, network with other cattle producers, participate in hands-on demonstrations led by industry experts, and learn innovative handling techniques. Topics like biosecurity and the Secure Beef Supply will be among several subjects covered during the event, with the Texas program feedyard-focused and available in Spanish. NCBA CEO Collin Woodall will be the keynote speaker at all three events. “Cattle handling and stockmanship are core components of BQA,” says Dr. Ron Gill, Texas AgriLife extension specialist. “Animal handling and care directly connect to farm profitability.” 

USDA Delivers Immediate Disaster Assistance

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins has announced $340.6 million in USDA disaster assistance to deliver relief to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities impacted by natural disasters that have caused devastation across the country. Secretary Rollins is delivering critical aid through the USDA Disaster Assistance Fund to provide immediate relief to communities that have waited too long for the assistance they need. “Our heart goes out to the families across our great country who have lost loved ones, homes, businesses, and livelihoods,” Rollins said. “USDA is ensuring we are doing everything we can to support state and local efforts to rebuild these communities to be even stronger than before.” The secretary made the announcement in North Dakota, where USDA is delivering more than $5 million to help rebuild electric infrastructure following damage from severe storms and wildfires. The Disaster Assistance Fund provides relief directly to rural families who need recovery help.

March Egg Production Down Seven Percent

U.S. egg production totaled 8.63 billion during March 2025, down seven percent from last year. Production included 7.35 billion table eggs and 1.28 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.18 billion were broiler-type and 104 million were egg-type. The average number of layers during March totaled 351 million, down eight percent from last year. March egg production per 100 layers was 2,458 eggs, up slightly from March 2024. Total layers in the U.S. on April 1, 2025, totaled 351 million, down eight percent from last year. The 351 million consisted of 287 million layers producing table or market-type eggs, 60.4 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and four million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. The rate of lay per day on April 1 averaged 79.1 eggs per 100 layers, down slightly from April 1, 2024. Egg-type chicks hatched during March totaled 60.7 million, up 11 percent from March 2024. 

Wednesday Watch List

Markets

EIA Petroleum Status report including weekly ethanol production at 9:30 a.m. CDT

Annual Livestock Slaughter Report at 2 p.m. CDT

Weather

A couple of fronts have stalled out in the country for Wednesday, both of which should produce areas of showers and thunderstorms. One from the Upper Midwest back to the Central Plains and another across the South. This brings another round of potential rainfall to areas that need it in the Plains and Southeast.

USTR Takes Action to Restore American Shipbuilding

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative took targeted action to restore American shipbuilding and address China’s unreasonable acts, policies, and practices to dominate maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors. These actions come after a year-long Section 301 investigation. “Ships and shipping are vital to American economic security and the free flow of commerce,” says USTR Jamieson Greer. “Our actions here will begin to reverse Chinese dominance, address threats to the U.S. supply chain, and send a demand signal for U.S.-built ships.” The actions will occur in two phases. For the first 180 days, applicable fees will be set at $0. After that, fees on vessel owners and operators of China-based vessels on net tonnage per U.S. voyage will increase exponentially over the following years. Fees on operators of Chinese-built ships based on net tonnage or containers will increase incrementally in the following years. Actions also include incentivizing U.S.-built liquefied natural gas vessels. 

Ag Groups React to USTR Shipping Announcement

The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office released its final actions related to Section 301 fees on Chinese-made vessels arriving at American ports, making significant changes from the initially proposed actions. “Our concern all along has been that any fees placed on Chinese vessels could be passed on to American farmers who rely on those ships to export corn,” says National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman, Jr. “While we are still working to understand how this new version will impact the corn industry, we believe this final action is more workable than the initial deal.” The U.S. Grains Council says the notice from USTR will allow most U.S. grain and co-product exports to continue without added costs on Chinese-built but not Chinese-operated bulk vessels. “After a year-long investigation, this decision was made with the best interest of U.S. grain producers in mind,” says Ryan LeGrand, USGC President and CEO.

Important Crop Deadlines Drawing Closer

The USDA reminds agricultural producers that the final date to apply for or make changes to their existing crop insurance coverage is quickly approaching for summer planted crops, annual forage, and forage seeding. Sales closing dates vary by crop, but the next major sales closing dates are May 1, July 15, and July 31. Producers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agents soon to learn specific details for the 2025 crop year. Crop insurance decisions must be made on or before the applicable sales closing date. The USDA’s Risk Management Agency lists sales closing dates in the Actuarial Information Brower under the “Dates” tab. Producers can also access the RMA Map Viewer tool to visualize the insurance program date choices for acreage reporting, cancellation, contract change, earliest planting, end of insurance, end of the late planting period, final planting, premium billing, production reporting, and other types of important information. 

Court Affirms Mexican Tomato Dumping in the U.S.

The Court of International Trade confirmed findings from the Department of Commerce that Mexican companies dumped tomatoes into the U.S. market at significant margins, with some as high as 273 percent. Most other companies assigned a dumping margin of 17 percent. Robert Guenther, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange, responded to the ruling. “We look forward to the Department of Commerce imposing antidumping duties under U.S. law at the Court-approved levels as soon as the suspension agreement terminates on July 14,” Guenther said. The member companies of the Florida Tomato Exchange produce over 90 percent of the tomatoes grown in Florida and are among the largest producers of tomatoes in California, Georgia, New Jersey, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. FTE member companies also produce approximately 50 percent of the fresh-market tomatoes grown in the U.S. The Court of International Trade is based in New York City. 

Hemp Planted Acreage Jumps 64 Percent

The value of U.S. industrial hemp production reached $445 million in 2024, representing a 40 percent increase over the prior year. That’s according to the National Hemp Report that came out last week. Total planted area for hemp jumped to almost 45,300 acres, 64 percent higher than in 2023, with harvested area also rising to just under 32,700 acres. Floral hemp has emerged as the industry’s driving force, with production more than doubling to 20.8 million pounds, a 159 percent increase over the previous year. Feed and Grain Dot Com says both acreage and yield contributed to the growth. Harvested area was up 60 percent, and per-acre yields climbed to 669 pounds to reach 1,757 pounds per acre. The report said floral hemp production accounted for 87 percent of the total value of hemp grown in the open. Seed hemp showed the most dramatic increase in value, surging almost 500 percent to $16.9 million.

Secure Sheep and Wool Supply Plan Workshops are Scheduled

In the first three months of 2025, three European Union countries experienced outbreaks of Foot-and-Mouth disease, which illustrated the importance for livestock producers to be prepared. Sheep producers have two in-person opportunities in the coming months to learn more about how the American Sheep Industry Association’s Secure Sheep and Wool Supply Plan can help them prepare for a possible outbreak in the U.S. Trainings are scheduled in Iowa on May 9 and Nevada on June 5 as part of the USDA’s National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program Grant secured by the American Sheep Industry Association. In all, 11 states have had or will host similar training opportunities in 2025 thanks to the grant. “Stopping disease transmission from farm to farm and animal to animal is the first step in protecting your animals from diseases,” says Carolyn Ihde (EYE-dee), small ruminant specialist at the Iowa State Extension Service.

Tuesday Watch List

Markets

Milk Production at 2 p.m. CDT

Weather

A front is stalling across the South and will produce areas of showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday, especially in the afternoon and evening. Another system is spinning on the Canadian border with North Dakota. Showers are heavier to the north, which includes some snow. Isolated showers will develop with this system in the North-Central U.S. as well. Both of those features will combine to produce showers and thunderstorms across the Southern Plains and could create some severe weather, mostly in the form of large hail and damaging winds.

White House Budget Plan Proposes Local FSA, NRCS Office Closures

The Trump administration is planning to severely scale back or outright eliminate funding for many programs across the Agriculture Department, according to White House documents obtained, as it slashes workers and closes offices at the local level. The ‘passback’ document from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposing fiscal 2026 funding levels would gut research and conservation efforts, trim program budgets nearly across the board, and cut staff as part of what OMB called many difficult decisions that were necessary to reach the proposed spending level. In the document, the OMB directed USDA to develop plans to consolidate its local, county-based offices around the country into state committees that would service the FSA, NRCS, and Rural Development. Ironically, these are the people that are directly where the farmers are. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins last month called those agencies, along with the Risk Management Agency, the most farmer-facing mission area at USDA, which producers rely on every day.

Can Trump Solve the Farm Labor Crisis Before Harvest?

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said easing restrictions for noncitizen farmworkers is a top priority, as labor shortages continue to strain farmers across the U.S. Changes to the H-2A visa program and new legal pathways could offer relief soon. The Trump administration is working to finalize more lenient guidelines for noncitizen farmworkers by harvest season. She said it’s an issue she’s had many long conversations with the president about over the years. There is zero doubt that labor is a massive issue for probably the large majority of our agriculture industry, our farmers and our ranchers. Her remarks came just days after President Donald Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting that he may ease immigration restrictions for farm laborers. Under his plan, farm and hotel workers would leave the country and then return legally with the backing of their U.S. employer.

Ocean Rates See Uptick Amid Tariff Turmoil

Ocean container rates from Asia to North America saw a slight uptick last week as the Trump administration’s tariff-driven trade strategy roils global markets, Freightos reported Wednesday. Rates from Asia to the U.S. West Coast were up 10% week over week to $2,465 per forty-foot equivalent unit, per an April 16 market update. Rates to the East Coast went up 3% to $3,647 per FEU. As shippers navigate trade uncertainty, a pullback in China-to-U.S. volumes, paired with an increase in demand from other Asia trade lanes, may reflect “diverging rates on the port-pair level,” according to Freightos. U.S. shippers have been frontloading goods since November to get ahead of tariffs. The administration’s plans to roll out country-specific reciprocal tariffs April 9 prompted another rush to move cargo before the new duties went into effect.

Live Animal Gifts Spark Health Concerns as Easter Nears

Gifting live animals like chicks, ducklings and bunnies during Easter remains a cherished tradition, but public health officials and animal welfare advocates warn of significant risks. Salmonella outbreaks, animal abandonment, and ecological harm continue to plague this practice, prompting calls for safer alternatives like toys or candy. In 2024, the CDC reported 470 Salmonella cases linked to backyard poultry across 48 states, with 125 hospitalizations and one death. Investigations identified contact with live poultry as the primary source. Salmonella spreads through handling birds or their environments, even without direct contact. Infants, young children, seniors, and immuno-compromised individuals face the highest risk of severe illness, including diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps lasting up to seven days. Severe cases may require hospitalization. Food and food surfaces can become contaminated with bacteria from live animals if strict hygiene is not practiced. Animal welfare issues are significant.

Japanese Researchers Announce Breakthrough in Fake Meat Production

Researchers in Japan have produced nugget-sized chunks of chicken using animal cells, signaling a breakthrough in lab-grown food production. Lab-grown or cell-cultivated meat has been around for over a decade, offering an animal-based protein option that does not derive from slaughtered animals. Previous attempts at lab-grown chicken have been made with cells taken from living animals to create chicken strips less than 1 millimeter thick that are then bound together. Creating thicker portions of meat is difficult without blood vessels, which help oxygen and nutrients keep tissue alive and healthy. Scientists at the University of Tokyo invented a process that mimics blood vessels, therefore enabling tissues to grow stronger, and produced a bite-sized chunk of chicken at 10 grams that indicates improved texture. The team believes they could build larger chunks of meat using the same process—and even create functional organs.

UK Bans EU Cheese and Meat to Stop Disease Spreading

The UK government has brought in a temporary ban on holidaymakers bringing in cheese and meat products from the EU in a bid to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD). Travellers have not been allowed to bring back items such as cured meat and cheese, including in sandwiches, since Saturday due to the growing outbreak on the continent. The restrictions apply regardless of whether the goods are packed or packaged, or bought from duty free. It follows an earlier ban of similar products from Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria after rising cases of the cattle disease in those countries. FMD is a highly infectious virus that causes blisters inside an animal's mouth and under their hooves, and can cause lameness and problems feeding. It causes no risk to humans and there are currently no cases of foot-and-mouth disease in the UK.

Monday Watch List

Markets

U.S. Bioenergy Statistics at 1 p.m. CDT

Chicken and Eggs Report at 2 p.m. CDT

Crop Progress Report at 3 p.m. CDT

Weather

A system is exiting the Midwest Monday morning, shifting into Ontario. The front of the system is getting left behind from the eastern Midwest down to east Texas where showers will continue throughout the day. Another system will move into the Northern Plains and Canadian Prairies with scattered showers as well. This is just part of a very busy week of weather across the country.

Lawsuit Filed on Trump Tariffs

The Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s authority to unilaterally issue the “Liberation Day” tariffs, which the Center says are devastating small businesses across the country. The lawsuit argues that the administration has no authority to issue across-the-board worldwide tariffs without congressional approval. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, highlights the unprecedented nature of the tariffs, including a global ten percent tariff on almost all imports and additional higher tariffs on other countries based on foreign trade barriers. The President invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to justify the Liberation Day tariffs, as well as duties on Mexico, Canada, and China. The Complaint says the IEEPA doesn’t authorize the President to impose across-the-board tariffs and doesn’t actually authorize tariffs at all. “No one person should have the power to impose taxes that have such vast consequences,” says Jeffrey Schwab of the Liberty Justice Center.

Mexico Confident It Can Renew a Tomato Agreement with the U.S.

The Mexican government said it will begin talks with the U.S. to renew a bilateral agreement on Mexico’s tomato exports. The U.S. government announced it is pulling out of the agreement. The U.S. pullout would mean a 21 percent tariff will be put in place on Mexican tomato imports on July 14. Reuters reported the U.S. Commerce Department says the agreement hasn’t protected domestic tomato growers in the U.S. market. The agreement regulates tomato imports from Mexico into the U.S., and the goal was to help U.S. producers compete on a level playing field. The agreement went into effect in 1996 and was renewed in 2019 to stave off an anti-dumping investigation and end a tariff dispute. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum says that Mexican tomatoes aren’t replaceable by any other country’s exports in terms of quality or quantity. She also says that, without the pact, U.S. consumers would pay more for their tomatoes.

Bayer May Stop Producing Glyphosate

Bayer says it may stop producing glyphosate, the world’s most popular weedkiller unless it can get court protection against lawsuits blaming the herbicide for causing cancer. The Wall Street Journal says Bayer currently produces about 40 percent of the world’s glyphosate needs, which farmers use to kill weeds that threaten their crops. Over the last ten years, the herbicide has also caught Bayer up in a number of lawsuits. In early March, Bayer told farmers, suppliers, and retailers that it may have to stop selling Roundup, which would force U.S. farmers to rely on imported glyphosate from China. “We’re pretty much reaching the end of our road,” Bayer Chief Executive Bill Anderson told the Journal. “We’re not talking years but months instead.” The USDA points out that more than 90 percent of soybeans, corn, and cotton crops planted in the U.S. are genetically modified to withstand the glyphosate-based weedkiller. 

Bill to Delist Wolves from ESA Listing Advances

A bill is moving through the House of Representatives that would delist wolves from the Endangered Species Act, and it just passed out of a key committee in the House. The bill is sponsored by Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin’s Seventh District and gained approval from the House Natural Resources Committee. Tiffany introduced a similar bill last year but says he is much more confident about its chances of passing this year now that Republicans control the House, Senate, and the presidency. The bill is called the “Pet and Livestock Protection Acy” and will now head to the full House for a vote. Tiffany said in a press release that he’s excited about clearing the first hurdle in getting it before the House. Bill supporters include several of America’s leading agricultural groups and individuals, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Public Land Council, and others. 

White House Budget Proposes FSA, NRCS Closures

Reports continue to say the Trump administration is planning to severely scale back or end all funding for many of the key programs in the Agriculture Department. That’s according to White House documents obtained by Government Executive, which reports that the administration wants to cut workers and whole offices at the local level. A document from the Office of Management and Budget proposes fiscal 2026 funding levels that would gut research and conservation efforts and trim almost all program budgets across the board. OMB says many difficult decisions will become necessary to reach that proposed spending level for the upcoming fiscal year. The Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and USDA’s Rural Development employ almost 20,000 workers between them. One official who helps oversee the agencies said the proposed changes to the budget would lead to office closures at the local level and affect people face-to-face with farmers. 

How Many Ag and Food Careers Are There?

The 2025 Feeding the Economy Report says over 47 million people in the U.S. work in the agricultural and food industries. That is 29 percent of the U.S. population, and that number may be surprising to people, depending on where they live. One interesting thing about agriculture is the sheer number of jobs that aren’t considered “ag” careers, which play a role in producing food and getting it to consumers. For example, ag business careers include everything from lawyers to human resources to office managers. There are careers in environmental services and natural resources, including careers like fisheries workers, ecologists, ethanol producers, and aquaculture workers. Ag mechanics are another key part of ag careers and include truck drivers, service techs, livestock haulers, and others. Food science is another area that includes careers like produce inspectors, food safety managers, dietitians, and many more. There are also many careers in animal and plant science.

Thursday Watch List

Markets

Initial Jobless Claims at 7:30 a.m. CDT

Housing starts and Building permits at 7:30 a.m. CDT

Weekly Export Sales at 7:30 a.m. CDT

Cattle on Feed Report at 2 p.m. CDT

Weekly Slaughter Report at 2 p.m. CDT

Weather

A low-pressure system is moving through the Plains and Upper Midwest Thursday which could provide some severe thunderstorms to southern Minnesota, Iowa, northern Missouri, and eastern Nebraska during the afternoon and evening. Some of the stronger storms that develop could produce damaging hail, strong straight-line winds, and a few isolated tornadoes.

CoBank: Tariffs Compounding Economic Anxiety

A new report from CoBank says rapidly worsening expectations about everything from inflation to personal income to business conditions and labor supplies are elevating economic concerns. The question of whether the declining expectations will translate into slower spending and tightening profit margins will likely come into view by late June. Uncertainty over trade and biofuel policy pulled corn, soybean, and wheat prices down last quarter despite the weaker U.S. dollar. Trade concerns weighed heaviest on wheat as world buyers have multiple suppliers available. Crop production expenses are expected to continue trending lower, but they remain elevated in relation to lower commodity prices. Also, renewable diesel and biodiesel production has scaled back to find stability in the absence of the blender’s tax credit, pushing prices above petroleum. Record high prices for beef cattle remain across the sector despite continuing herd liquidation. The U.S. pork sector is positioned for moderate growth this year.

Commerce Department to Reinstate Tariffs on Mexican Tomatoes

The U.S. Department of Commerce intends to withdraw from the 2019 Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Investigation on Fresh Tomatoes from Mexico. Termination of the agreement will be in 90 days. The Commerce Department says the agreement failed to protect U.S. tomato growers from unfairly priced Mexican imports. Commerce has been flooded with comments from American producers urging the agreement’s termination. This action will allow U.S. growers to compete fairly in the marketplace. When the agreement terminates, the Commerce Department will institute an anti-dumping duty order on July 14, 2025, resulting in duties of 21 percent on most imports of tomatoes from Mexico. Commerce maintains 734 antidumping and countervailing duty orders, which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade. Antidumping and countervailing duty orders provide American businesses and workers with a mechanism to seek relief from the harmful effects of the unfair pricing of imports into the U.S.

Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Reorganized

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the cancelation of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities. Following a thorough line-by-line review of each of the Biden-era partnerships, it became clear that the majority of these projects had sky-high administration fees, which in many instances provided less than half of the federal funding directly to farmers. Select projects may continue if it is demonstrated that a significant amount of the federal funds awarded will go to farmers. USDA says it’s reformed and overhauled the Biden-era Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Initiative into the Advancing Markets for Producers Initiative. “The Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities initiative was largely built to advance the green new scam at the benefit of NGOs and not American farmers,” Rollins said. “Farmers’ concerns took a back seat during the Biden administration, and we are correcting the mistakes and redirecting our efforts to set our farmers up for unprecedented prosperity.” 

Legislation Would Expand Access to Meat and Poultry

Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a member of the Senate Ag Committee, joined Mike Rounds (R-SD) in reintroducing the “New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act.” The bipartisan legislation would allow meat and poultry products inspected by state Meat and Poultry Inspection Programs to be sold across state lines. Currently, meat and poultry products inspected by those state programs are limited to markets within the same state, even though inspection at a state facility meets or exceeds federal inspection standards. More than half the states - 29, in total - have their own inspection programs. “Iowa produces some of the best meat and poultry in the world, and high-quality products that have already passed a rigorous inspection process shouldn’t require any extra inspection to sell across state lines,” Grassley said. “Our commonsense legislation would remove this regulatory overreach and provide consumers with more options at their local meat counter.” 

BLM May Face More Lawsuits

The Interior Department may see more lawsuits after announcing it would no longer require the Bureau of Land Management to create an environmental impact statement for more than 3,200 oil and gas leases in seven states. The Biden administration started work on the review four days before President Trump took office in January. E and E News says the review was the “culmination” of almost a decade’s worth of lawsuits on federal leases that date back to the Obama administration. The leases cover 3.5 million acres across Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The Center for Biological Diversity says the work done by the Bureau to guard against the environmental effects of oil and gas production on federal lands has been “weak.” Jeremy Nichols, a senior advocate for the Center, says the Interior Department’s decision to walk back the environmental impact statement is likely illegal. 

Corn and Wheat Inspections Climb Higher

The USDA says inspections of corn and wheat were higher, while soybean assessments declined during the week ending on April 10. Corn inspections rose week to week, increasing to 1.83 million metric tons, up from 1.61 million tons a week earlier and 1.36 million during the same week last year. Examinations for overseas delivery rose to 604,000 metric tons from just over 355,000 tons the prior week and 620,000 at the same point last year. Soybean inspections dropped to 546,300 metric tons from 814,300 tons the previous week. That’s higher than the 447,550 tons assessed during the same week in 2024. Wheat inspections since the start of the marketing year are now at 18.3 million metric tons, up from 16 million at this point a year ago. Since the start of their respective marketing years, USDA has inspected 37.5 million metric tons of corn and 42.1 million metric tons of soybeans.

Wednesday Watch List

Markets

U.S. Retail Sales at 7:30 a.m. CDT

U.S. Industrial Production and Capacity at 8:15 a.m. CDT

Home builder confidence at 9 a.m. CDT

EIA Petroleum Status Report including weekly ethanol production at 9:30 a.m. CDT

Fed Chair Jerome Powell Press Conference at 12:30 a.m. CDT

ERS Livestock Outlooks at 2 p.m. CDT

Weather

A system will be developing across the West Wednesday but much of the Central U.S. will remain dry for one more day before the system enters the Plains on Thursday, providing a risk for severe thunderstorms in the north.

FCS Provides Quarterly Ag Economy Update

The Farm Credit System says the U.S. economy entered 2025 with key indicators in favorable positions. Expectations for first quarter growth have been reduced, however, by weaker personal consumption, higher imports, and uncertainty around changes in global trade. FCS says the U.S. farm sector enters the uncertain trade environment and spring planting season with strong balance sheets and favorable liquidity. Farm income in early 2025 is being supported by payments to crop producers authorized under the American Relief Act as well as generally favorable returns for livestock producers. But, extended periods of lower commodity prices, particularly for cash grains and tree nuts, are evidence of increasing risk. Negative retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural products will depend on tariff levels and duration and present additional uncertainty for the sector. Farmland values are showing signs of weakness and increased volatility, particularly for lower-quality land and in regions producing the commodities currently at weaker prices. 

Ag Retailers Need Predictable Trade Policy

The Agricultural Retailers Association understands the desire of the Trump administration to stop unfair trading practices in the global marketplace that lead to artificial trade imbalances. Some of the countries singled out by the White House have lengthy patterns of putting their proverbial thumbs on the scale to the disadvantage of U.S. producers and exporters. The ARA says global supply chains can’t adjust overnight, nor can they function in an unpredictable tariff environment. It takes years to build new production capacity anywhere in the world. Many of the products and ingredients that are used in agricultural inputs in the U.S. are only available in commercial quantities from offshore sources. Immediate-effect tariffs that allow no adjustment period to complete current contracts and arrange for new supply sources will only result in higher costs and less product availability for U.S. farmers in the short term. Damage to export relationships can also be long-lasting. 

Thousands Accept Buyouts at USDA

Thousands of workers have accepted the Trump administration’s buyout offers at the USDA. E & E News says employees who’ve seen the internal numbers at USDA say the count has reached 3,100 at the Forest Service, 1,200 at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and possibly up to 12,000 people through the entire agency. That’s over 10 percent of the department’s 100,000 employees. The buyouts are deferred resignations with paid leave through September and are said to be preludes to firings expected to hit USDA in the weeks ahead. An employee at the Natural Resources Conservation Service who took the buyout offer said the numbers are subject to change if workers clicked on the offer but don’t sign the resignation agreement. Another report says the USDA is planning to relocate a sizable number of employees that it doesn’t lay off to one of three locations around the country.

Governors Ask EPA for More Renewable Fuels

Four state governors sent a letter to Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, asking him to set higher Renewable Volume Obligation levels. “Over the past several years, the biofuels industry made significant investments to expand domestic production capacity and strengthen feedstock supply,” the governors wrote. “Unfortunately, the Renewable Volume Obligation levels set by the previous administration failed to reflect that growth.” Because of the inadequate levels, an increasing number of biofuel producers have been forced to slow or cease operations, costing rural communities jobs and weakening key markets for American farmers. The governors asked the EPA to establish a 2026 RVO of no less than 15 billion gallons for conventional ethanol and 5.25 billion gallons for biomass-based diesel. These higher volumes would be reflective of the growth within the U.S. biofuels industry and would create long-term stability. Governors from South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska signed the letter.

Breakthrough in Water Dispute Between the U.S. and Mexico

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins is turning up the heat on Mexico over a growing water crisis squeezing farmers struggling with drought in south Texas. She said late last week that high-level negotiations with Mexican officials may be about to lead to a breakthrough. Rollins said a post from President Trump’s account on Truth Social about Mexico “stealing our farmers’ water” led to a quick phone call from Mexican officials to schedule talks on the subject. The President led his post with “Mexico owes Texas 1.3 million acre-feet of water under the 1944 Water Treaty, but Mexico is unfortunately violating their treaty obligation.” The treaty requires Mexico to send 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the United States every five years from tributaries that feed the Rio Grande. Rollins spoke about the pending discussions as frustration continued to build over Mexico falling short on its water deliveries under the 1944 Water Treaty.

Dems Want Information on How Tariffs Affect Farmers

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 18 colleagues are asking U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer for information on how the Administration’s tariff taxes will impact farmers across the U.S. “We write with great concern about the impact of the Administration’s reckless tariff agenda on our nation’s farmers,” the senators wrote. “Farmers not only have billions of dollars in commodities from last year waiting to be sold but also have started spring planting and rely on stable markets for their planning.” They also said farm organizations and economists have pointed out for months that key trading partners will continue retaliating against U.S. agricultural products as a result of President Trump’s tariffs. “The direct economic impact and uncertainty on America’s farmers stand to change the future of agricultural trade relationships for generations,” the letter added. “Farmers are already facing tighter margins resulting from declining commodity prices and rapidly increasing input costs.”

Tuesday Watch List

Markets

Import and Export Price Index at 7:30 a.m. CDT

Weather

Light rain and snow showers will linger in the Great Lakes and Eastern Midwest Tuesday on the back side of a system that's moving into the Northeast. High pressure across the Plains and Western Midwest will lead to mostly dry conditions.

China Raises Tariffs on US Imports to 125%

China will increase its tariff on U.S. imports to 125% on Saturday, the country’s Ministry of Finance announced Friday. The move is in response to the U.S. increasing its duties on goods from China to 125%, according to the Ministry of Finance, which said the U.S. government’s actions violate trade rules. The two countries have rapidly raised tariffs against each other since President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 34% duty for imports from China last week. When China responded in kind, the U.S. increased its tariffs by 50%. China countered the hike by announcing an 84% tariff on U.S. imports. The tit-for-tat trade exchange escalated further when Trump on Wednesday increased tariffs on imports from China again despite pausing most other country-specific duties.

Trump Floats Plan to Legalize Undocumented Farm Workers

President Trump on Thursday suggested a new program will be set up to help legalize farmworkers and reduce the risk of farmers losing undocumented workers to mass deportations. Trump discussed easing restrictions around undocumented farm labor during a Cabinet meeting Thursday. It was the first time the president had signaled a willingness to temper his mass deportation plans to help protect the labor pool for industries such as agriculture. Undocumented workers will be given a chance to self-deport and return to the country legally, he said. That should be an incentive for people in the country illegally to identify themselves under the Alien Registration Act with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Trump said, “We're going to work with people so that if they go out in a nice way and go back to their country, we're going to work them right from the beginning on trying to get them back legally.”

Senate Measure Would End California's Animal-Welfare Law Created by Prop 12

Republican lawmakers in the U.S. Senate introduced legislation Tuesday that would strike down California's animal-welfare law created as a result of Proposition 12, drawing support from the nation's largest pork interest group. The Food Security and Farm Protection Act introduced by Sens. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, would prevent any state or local government from passing laws that interfere with commerce and agricultural practices outside their jurisdictions. Proposition 12 makes it a criminal offense and civil violation to sell whole pork meat in California unless the pig it comes from is born to a sow that was housed within 24 square feet of space and in conditions that allow a sow to turn around without touching an enclosure. Proposition 12 applies to any uncooked pork sold in the state, regardless of whether it was raised in California.

USDA Prepares for 'Reduction in Force'

USDA has warned its 100,000-plus employees that major staff cuts are coming, offices will be closed, and people will be forced to relocate if they want to keep their jobs. USDA employees have been given the option to quit with up to six months in pay if they choose to take it. Citing the president's executive order in February implementing the "Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative," the memo warned of more cuts to come. "While final plans are still under development, USDA aims to be transparent about what employees can expect." USDA plans to further reduce the size of the workforce and consolidate offices. That includes moving more people out of Washington, D.C., or the "National Capital Region," so staff can be "closer to the farmers, ranchers, foresters, and consumers we serve."

Export Sales of Corn, Beans, Wheat Decline

Sales of corn, beans and wheat all plunged week to week in the seven days that ended on April 3, according to data from the Ag Department. Corn sales in the week through April 10 dropped to 785,600 metric tons, down 33% from both the previous week and the prior four-week average, the agency said. Korea was the big buyer at 204,200 tons, Colombia was in for 196,700 tons, Japan took 180,800 tons, Mexico bought 151,000 tons and Vietnam purchased 59,800 tons of U.S. corn. The total would’ve been higher but an unnamed destination canceled orders for 57,200 tons and Panama nixed shipments of 37,600 tons. Corn exports for the week dropped 32% to 339,100 tons. Soybean sales last week totaled 172,300 metric tons, USDA said. That’s down 58% from the week prior and 63% from the average. An unnamed country canceled shipments of 256,700 tons. 

Demand Rages Ahead of U.S. Pistachio Supply

This year’s pistachio crop is estimated at 1.1 billion pounds. As world pistachio supply continues to climb, the U.S. is the largest contributor to this, producing over half the global supply. Jim Zion with Meridian Growers said in late March that this year’s U.S. crop of over one billion pounds is largely sold out because of growing demand for the high-quality crop and that most processors are probably at 90% sold right now. The U.S. pistachio industry struggles with predicting what the upcoming harvest yield will be; early estimates can vary widely. Last year’s off-year crop was initially estimated at 1.1 billion pounds, but Zion added, “then we dropped it to 800 million pounds, then back up to 1.2 (billion pounds) and 1.3 (billion pounds). We ended up right at 1.1 billion pounds."

Monday Watch List

Markets

Export Inspections at 10 a.m. CDT

Economic Research Service Commodity Outlooks at 2 p.m. CDT

Crop Progress Report at 3 p.m. CDT

Weather

A storm system is moving through Ontario for Monday but is sending a cold front through the Corn Belt as well. The front will produce some limited showers, but there is potential for severe weather in the Upper Ohio Valley Monday afternoon and evening. Colder air rushing in behind the front may cause some isolated showers to form across the Upper Midwest as well as a few stronger wind gusts.

Thursday’s WASDE Bullish for Corn and Soybeans, Bearish for Wheat

USDA cut domestic corn ending stocks more sharply than pre-report estimates and boosted corn exports by 100 million bushels. In USDA’s latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) and Crop Production reports released Thursday, ending stocks for corn in the 2024-25 crop were lowered to 1.465 billion bushels (bb) with 100 million more bushels of export demand. Corn production for the 2024-25 crop was held at 14.87 billion bushels. USDA held the national yield at 179.3 bushels per acre. Harvested acres were 82.9 million. In soybeans, USDA lowered ending stocks for the old-crop 2024-25 by 5 million bushels to 375 mb, within the range of pre-report expectation. USDA estimates increased U.S. wheat ending stocks for the 2024-2025 season at 846 million bushels from 819 mb in March. USDA cut total use by 17 million bushels, down from 1.99 mb last month.

Trump Tariff Pause a Positive and Appreciated by Farmers

Farmers across the U.S. were pleased to hear most countries will get a 90-day reprieve from the new individualized tariffs announced April 2—an opportunity for negotiations with our trading partners that could lead to consensus and potentially avoid permanent tariffs, along with improving market access for U.S. agriculture. “Farm Bureau appreciates President Trump’s decision to pause the reciprocal tariffs on dozens of America’s trading partners for 90 days,” said American Farm Bureau president Zippy Duvall. “We have been engaging directly with the White House, U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Department of Agriculture to emphasize the toll tariffs will take on America’s farmers and ranchers, who are already strapped because of high supply costs and shrinking paychecks. Creating more market challenges puts at risk more than 20% of U.S. farm income. We’re encouraged that those concerns are being heard.” With the pause came a rate drop to 10% for each of the countries itemized during that announcement—except for China. After including the “normal” VAT and standard duty rate for soy, the effective rate for soybeans shipped to China is 114.73%.

Trump says Administration to Slow Deportations on Illegal Farm, Hotel Workers

President Donald Trump held a Cabinet meeting with his top officials Thursday and said his administration would provide some relief to farmers and hotel operators who employ immigrants lacking legal status. "We have to take care of our farmers, their hotels and, you know, various places where they need the people," he said. “A farmer will come in with a letter concerning certain people saying they're great, they're working hard. We're going to slow down a little bit for them, and then we're going to ultimately bring them back. They'll go out, they're going to come back as legal workers," Trump explained. More than two-thirds of U.S. crop workers are foreign-born, according to the USDA. Many of them came to the country through the H-2A visas, but officials estimate that 42% of the workers are undocumented migrants.

Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act Reintroduced in Senate

Bipartisan legislation has been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate to address anticompetitive markets and vertical consolidation in the meatpacking industry. The “Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act of 2025 would create the “Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters” within the Packers & Stockyards Division at USDA. The Office of the Special Investigator would hold legal powers to address violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act taken by large meatpackers. “Producers have gone too long without fair options when it comes to processors and meatpackers," according to U.S. Cattlemen’s Association President Justin Tupper. “The industry is much more consolidated than is equitable, with the four largest beef packers controlling 85 percent of the space.” The House released their version of the bill on March 20.

U.S. Ethanol Exports Up 27 Percent Year-over-Year

U.S. ethanol exports have crossed the one-billion-gallon threshold halfway through Marketing Year (MY) 2024/2025, a 27 percent increase from the same period in MY 2023/2024, according to new information from the USDA. The sharp rise in ethanol sales contributed to an 11 percent increase in U.S. grains in all forms (GIAF) exports compared to last year’s data. “Passing one billion gallons in ethanol exports just six months into MY 2024/2025 is a testament to the quality and versatility of U.S. ethanol,” said Alicia Koch, U.S. Grains Council (USGC) director of global ethanol export development. Canada is maintaining its place as the top importer of U.S. ethanol, purchasing 19 million more gallons than at this point in the last marketing year, and the European Union is showing strong appetite for U.S. ethanol by importing 78 million additional gallons.

Senators Press USDA on Avian Flu Response

Senate Agriculture Committee members have written Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins urging her department to broaden its strategy for managing avian flu to include measures for turkeys and dairy herds. “Since the beginning of the outbreak, the virus has impacted more than 160 million birds, including more than 18.6 million turkeys, and nearly 1,000 dairy herds across the country,” the letter stated. “We appreciated your commitment to make addressing avian flu a top priority during your confirmation process and believe this strategic plan is an important first step in this effort… We request an update on the Department’s plan for ensuring turkey producers, dairy and other impacted livestock and wildlife species are covered under the plan. In addition, we request the Department develop a strategy and timeline for working with foreign trading partners to ensure potential vaccination of avian flu in poultry and cattle does not disrupt trade.” Signatories included Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Committee, along with Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.).

Friday Watch List

Markets

Producer Price Index data at 7:30 am. CDT

Consumer Sentiment for April at 9 a.m. CDT

CFTC Commitment of Traders Report at 2:30 p.m. CDT

Weather

A small system continues to move through the East on Friday, producing scattered showers mainly for coastal states. Another system is moving into the Canadian Prairies that will bring showers to northern areas of the U.S. over the weekend.

Administration Discussing Farmer Tariff Relief Package

The White House and congressional lawmakers have begun discussing a tariff relief package. The talks are starting as agricultural trade groups continue to warn elected officials about the economic repercussions of tariffs. “We’re setting up the infrastructure that if, in fact, we have some short-term economic consequences for our farmers and ranchers, we’ll have programs in place to help,” Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins told Fortune. She also told CNN that the administration will be prepared in case of ‘longer-term damage’ by lining up funds with lawmakers. During a trade war in President Trump’s first term, U.S. farmers were hit hard, forcing the USDA to authorize $23 billion in assistance to crop, livestock, and fruit and vegetable producers. The ag secretary wouldn’t be specific about how much money the USDA might need to make farmers whole. “We’ve got the same team that built the first program under Sonny Perdue,” she added. 

New Tariff Deals by Week’s End

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins predicted that some new deals could be reached on trade tariffs as soon as the end of this week. Reuters says President Donald Trump imposed a ten percent baseline tariff on all imports into the U.S. and higher duties on other countries that include some of America’s largest trade partners. China retaliated on U.S. tariffs with some of its own, so the White House said Tuesday that 104 percent duties on Chinese imports would begin shortly after midnight Wednesday. That announcement came out as the administration moved quickly to start talks with other trading partners targeted by tariffs. “I believe, sincerely, it’s going to be sooner rather than later,” Rollins said Tuesday. “I believe we’ll be hearing about new deals being struck, perhaps by the end of this week.” She added that 70 countries had already reached out to talk trade and tariffs with the U.S.

Pork Producers Applaud Legislation Protecting Food and Farmers

Duane Stateler, president of the National Pork Producers Council, reacted positively to the introduction of the Food Security and Farm Production Act into the Senate. The bill, sponsored by Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Roger Marshall (R-KS), would avert a disastrous patchwork of contradictory state-by-state farm regulations that would hit small and medium-sized pork producers the hardest. “We sincerely thank the senators for standing up for the American pork producer, especially during these times of uncertainty,” Stateler said. “U.S. pork producers have just suffered the worst 18 months of financial losses in history, and many farm families are contemplating whether they’ll get to pass their farm along to the next generation.” Bipartisan support for relief is growing. Without the certainty the Act would provide, sponsors say there will be a significant chance of increased prices at the grocery store, as much as 41 percent for certain pork products.

White House Considering Adjustments to Port Fee Plan

The Trump administration is considering a different plan for fees on Chinese ships visiting U.S. ports. The Economic Times says significant pushback against the plan came from industries that all said the idea would bring economic devastation. The changes being considered include delaying the plan implementation and a new fee structure that would lower the cost for Chinese ships to visit U.S. ports. The subject came up during U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer’s testimony at a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing this week. He told the lawmakers that not all of the proposed multi-million-dollar fees for Chinese ships to dock at U.S. ports would be implemented and might not be cumulative. The USTR office had suggested fees that could top $3 million per port call in the U.S. for those Chinese-built ships. The administration says the fees would halt China’s growing maritime influence and help promote America’s domestic maritime industry.

Don’t Forget Crop Protection Signup Deadline

There’s no question that farmers always have a lot to do. With everything stacked up on the to-do list, it can be easy to forget to sign up for USDA’s farm safety net programs. However, the deadline is rapidly approaching. The Farm Service Agency’s Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs are two key safety net programs created to protect farmers from significant crop losses due to fluctuations in crop prices or revenue. Time is growing short, so the agency says, don’t delay. Farmers must make elections and enroll by April 15, 2025. The quickest way to do that is to reach out to your local FSA office. Make the most of the office visit by signing up for key FSA programs, including the new Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, checking on loan activity, and learning more about disaster assistance programs. To apply or learn about eligible commodities, visit fsa.gov. 

Lawmakers Launch the Bipartisan Congressional Coffee Caucus

Representatives Jill Tokuda (toe-KOO-dah) (D-HI) and William Timmons (R-SC) launched the Congressional Coffee Caucus. The goal is to work together to highlight coffee’s positive impact on the U.S. economy and help strengthen the resilience of the crop’s global supply chain. “Coffee is more than just a daily ritual – it’s a vital pillar of our economy,” Tokuda said. “From the fields in Hawaii to the roasteries and manufacturing plants in South Carolina and Vermont, coffee is consumed and enjoyed in every congressional district in the nation.” She also says coffee supports millions of farmers, businesses, and communities across the country and around the world. Focus areas of the caucus include increasing agricultural resilience by strengthening and increasing research and development funding to assist coffee farmers domestically and globally. "Two-thirds of American adults drink coffee daily, so the National Coffee Association is grateful for the new Caucus,” says NCA President and CEO William Murray.

Thursday Watch List

Markets

Initial Jobless Claims at 7:30 a.m. CDT

March Consumer Price Index at 7:30 a.m. CDT

Weekly Export Sales at 7:30 a.m. CDT

April WASDE Report at 11 a.m. CDT

Weekly Slaughter at 2 p.m. CDT

Weather

A small system is working through the Midwest on Thursday after already bringing some showers through on Wednesday. Some thunderstorms will occur across the south through the Mid-South, bringing unneeded rainfall to soaked areas trying to recover from flooding.

February Pork and Beef Exports Below 2024

February exports of U.S. pork were lower than last year despite continued success in Mexico and Central America. February pork exports totaled 241,179 metric tons, down four percent from the large volume last year. Value dropped two percent to $671.5 million. Exports soared to Central America in February, and export value to Mexico exceeded $200 million for the eighth straight month. For January-February 2025, pork exports were three percent below last year’s record pace. The U.S. Meat Export Federation says February beef exports were also below last year after a higher trend in January. Beef exports totaled 98,198 metric tons in February, down 5.5 percent from 2024, while value dropped four percent to just over $800 million. February exports increased year-over-year to South Korea, Canada, Egypt, and the Philippines. January and February shipments were one percent below last year’s pace at 201,038 metric tons, but value increased one percent to $1.6 billion.

Senators Want Integrity Restored to RFS

Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) are leading a bipartisan group of 16 senators in urging the Environmental Protection Agency to restore integrity to the Renewable Fuel Standard. They want the agency to raise the Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) levels for biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuels to help restore stability and growth to the U.S. biofuel sector. The Biden-era EPA set RVOs at levels that failed to align with market conditions and production outlook, which has contributed to biodiesel plant closures in the Midwest. In a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin,  the senators pressed the agency to implement multi-year RVO standards to provide more clarity and growth for the biofuels industry. “The biofuels market continues expanding to new frontiers, including marine shipping, aviation, and rail,” the letter says. “Biofuels provide a buffer to market fluctuations in the liquid fuel market, consistently costing consumers less than traditional liquid fuels.” 

Bill Would Increase Access to Dairy and Support Farmers

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced the Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act. It’s a bipartisan bill designed to increase access to dairy products for SNAP participants and support dairy farmers across rural America. The Act would allow SNAP participants to buy more milk, cheese, and yogurt with their benefits, expanding access to affordable and nutritious options. “Making sure more Americans have better access to food like yogurt and cheese while supporting their dairy farmers is a win-win for everyone,” Klobuchar says. “Our bipartisan legislation will help support healthy diets, make sure families can bring home more of the foods they love, and help dairy farmers feed the world. Marshall, a practicing physician for over two decades, says he can’t stress enough the importance of drinking whole milk, which serves as an excellent source of critical nutrients and contributes to a healthier cardiovascular system for all Americans.

Soybean Industry Studies Possible Oilseed Ban

The results of a soy industry project to examine the impacts of a potential seed oil ban in the U.S. food supply are in, and the answers aren’t good. The seed oil study with funded by the United Soybean Board and conducted by the World Agricultural Economic and Environmental Services. WAEES maintains agricultural economic models that allow it to examine potential industry changes, and where it found forecasting a ban was this: the seed oil industry, which primarily includes soybeans, canola, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, rice bran, and others, would see a sizable drop in consumption for domestic products while imported palm oil would most likely flourish. ASA President and Kentucky farmer Caleb Ragland said this study simply confirms what they already know. “A ban on seed oils, including soy, is going to have costly impacts on farmers and consumers, and not just in the pocketbook either”, Ragland said. 

TX Ag Commissioner Says to End Weaponization of the ESA

The Endangered Species Act, once a vital tool for genuine conservation, was twisted into a weapon by the Biden Administration and their radical 30X30 land grab agenda. Those are thoughts from Sid Miller, the Commissioner of Agriculture in Texas. “Time and again, we’ve fought back against the reckless misuse of the law, including the listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken, the expansion of a wildlife refuge, or the current listing of the Monarch Butterfly,” Miller said. “These heavy-handed decisions blatantly disregarded the successful, voluntary conservation efforts led by landowners, farmers, ranchers, and our energy producers.” Miller also said he proudly stands with those asking Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to promptly remove the Dune Sagebrush Lizard and Lesser Prairie Chicken from the Endangered Species list. “I also strongly advocate for the removal of the Eastern Monarch Butterfly from consideration under our Endangered Species Act,” he added. “Let’s restore some common sense.”  

Sorghum Foundation Accepting Scholarship Applications

The National Sorghum Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2025-2026 academic scholarships for college students studying agriculture. “The future of agriculture depends on strong, passionate leaders,” says Foundation Chair Jeff Dahlberg, Ph.D. “These scholarships are one way we can invest in the next generation and support students who are committed to advancing sorghum and agricultural innovation.” Students applying for the Bruce Mander Memorial Scholarship must be sophomores through seniors and enrolled in agriculture-based degree programs. Applicants for the Darrell Rosenow Scholarship must be sophomores through seniors and enrolled in agriculture-based science programs related to agronomy, plant pathology, or plant breeding, with an emphasis on sorghum. Applicants for the Bill Kubecka Memorial Scholarship must be sophomores through seniors and enrolled in a curriculum related to ag economics, ag policy, or agricultural law. Each scholarship is valued at $1,500, and the application window is open through June 1, 2025, at sorghumgrowers.com.

Wednesday Watch List

Markets

EIA Petroleum Status Report including weekly ethanol production at 9:30 a.m. CDT

Minutes of March FOMC Meeting at 1 p.m. CDT

Weather

A small system will move through the Midwest, bringing scattered showers to the region on Wednesday. Some moderate showers and a few thunderstorms will be possible for southern areas that are dealing with excessive wetness and flooding. Some northern areas could see patches of snow.

Some Ag Inputs Exempt from Tariffs

Several agricultural inputs are exempt from the ten percent across-the-board tariffs and the higher reciprocal duties applied to specific trade partners. Agriculture Dot Com says that’s according to a list of carve outs published by the White House. Products excluded from the new duties include potash, certain herbicides and pesticides, peat, lumber products, lubricating oils, some energy products, and certain pharmaceuticals, including tranquilizers and vaccines for veterinary use. Diquat and paraquat are among the herbicides listed. Representatives from the agriculture industry and farm-state lawmakers have been pushing the administration for weeks for a slate of exemptions to any new duties. While the exemptions apply to the new ten percent duties and reciprocal tariffs, the list doesn’t apply to the 25 percent tariffs already in place on Mexico and Canada, even though Canada is a major U.S. supplier of some of the listed items. Multiple U.S. ag organizations fought hard for the exemptions.

Senators Attempt to Stop Tariff Chaos

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the bipartisan Trade Review Act of 2025, which would restore congressional oversight over President Trump’s tariff taxes. The bill aims to bring stability and accountability to U.S. trade policy by reestablishing limits on the president’s ability to unilaterally impose tariffs without the approval of Congress. The legislation was also sponsored by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and several others. The legislation follows Senate passage of Klobuchar’s bipartisan resolution with Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) to end President Trump’s tariff taxes on Canadian goods. Altogether, the senators say Trump’s tariff taxes will raise consumer costs by almost $4,000 per household. “The erratic way these tariffs have been announced, unannounced, and re-announced has made it difficult for families and businesses to plan for the future,” Klobuchar said. “The legislation would restore stability to our trade policy by ensuring they’re subject to additional review.”