Commodity Classic

USDA Delivers Thousands of Bridge Payments In a Matter of Days

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 15:56:32 GMT

In an afternoon general session, adjusted to fit USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins’ schedule, the agency leader welcomed a record crowd of 12,000 to her home state of Texas as she stares down one of the most challenging moments in farming history. Farmers are facing high input costs, trade uncertainty and surging grain production.

“Between 2020 and last year when I spoke at this incredible event, fuel costs had increased 33%, seed costs had increased 19%, fertilizer prices had gone up 48%, labor up 44% and interest expenses up 71%,” said Rollins.

The frustration in the room was palpable following a year in 2025 where strong production was again unable to overcome swelling costs and expenses. Farmers here are now looking harder to Washington for answers as another season of negative margins stares them in the face.

“We’re seven years out from this last farm bill and all of this information that we’re trying to work with is so outdated, our costs are so different, we have to get something done,” said Jed Bower, the current president of the National Corn Growers Association and an Ohio farmer. “They have forgotten about rural America.”

Help is on the way

USDA did roll out an $11 billion rescue program called the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program as a way to help tide farmers over until safety net pricing adjustments kick in this fall. Those weren’t passed in a new Farm Bill but instead included in the One Big Beautiful Bill signed last year. Sign-ups for Bridge payments are currently underway with FSA even allowing Commodity Classic attendees to finalize their applications on the tradeshow floor. Some of those payments are already in farmers’ hands as Rollins told farmers help is on the way.

“I will not declare victory, we still have so much work to do, but I will declare that we have made great progress on the promises that were made,” said Rollins. “Since [the last time I was here] we have had 15 new trade deals and/or frameworks for US agriculture in key markets like the European Union, UK, Japan, Mexico and Southeast Asia.”

The secretary also pointing China’s return to the market and pending presidential meeting scheduled for later this month. Economists are forecasting the agricultural trade deficit to fall from $41.5 billion in 2025 to $35 billion this year. That shift is happening around a strong export year in 2025 for things like ethanol where exports were up 11%, dairy exports were up 15% and corn exports ending the year 29% higher.

Separately from trade, Rollins noting a litany of deregulation happening across agencies. In a post on X.com, the secretary listed a number of changes already underway. Rollins writing that to date the administration has cut 129 regulations for every new one, resulting in $211.8 billion in net cost savings. She says accomplishments in USDA deregulation agenda include:

Reversing the EPA endangerment finding impacting vehicle emissions standards
Raising poultry line speeds → ~16% lower chicken prices
Rescinding the Roadless Rule → opens 59M acres for timber
Cutting USDA NEPA regs by 66% (streamlining 7 rules into 1)
Reforming H-2A AEWR → saves farmers >$2B/year in labor costs
Clarifying WOTUS per recent Supreme Court ruling
Modernizing Forest Service oil/gas & minerals leasing rules

I’m in Floresville, TX today launching @USDA’s new Deregulatory Agenda for American Agriculture & Consumers! Thank you to the amazing Boening Family for welcoming us to your beautiful farm!!! The Trump Admin is cutting red tape to unleash innovation on farms & ranches while… pic.twitter.com/5NOdTT2dpX
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) February 26, 2026

USDA systems get an upgrade

While the world focuses on precision agriculture and technology adoption, the systems helping support American farmers has been embarrassingly slow to evolve.

“A GAO audit found that barely 15% of previous upgrades were delivered,” said Rollins. “We have been left with ancient technical architecture with 500 different custom-built systems and databases managed by over 1,000 different contractors that cost the taxpayer over $1 billion.”

The secretary announcing the ‘One Farmer, One File’ initiative as a way to streamline the data collection and services from USDA.

“This creates a single, streamlined record that follows you, the farmer, no matter where you go in USDA system,” explained Rollins. “When this initiative concludes, producers will be able to access their USDA data in a single, modern, secure system built to today’s cybersecurity standards.”

USDA Secretary Rollins watches as a producers enrolls at Commodity Classic

(USDA (X.com))

Rollins says it’s part of the administration’s broader vision of revamping how Americans interact with the government’s digital front door. She also made it clear that these new tools are optional.

“What does this mean? Do I have to do everything on a computer? No, these FSA offices will stay open. You will always have someone to walk into and sit down with to help with paper applications and traditional acreage reporting,” said Rollins. “This is not a mandate to digitize. We are not telling you we’re moving everything to your phone or your computer at home, but instead it is an expansion of options for our farmers.”

This is the first phase of a multi-year initiative. The Farmer Bridge Assistance Program is the very first program running fully on this new platform.

“After 72 hours we had over 30,000 applications go through the application process at login.gov” said Richard Fordyce, USDA undersecretary for farm production and conservation. “When the producer sees the form on their virtual device and hit sign here, that immediately goes to the county office. It’s then signed and certified and sent for payment, immediately.”

“The results have been stunning,” said Rollins. “In just the past few days, we have seen 50 times more producers sign up online than ECAP did over its entire five-month sign-up period last year. Adoption is up over 5,000% and several billion dollars have already been obligated. Many of you told me you’ve already had the check hit your bank account faster than any program ever before in the history of USDA.”

Rollins called it a new standard for the delivery of services. She says the IT and system upgrades are scheduled to be completed within the next 2 years.

Focus on 2026

Rollins laid out her priorities for the new year as farmers at Commodity Classic look for answers to the difficult balance sheet decisions awaiting their return to the farm. The top 5 boiled down to this:

Continue to deregulate
Strike new trade deals
Lower the cost of inputs
Expand markets at home with biofuels
Strengthen the farm safety net by passing a new Farm Bill

That will be easier said than done as each step comes with its own set of challenges. Rollins will be navigating closing Washington D.C. offices and moving staff to new regional hubs which she hopes to have done by the start of school next fall. Throw in global political uncertainty, stubborn inflation and stiff competition from Brazil, and the challenges are big.

“I want every American to understand that if we are not able to reverse the trend, the farm economy, the increase in inputs, the fewer markets around the world, protection from lawfare, if we’re not able to reverse that trend, then we not only will lose the greatest industry in American history, but we will also lose our country,” said Rollins. “There is no freedom unless we are able to feed and fuel ourselves.”

Splitting USMCA Into Two Separate Trade Deals Would Be a Mistake, Argues Trade Groups

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:33:16 GMT

With the 2026 review of the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) approaching, President Donald Trump is signaling he may seek to replace the current three-nation pact with separate bilateral trade deals for Canada and Mexico. The move, driven by dissatisfaction with elements of the existing agreement, would shift away from the trilateral framework in favor of one-on-one negotiations aimed at addressing specific trade disputes, particularly with Canada, and could reshape the structure of North American agricultural trade.

The future of USMCA, and the importance of a trade deal with both Canada and Mexico, is one of the hallmark discussions taking place during Commodity Classic this week.

During a roundtable in San Antonio, just steps away from where North America’s modern trade era began, Farmers for Free Trade made its case: keep the three-nation trade pact intact and make it stronger for U.S. agriculture.

Speaking on “AgriTalk” from Commodity Classic, Farmers for Free Trade executive director Brian Kuehle told Michelle Rook renewing and strengthening the USMCA is one of the most important trade priorities facing the Trump administration.

“This agreement is critically important for U.S. agriculture,” Kuehle says.

North America: Agriculture’s $60 Billion Neighborhood

USMCA is scheduled for a mandatory joint review and potential renewal on July 1, 2026, six years after it entered into force. This review, part of the agreement’s sunset clause, allows the United States, Mexico and Canada to confirm their commitment to the deal and extend it, with formal discussions already underway.

But Farmers for Free Trade says Mexico and Canada aren’t just neighbors. They are the top two export markets for U.S. farm goods.

According to Kuehle, U.S. agricultural exports to Mexico and Canada totaled nearly $60 billion last year, up from just $9 billion before the original North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) took effect in 1994. Mexico is now the largest export destination for U.S. corn, while Canada is a leading buyer of U.S. ethanol and a key market for dairy, meat and specialty crops.

For Texas alone, agricultural exports to Mexico and Canada reached $6.4 billion in 2025.

“That’s a lot of food and ag products going out to these two countries,” Kuehle says. “For one state, that’s significant.”

The original NAFTA laid the foundation for that growth. Its successor, the USMCA, was negotiated during Trump’s first term and updated the rules but preserved the integrated North American market.

Now, with a mandatory review looming, Farmers for Free Trade wants the administration to renew the pact and avoid splintering it into separate bilateral deals.

Keep the Three Nations Together

The current push by the administration is to break up the current USMCA, moving to two bilateral deals. But is this just posturing? Kuehle says talk of negotiating separate one-on-one deals with Mexico and Canada echoes the 2018 process, when Mexico negotiated first and Canada joined later. But he warns formally splitting the agreement would be a mistake.

“I think it would be a colossal error to split the two apart and try to do two bilateral deals,” he says. “We want everyone in the same tent working together for an integrated market.”

The strength of USMCA, he argues, is in its predictability, stable rules for the road and a formal dispute resolution system. That mechanism proved critical when Mexico attempted to ban imports of genetically modified corn. The U.S. successfully challenged the move under USMCA’s dispute process, preserving market access for American growers.

“That’s why free trade agreements are so important,” Kuehle says. “We can depend on those exports.”

Farm Groups Push for USMCA Renewal

Forty national farm and agricultural organizations have also announced the formation of the Agricultural Coalition for the United States Mexico Canada Agreement, launching a coordinated push to secure renewal of USMCA ahead of its mandatory 2026 review.

The coalition says the agreement serves as a critical economic engine for U.S. agriculture and is urging policymakers to renew it with targeted improvements, rather than risk uncertainty in export markets. As part of the roll out, the group unveiled a new website and began an aggressive advertising campaign in Washington, D.C., aimed at highlighting the benefits the pact has delivered to farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses. The effort comes as the administration prepares for the formal review process required under the agreement.

“USMCA is one of President Trump’s signature achievements and one that has significantly propelled the ag economy,” says Bryan Goodman, a spokesperson for the new coalition. “We are not saying it’s perfect, as some changes are warranted, but we are saying it is of paramount importance to farmers that all three countries renew the agreement.”

If all parties agree to extend it, the pact would remain in force for another 16 years, with a subsequent review in 2032. If renewal efforts fail and a country opts to withdraw, the agreement would terminate in 2036. Alternatively, the review could shift into annual consultations without resolution, creating prolonged uncertainty for agricultural producers.

The Trump administration has signaled renewal is not automatic, though officials have acknowledged the agreement has delivered measurable benefits.

“Our farmers make decisions a year or more in advance,” Goodman says. “They need the certainty of knowing USMCA is here to stay.”

Coalition leaders argue Trump reshaped North American trade policy by negotiating and signing the pact, and they plan to emphasize that message in the months ahead.

“We want to protect this agreement and build on what President Trump started in his first term,” Goodman says. “We are confident we will be able to share the facts and farmer testimony that will help the Trump administration benefit rural communities throughout the process of the 2026 review.”

A Bright Spot Amid Tariff Turbulence

As broader tariff battles reshape global trade, North America has remained comparatively stable — something Kuehle describes as a bright light for agriculture.

While targeted tariffs can serve a purpose in response to unfair trade practices, he cautions against broad, across-the-board tariffs that raise input costs for farmers and consumer prices at home.

He also stresses the importance of congressional involvement in trade policy. USMCA was negotiated under trade promotion authority, passed by Congress and enacted into law, giving it durability beyond a single administration.

By contrast, Kuehle says, executive-only tariff deals lack transparency and long-term certainty.

“Is it a deal that exists beyond a president’s term? Does it have staying power?” he asks. “That’s the difference between going it alone and following the constitutional structure where Congress has authority over trade.”

Fix What Needs Fixing… Without Burning Bridges

All of this talk doesn’t mean USMCA is perfect, Kuehle says.

Dairy access into Canada remains a sticking point, and Kuehle says the administration is right to push for improvements. But he cautions against rhetoric that could alienate a critical partner.

“We want to be fair but firm,” he says, echoing advice from former U.S. Sen. Max Baucus. “Nobody likes to be bullied.”

He warns unnecessarily straining relations could push Canada toward deeper ties with the European Union or China — a shift that would undermine decades of North American integration.

“We don’t want Canada orienting toward the EU,” he says. “We want them continuing to orient toward us.”

A United Front at Commodity Classic

At Commodity Classic, that message is resonating across farm country.

Kuehle says commodity groups, from corn and soybeans to wheat and sorghum, are largely united in supporting renewal of USMCA. Farmers for Free Trade hosted a roundtable discussion at the historic site in San Antonio where NAFTA was originally signed in 1992, symbolically “going back to the original location.”

The organization is also collecting farmer signatures, urging Congress and the administration to renew and strengthen the agreement.

“U.S. ag obviously sometimes has its differences,” Kuehle says. “But on USMCA, it’s darn near united.”

As the review process unfolds, Farmers for Free Trade hopes unity translates into action, preserving what many producers see as the backbone of American agricultural trade.

For Kuehle, the stakes are simple: Protect the integrated North American market farmers depend on and make sure it continues delivering for the next generation.

Can Mexico Afford to Retaliate Against the U.S.?

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 20:28:55 GMT

President Donald Trump followed through on his threats of imposing a 25% tariff on most imports from Canada and Mexico, along with an additional 10% on goods from China. While China and Canada released their list of retaliatory tariffs the same day, Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, says they won’t release their list until the weekend.

Sheinbaum said the country will also respond with a 25% tariff on U.S. goods but will announce the products it will target on Sunday.

But can Mexico afford to retaliate? That was one of the questions asked by USDA chief economist Seth Meyer during Commodity Classic this week. The reason is Mexico’s economy is struggling, due to a number of factors, which includes a large informal sector, high budget deficit and unstable infrastructure.

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Mexico’s GDP grew only 0.9% year over year in fourth quarter 2024, after expanding 2.% in 2023 and 4.6% in 2022. Economic growth slowed, mainly due to lower investment, slowing consumption and a contracting energy sector.

(Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas)

The Dallas Fed says lower investment and consumption was the main driver behind the slow growth.

“Investment contributed three percentage points less to GDP growth in 2024 compared with 2023,” the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said in a recent report. “The major drop was in nonresidential construction investment, while purchases of imported machinery and equipment also slowed noticeably as the Mexican peso continued to weaken against the dollar. In addition, consumption was impacted by sluggish growth in remittances, high interest rates and flat employment. However, net exports boosted growth in 2024 after dragging it down the previous two years.”

Extremely Reliant Upon Exports
The other issue? Mexico is extremely reliant upon demand from the U.S., exporting $41.9 billion worth of agricultural products to the U.S.

In 2023, Mexico accounted for 16.3% of U.S. agricultural exports and 23.3% of U.S. agricultural imports.

By the numbers:

Mexico is the largest source of horticultural imports to the U.S., supplying 63% of vegetables and 47% of fruit and nuts in 2023.
The top agricultural exports from Mexico to the U.S. in 2024 included beer, tomatoes, tequila, avocados, strawberries, raspberries and peppers.

Mexico is the Biggest Customer of U.S. Ag Exports

The other important piece is Mexico is now the U.S.'s top ag export destination.

According to Krista Swanson, chief economist for National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), Mexico is a huge destination for U.S. corn. More than 40% of U.S. corn exported last year went to Mexico. Not only does that mean the U.S. relies on Mexico, but Mexico is also reliant upon the U.S. do to the strong demand.

“That’s the other key piece here when we think about a Mexico situation, you know, will they retaliate on corn because it’s so important to the consumers in their country,” Swanson told Farm Journal during Commodity Classic this week. “And it’s such a big part of their diets and consumption. It’s a commodity that they consume way more of than what they produce. So they’re going to have to get it from somewhere.”

Bigger Picture
According to USDA’s Economic Research Service , between 1993 (the year before NAFTA’s implementation) and 2023, U.S. agricultural exports to Mexico expanded at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7%, while agricultural imports from Mexico grew at a rate of 9.7%.

“With the economic recovery in the United States and Mexico that followed the pandemic, U.S. agricultural exports to Mexico increased at a CAGR of 15.7% between 2020 and 2023, and U.S. agricultural imports from Mexico grew at a CAGR of 11.3%,” the USDA report said. “In 2023, however, U.S. agricultural exports to Mexico decreased by 0.3% compared with the previous year, as the prices of major agricultural exports (such as corn and soybeans) declined.”

USDA Prepares to Protect Farmers in a Trade War

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 22:28:13 GMT

As the clock struck midnight on March 4, President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China went into effect. Almost immediately, global markets started to react, and trading partners retaliated.

While the full economic consequences of the trade war remain to be seen, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has promised to have a plan, such as the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), ready for farmers, if needed. In 2019, MFP provided direct payments to producers impacted by retaliatory tariffs, resulting in the loss of traditional exports.

“Everything is on the table right now. Everything. I know that President Trump, whom I speak with regularly, realizes the state of the farm economy in this country,” Rollins said on Sunday at Commodity Classic . “The last time, I know, he pushed Secretary Perdue to ensure we were able to make whole–as best as we could–some of those, and hopefully most of those, if not all, who had been hurt. We’re building the team at USDA to ensure we have the structure and the plan in place to allow us to move very quickly.”

In an interview with Farm Journal at Commodity Classic, USDA Economist Seth Meyer says he has been instructed by Secretary Rollins to be ready for a relief program, and he’s started calculating what possible relief could look like.

“Calculating something right today would not be helpful because we don’t know where we’re going to be, but absolutely, the Secretary instructs: ‘You need to be ready, have your pencil sharpened and have your tools available. Think about how you would proceed,’” Meyer says. “We are ready in that backstop. It won’t be easy. We’ve talked a lot about different countries. We’ve talked about reciprocal trade, but we are indeed sharpening our pencils to be able to do what she’s asked us to do.”

Here are the key details of the U.S. tariffs and retaliation from Canada, Mexico and China.

(Farm Journal)

Canada responded swiftly with plans to impose 25% tariffs on nearly $100 billion of U.S. imports over two tranches. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum plans to announce retaliatory tariff and non-tariff measures against the U.S. at an upcoming rally in Mexico City’s central square.

Meyer’s question is, “Can Mexico afford to retaliate?”

(Farm Journal)

As President Trump’s tariffs drew swift retaliation from trading partners, the ag industry was quick to react.

Impact on Farm Machinery
Equipment makers are concerned about the additional duties, especially after a rough year for the industry.

“We have spent decades laying down supply chains across the world. Our industry is global — 30% of all equipment made in the U.S. is destined for export. Canada is our largest market outside of the U.S.,” says Johan “Kip” Eideberg, senior vice president – government and industry relations, Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). “If we want to create more jobs here in America, we need to sell more equipment and that means selling to customers outside of the U.S.”

As detailed in From the Factory to Your Fields: Where Farm Equipment Is Made , the ag equipment manufacturing industry is fully integrated across the three North American allies involved in the so-called “trade wars.”

“Anytime you disrupt those tightly connected supply chains — and tariffs would be a direct disruption — it’s going to have a serious impact on equipment manufacturers and on our farmers,” Eineberg says. “Given that Canada is our largest export market, we’re sending almost $10 billion worth of goods to Canada every year, there’s a lot at stake here.”

In 2018, Eineberg estimates, tariffs on steel, aluminum and farm inputs from China drove up the cost of making equipment in the U.S. by about 9 percentage points.

“Obviously, manufacturers will try to absorb as much of that as they can, but inevitably some of it will be passed down to the consumer, which in this case is our farmers and ranchers,” he adds.

AEM is also sounding the alarm on the compounding effect of tariffs, specifically due to the tight integration of manufacturing cycles on both sides of the border. There are often cases, Eineberg says, where components and raw materials are shuttled three to five times across the border between different factories in the manufacturing process. That means each time a piece of steel or other raw material being manufactured into a component for a tractor crosses the border, the tariffs multiply.

An example of the cross-border journey of one piece of agriculture equipment from raw material to delivery on the farm.

(AEM)

Impact on Rural America and Fertilizer
American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall expressed alarm about potential harm to farmers resulting from imposing stiff tariffs on the top three agricultural markets by value for the U.S.

“Farm Bureau members support the goals of security and ensuring fair trade with our North American neighbors and China, but, unfortunately, we know from experience that farmers and rural communities will bear the brunt of retaliation.” Duvall says.

Of note, more than 80% of the U.S. supply of potash , a key fertilizer product, comes from Canada.

“Tariffs that increase fertilizer prices threaten to deliver another blow to the finances of farm families already grappling with inflation and high supply costs,” Duvall adds. “The uncertainty hits just as operating loans are being secured and spring planting approaches, leaving farmers in a tough spot.”

(Farm Journal)

Read: Fertilizer Manufacturers and Retailers React to Trade Tariffs

Impact on Soybeans
During the 2018 trade war with China, U.S. agriculture experienced more than $27 billion in losses, with soybeans accounting for 71% of those losses, according to the American Soybean Association (ASA). Unlike in 2018, farmers are in a more tentative financial situation in 2025. Commodity prices are down nearly 50% from three years ago, while the costs for land and inputs, such as seed, pesticides and fertilizer, are high.

In an ASA statement, it says for years the organization’s farmer-members have consistently maintained their position that they do not support the use of tariffs, which threaten important markets and raise input costs for farmers, as a negotiation tactic.

“Farmers are frustrated. Tariffs are not something to take lightly and ‘have fun’ with. Not only do they hit our family businesses squarely in the wallet, but they rock a core tenet on which our trading relationships are built, and that is reliability. Being able to reliably supply a quality product to them consistently,” says Caleb Ragland, ASA president and soybean farmer from Magnolia, Ky.

Soybeans by far make up the largest volume of ag products exported to China. In 2024, U.S. exporters sent 27 million metric tons of soybeans to China valued at $12.76 billion, according to USDA. Mexico is the second-largest customer for whole soybeans, soybean meal and soybean oil. Canada is the fourth-largest customer for soybean meal.

“Soybean producers face huge, disproportionate impacts from trade flow disruptions, particularly to China,” Ragland says. “And we know foreign soybean producers in Brazil and other countries are expecting abundant crops this year and are primed to meet any demand stemming from a renewed U.S.-China trade war.”

Impact on Corn and Ethanol Demand
Market analysis shows tariffs won’t solve the U.S. trade deficit and instead will just shift business to other countries, says Neil Caskey, CEO, National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).

“We issued a study back in the fall that documented the implications of tariffs and specifically retaliation in a trade war — it’s not good for corn farmers, farmers in general,” he says. “We did that in conjunction with the American Soybean Association, and it concluded a trade war is really only good for Brazil, and we hope to avoid that.”

The top two destinations for corn and ethanol are Mexico and Canada. According to Krista Swanson, chief economist, NCGA, 40% of U.S. corn exports go to Mexico and more than 40% of U.S. ethanol exports are shipped to Canada.

“[Corn] is a commodity [those countries] consume way more than what they produce, so they’re going to have to get it from somewhere,” she says. “There’s definitely some concern about losing corn [exports], but how much is lost is left to be seen because it depends on what happens with shifting trade flows.”

Impact on Beef and Pork Sectors
U.S. meat export could be impacted by the tariff war as well, with China singling out pork and beef for a 10% counter tariff. Mexico, China and Canada accounted for 8.4 billion in U.S. red meat exports last year, according to the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

USMEF is disappointed no agreements were reached to avoid or postpone the tariffs, but president and CEO Dan Halstrom says just because there are tariffs, doesn’t mean trade will stop.

“I do think the thing that we have definitely in our favor is that demand for our products globally is record breaking. I mean, it’s as good as I’ve ever seen it in 40-plus years,” he says. “I think that we have a very unique product. We got to keep that in mind because that’s a big leverage point.”

Halstrom says it could be a bumpy ride for a while, but it’s not something exporters can’t overcome.

Read: Industry Comments on Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. Pork and Beef

Rollins Promises Grain Farmers Improving Ag Economy is a Top Priority

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 18:25:56 GMT

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says USDA is ready to roll out a number of programs that have been on hold pending review.

“We have completed our review and are releasing the funds for the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program and the agriculture conservation easement program,” Rollins said. “We are releasing those funds back to all of you who participate in those programs.”

Rollins made the announcement Sunday in Denver at the 2025 Commodity Classic where organizers estimate 10,000 will be on hand for the three-day event. The annual gathering of corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum farmers from across the country welcomed her address ahead of what’s likely to be another busy week for the 33rd Secretary of Agriculture.

New Emergency Commodity Assistance Program to Distribute Farmer Funds

Rollins also formally announced economic assistance will be distributed by March 21 .

“The economic assistance program will be called the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, or ECAP,” Rollins said. “ECAP is the new program to help us distribute that $30 billion in funds that Congress passed in December. They gave us 90 days to start distributing that first $10 billion in economic assistance, and we are on track to beat that and get that money starting to move immediately.”

Rollins is also looking at the application process and asking her team to find ways to streamline the distribution of those funds.

“In cases where we have information already on file, a pre-filled application will be sent to you,” Rollins said. “FSA will use the 2024 acreage reporting data you previously filed to initiate that application process. This is just common sense.”

Farmers who might have missed the above window will be asked to review their information, sign and return a completed application to their local FSA Service Center. Rollins also stressed the development of new tools that will use fair and transparent standards for calculating payments.

“Just in case there was any doubt, it will not be based on DEI metrics. Instead, it will be based on need, regardless of your skin color or geographic location,” Rollins said.

Trade, market development and demand remain serious concerns for the Commodity Classic crowd. At the end of February, President Donald Trump confirmed 25% tariffs for Mexico and Canada will take effect March 4. Farmers are worried their grain and other ag goods could face retaliatory measures and eventually exacerbate the U.S. agricultural trade deficit.

During a press conference, Rollins was asked about tariffs on Canada given that 87% of the potash used in the Midwest come from the province of Saskatchewan.

“I have had conversations with [Trump] specific to that issue, and will continue, but also the other teams from U.S. Trade Representative, Jameson Greer, to Howard Ludnick, Commerce Secretary, are leading a lot of these conversations and negotiations on behalf of this White House,” Rollins said. “Our conversations are ongoing and will continue. I fully recognize the issue.”

You can watch a 16-minute video of Secretary Rollins’ remarks at Commodity Classic on Farm Journal TV . The new subscription video service offers the convenience of on-demand access to hundreds of hours of content, including “AgDay,” “U.S. Farm Report,” “Machinery Pete” TV, Farm Journal’s podcast network, event footage, educational programming and more.

Farm Bill Push to the Finish Line

A soft farm economy for grain growers is at the top of the list heading into the 2025 planting season. It’s also why Rollins told the crowd she’s pushing Congress to get to work on finishing a new farm bill.

“How do we get the farm bill across the finish line?” Rollins asked rhetorically. “It is inexcusable it has yet to happen, and I understand there are a lot of factors out of the control of those who are making the decision, but there’s a new game in town. My commitment to you is that we get a farm bill done by the end of this year and we can avoid punting a full five-year bill for a third time.”

She says a new farm bill is needed to provide certainty for farmers and shore up a sputtering farm economy.

“The state of the ag economy, especially for row crop producers, is perhaps the worst it’s been in 100 years,” Rollins said. “I hear you when you tell me the department’s latest net farm income update showed the decline in crop cash receipts over the last two years were the largest in recorded history.”

USDA data shows farm inputs are up nearly 30% over the past five years while corn, soybean, sorghum and wheat prices have fallen by 30% in the last three years alone.

“The agriculture trade deficit is set to hit a record $49 billion in 2025 — that is money directly from your bottom line,” Rollins said.

The Ag Secretary pledged to the crowd, it’s her goal to find new trading partners and open market access for producers in the next few years.

“I know firsthand how important trade is to your success, and I’m committed as a top priority to work with this President and travel the world to expand market access for all of our crops and all of our producers around America,” Rollins added.

Artificial Turf Made With Soybeans is Growing in Popularity, Now on Display at the San Diego Zoo

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 13:19:18 GMT

The artificial turf market is seeing growing demand with the industry forecast to reach $7 billion by 2025. Now, a turf made from soybeans is becoming more popular and is being used in locations such as the Las Vegas Strip, the San Diego Zoo, Denver’s airport and Central Park.

You may have heard of soybeans used to make tires or even soy-based asphalt utilized to pave roadways. The artificial turf market is now opening the doors for another way soybeans can be utilized for products in the U.S.

United Soybean Board (USB) partnered with SYNLawn to create the soy-based turf. SYNLawn’s synthetic grass uses the soybeans in the bio-based backing. Research uncovered the soybean soil displaced 60% of the petroleum-based polyurethane that’s commonly used to make artificial grass products.

The product was even an attraction in USB’s booth at Commodity Classic this year.

“We have SYNLawn here today, which is a soy-based turf. It’s really exciting,” says Meagan Kaiser, USB chair from Bowling Green, Mo.

SYNLawn is looking to grow the market even more with plans to find a home for the turf in professional sports stadiums around the globe.

It’s not just tourist or sporting attractions where the turf can find a home. During the recent drought in the western U.S., it became a sustainable option to weather the dry conditions. It’s also a way to cater to those looking for innovative landscapes, but don’t want the hassle or footprint of constantly watering real turf.

You can view all of SYNLawn’s bio-based turf collection , which the company says is leading the industry in sustainability, as USDA Certified Bio-Based collection is the first line of artificial grass made entirely from plant-based materials, including soybeans.

Here’s How NCGA Thinks U.S. Farmers Could Find 1.8 Billion Bushels of New Corn Demand

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 17:53:50 GMT

Finding a new path for ethanol demand could come in the form of higher-octane fuels. National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) says the Next Generation Fuels Act would not only fit into the Biden administration’s current climate goals, but it would also drive up the domestic demand for corn.

As NCGA worked to set policy during Commodity Classic last week, everything from the Farm Bill to boosting ethanol demand was on the table. That’s why the Next Generation Fuels Act continues to be a legislative priority for NCGA in 2023, as it would require automakers to phase in higher levels of what NCGA calls “clean, low-carbon octane” by model year 2031.

“When it gets down to actual bushels, some projections say it could create an additional 1.8 billion bushels in new corn demand,” says Neil Caskey, CEO of NCGA. “And so you can see why that is a real high priority of ours.”

NCGA says ethanol results in nearly 50% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline. The Next Gen Fuels Act would create higher octane levels for vehicles designed to use those types of fuels, supporting ethanol blends of up to 30%.

Caskey says NCGA is optimistic the bill that would establish an octane standard, will be introduced in both the House and the Senate. As an avenue to promote low-carbon, high-octane fuels, NCGA says it also improves vehicle efficiency and performance.

“Ethanol is a product that can address climate goals now. We’re not waiting for anything to come online and for new technology to be available, ethanol can be put to work to address climate change right now,” says Caskey. “The price at the pump with ethanol is hard to beat. That is something that can lower the price at the pump. And so those are two incredible attributes that ethanol stands on.”

Caskey says state groups are taking the lead on working to get the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow the sale of E15 during the summer driving season. Just this month, EPA proposed a rule that would allow for year-round E15 sales in eight Midwestern states, but not until 2024.

In response, Iowa and Nebraska’s attorney generals are warning EPA they will sue the agency for failing to allow year-round E15 sales this summer.

As the high ethanol blends battle plays out with EPA, Caskey says NCGA is focused on the national effort to establish a national octane standard.

“We are optimistic that with the Next Generation Fuels Act that there’s going to be a very bright future for ethanol, and that is why it’s our highest legislative priority as we kind of head into the new year,” says Caskey.

Related Stories:

US Ethanol Industry Again Loses by Winning

EPA’s Year-Round E15 Proposed Rule Pushes Sales into 2024

ASA CEO: Renewable Diesel Could Drive a New Era for Soybean Demand, But EPA Needs to Rethink the RFS

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 18:12:44 GMT

Farmers and industry leaders gather in Orlando, Fla. this week for the 2023 Commodity Classic , an annual event that not only boasts a large trade show floor, but serves as a meeting place for state and national commodity leaders to set policy priorities for the year. This year, the American Soybean Association (ASA) is focused on everything from the Farm Bill to EPA’s recent Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) proposal, while also pushing for increased market access through trade.

Steve Censky is ASA’s chief executive officer (CEO), landed back at ASA in November 2020. That’s after he served as USDA’s Deputy Secretary from October 2017 to November 2020. He’s no stranger to the CEO role at ASA. Just prior to his appointment to USDA, he served as ASA CEO for more than two decades.

The policy priorities for ASA differ year to year, but the excitement around biomass-based diesel and renewable diesel kicked into high gear during Commodity Classic last year. A year later, Censky says soybean farmers are concerned with what EPA’s recent RFS proposal could do to that potential demand.

As soybean growers look at possible growing demand at home from the push for more biofuels and renewable diesel, Censky says EPA’s recent RFS proposal does the opposite, calling the renewable volume obligations (RVOs) within the proposal “extremely disappointing.”

“It basically flatlines our industry over the next several years. It doesn’t take into account the significant growth that’s happening in the soybean crush sector,” says Censky. EPA’s announcement in early December set the proposed RVO for biomass-based diesel at 2.82 billion gallons for 2023, with an increase to 2.95 billion gallons in 2025.

ASA says that would only cover a fraction of planned production in the U.S. Censky points out there are currently 20 major expansions or new plants underway for soybean processing in the U.S., which would increase U.S. soybean processing to 7 billion gallons of production. That’s an increase of nearly one-third from today, and short of the 2.95 billion gallons supported by EPA’s RFS proposal.

“That’s going to produce and that’s driven by the demand that that we had thought was out there for renewable diesel and biodiesel. And unfortunately, EPA proposing to pull the rug out from under that investment,” says Censky.

Last week, ASA met with EPA Administration Michael Regan, and Censky says they delivered a clear message to EPA: the current RFS proposal would be bad for farmers, rural jobs and rural development. Censky claims soybean crush facilities who are still in the early stages of plant expansions or creation, are now worried EPA’s recent announcement threatens their investments.

“There are some projects that have been more recently announced, and that’s about a two-year project. And those are the ones that we’re frankly concerned about that if we don’t get the EPA to have higher growth numbers in biomass-based diesel, then that could threaten those investments,” he says. “We’ve already heard that some of those players have put their investments on construction on quote, pause until they see the rule is finalized. And that will come in mid-June.”

When asked why EPA and the Biden administration aren’t looking at things like renewable diesel to meet their short-term climate goals, Censky says there’s still a thought that increased demand for oils will drive food prices higher. But Censky says a recent study from Purdue University found the opposite, that the increased soybean meal would actually help drive down the overall cost of food.

“It’s a way to decarbonize our fuel supply,” says Censky. “Right now, we don’t have to wait for a build out of the grid. We don’t have to wait for some revolutionary new battery technologies. It is here. It is a way to do that right now. And, you know, biodiesel and renewable diesel reduce greenhouse gas emissions by, on average, over 70%. And so that is a way to achieve the administration’s climate goals as well.”

Focused on the Farm Bill

Another big focus during Commodity Classic this week is the 2023 Farm Bill . There’s debate on whether Congress will pass a Farm Bill yet this year, but commodity groups are currently making their voices heard, outlining key priorities within the legislation.

“The first thing, that message that we have been delivering, is that we need Congress to have an adequately funded, on time Farm Bill, and we say adequately funded because we recognize that there’s the need out there that the current farm bill actually needs more resources,” says Censky.

Currently, most messages out of Washington point to less funding for the Farm Bill this year, but that’s not stopping ASA from outlining why agriculture needs more resources for the next Farm Bill, not less.

“We’re actually working very hard with other farm groups, and we’ve been leading an effort with other commodity and farm groups, with a budget message to the budget committees, letting them know that that the agriculture committees are going to need more resources,” says Censky. “We’re hopeful that they can get more resources. But we’re also realistic that it’s going to be tough to try to get those additional resources.”

Censky says the first priority is to fully protect crop insurance, as he says that’s soybean farmers most important risk management tool. The other priority is to improve the safety net for soybeans.

“Even when we had the China trade war and U.S. soybean exports plummeted, the safety net, the ARC or the PLC programs, did not kick in. Soybean farmers did not receive any payment. And they had to rely on ad hoc payment,” says Censky.

Within the Farm Bill, ASA also would like to see:

A doubling of the market access program (MAP) and foreign market development funds; funding for those programs has been stagnant for 20 years, Censky says.
Voluntary conservation measures that focus on working lands.

A Push to Increase Demand Through More Market Access and Trade

While the Farm Bill and renewable diesel are urgent issues for ASA, soybean growers see the continued need to grow demand around the globe. That’s why ASA wants to see a focus back on trade.

“Number one, we would love for the administration to begin talking about trade agreements that involve market access tariffs,” says Censky. “The administration, so far, has just said that they want to address the sanitary and phytosanitary, or some of the technical rules. We’re supportive of that, but really, what we need is market access.”

Censky says U.S. farmers export more than half of the crop grown, which is why expanding market access is a focus for ASA. It comes at a time when USDA projects U.S. agricultural exports to decline by $2.5 billion from 2022 to 2023. As a result, USDA forecasts the U.S. trade deficit to grow to $3.5 billion, the second largest since 1990.

“The overall trade numbers just came out, and the U.S. is running an agriculture trade deficit for the first time in many years,” says Censky. “And normally, in agriculture, we enjoy a huge surplus, a positive balance of trade and agriculture. And so I think that really underscores the need for the administration and Congress to get going on new trade agreements that involve market access.”

ASA says their grower members want to see the administration enter back into talks with the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). The original proposal was between 12 Pacific Rim countries and the U.S. While signed in February of 2016, it was not ratified. Strong opposition came from both Democrats and Republicans. In January 2017, new elected President Donald Trump then officially withdrew from TPP.

The remaining countries moved forward with a new trade pact, what’s now called the Comprehensive and Progress Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

“We’ve seen the European Union and China, they’re striking new trade agreements, and the U.S. has been left behind,” says Censky. “The last time we had a new trade agreement was over a decade ago, other than the USMCA that had been updated. And so we really need new market access.”

Censky says Southeast Asia is one ASA views as a high growth market. He also thinks soybeans could also see a surge in demand if a trade agreement was reached with that area, allowing market access to countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Related Stories:

Is the U.S. Becoming Less Competitive in Growing Wheat? A New Warning Sign for the Future of Wheat

The Cost of a Farm Bill: 2023 Row Crop Priorities

Soybean Processing Expansion Welcome in Northwestern Corn Belt: Will Support Soybean Prices and Improve Basis

Farm Tech & Highlights from Day 1 Commodity Classic

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 06:18:27 GMT

What’s buzzing in agriculture? Farm Journal is finding the latest technology and industry news at Commodity Classic this week.

Here’s a recap of what’s happening on Day 1 of the event:

New Technology

Despite a tough production year for many farmers, technology continues to inspire new production efficiencies.

New Holland introduces its new Genesis T8 with PLM Intelligence at the 2019 Commodity Classic. Five key features: customizable control, improved visibility, enhanced comfort, advanced support, intuitive simplicity. #Classic19 pic.twitter.com/UBTwc1AEh1
— Farm Journal (@FarmJournal) February 28, 2019

Early Planting?

Watch for more herbicide and fertilizer news:

New herbicides for 2019 from Helm Agro: #Extreme and #Quiz for the soybean market and #Fearless for the corn market, says James Whitehead, Agronomy Leader for the company. #Classic19 pic.twitter.com/hW2A9p80CQ
— Farm Journal (@FarmJournal) February 28, 2019

Pay attention to early season phosphorus and potassium levels in your fields, says Joe Pflum, agronomy manager at NACHURS.

Congratulations to LaCrosse Seeds for 100 years of business. #Classic19 https://t.co/gYxXiJ4AAA
— Farm Journal (@FarmJournal) February 28, 2019

Taking Time to Celebrate

One of the best parts of the agricultural industry is the long legacy many companies have working with farmers across the country.

Congratulations to LaCrosse Seeds for 100 years of business. #Classic19 https://t.co/gYxXiJ4AAA
— Farm Journal (@FarmJournal) February 28, 2019

Farmer 3.0: Attributes of the Future’s Farmers

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 06:14:20 GMT

Strategic planning. Risk management. Yield prediction. Food safety. Equipment management. What do all of these have in common? They will be vital in the success of the future’s farmers. They can also all be improved by smart technology use.

Major disrupters will continue to transform agriculture, which is why farmers must think like futurists, says Nikolas Badminton , an award-winning futurist and researcher who specializes in artificial intelligence, big data, privacy, transportation, renewable energy and agriculture.

“Once you know what is coming on the horizon, you can start making really good decisions today,” Badminton shared at Bayer’s AgVocacy Forum, which is taking place this week in Orlando, ahead of the 2019 Commodity Classic .

Once farmers collect data, they can analyze it to e information, which then grows into knowledge and wisdom, Badminton says. That process improves real-world decision making for farmers.

How can you adopt this futurist mindset? Start by asking yourself some big questions, Badminton says. What do you do and how do you do it? Will your business be relevant in three, five or 20 years?

“You need to do research to understand what is coming,” he says. “So if you’re a pig farmer, you might want to look at trends in growing organs in pigs for human implantation. You might also want to look at the ability to grow cultured meat in a laboratory that replaces the need to raise pigs.”

Analyze your business by doing some good old SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis, Badminton suggests. Then identify where you need to bridge the gaps.

Farmers of the future, or Farmers 3.0, need to illustrate a few key traits. Badminton says those are:

a curiosity and a thirst to experiment
extreme data literacy
dedication to data analysis

“Technology gives you the ability to, to really make better strategic decisions,” Badminton says. “Better strategic decisions mean more efficient operations.”

Even in today’s tight profit picture, Badminton suggests farmers carefully weigh the return on investment for new technology. Not doing so can be fatal for a business.

“If you stop investing, you stop growing, that means both growing crops and growing as a business,” he says.

Bayer’s AgVocacy Forum spans Feb. 26-27. You can watch a live video stream from the event in the AgVocate Facebook group , and follow along with the social media discussion by searching for #AgVocate on Twitter and Instagram .