Latest News From USDA

According to Secretary Vilsack, these efforts will “increase the competitive advantage of U.S. agriculture both domestically and internationally,” while building wealth in rural America.

USDA raised its consumer food price forecast again, to 8.5% to 9.5% for 2022. The agency had initially predicted a 2% to 3% rise in prices. Eggs, fats and oils, and poultry prices are making the biggest gains.

The CPI, an inflation gauge measuring what consumers pay for goods and services, rose 1.3% from May to June. Prices were up across the economy, with gasoline far outpacing other categories, up 11.2%.

According to the USDA, 2020 farming activities in the U.S. made up 11.2 percent, or 670 of 5,981 million metrics tons, of the U.S.’s total carbon contribution.

To bridge the gap between the U.S. and UK, a recent USDA trade mission focused on current barriers that challenge U.S. agricultural exports in the UK market.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced agricultural producers have already received more than $4 billion through the Emergency Relief Program (formerly WHIP+), representing 67% of the $6 billion projected to be paid.

Highly contagious and devastating economies across the globe, USDA-APHIS announces a program focused on preventing African swine fever from entering the U.S.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will host a virtual Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Workshop on Aug. 30 to update stakeholders and renew action on the topic.

Transforming the U.S. food system by improving supply chains and addressing issues exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic was detailed by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack during a speech at Georgetown University.

USDA raised its estimated range of 6.5%-7.5% y/y increase from a range of 5%-6%, according to the May Food Price Outlook report, the highest forecast for all food prices and restaurant prices since 1981.

Biden says Ukraine has 20 million tons of stored grain awaiting export to various countries. He says lack of port movement coupled with halted planting in Ukraine will ignite a global food crisis unless action is taken.

USDA's 2022 food price inflation forecasts are already at a 14-year high with forecasts for consumer food price inflation increased again this month. All food prices now seen rising 5% to 6% vs 4.5% to 5.5% in March.

Food prices continue to climb across the board. According to the latest Consumer Price Index, increasing grocery prices account for the largest share of the hike. However, shoppers don't view prices as high.

USDA says the launch of the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) will address increases in supplemental feed costs in 2021. Phase 1 of the payments is expected to total $577 million.

With the ongoing war in Ukraine, a recent U.S. Farm Report viewer asked about the U.S. and energy independence. John Phipps provides a reality check of the current situation when it comes to crude oil and petroleum.

President Biden's USDA FY 2023 budget proposal focuses on climate, conservation and research with $3.8 billion discretionary spending increase for USDA with climate, conservation and clean energy the major focal points.

USDA now expects food price inflation in 2022 to be from 4.5% to 5.5%, compared with 2021, based on the all-food Consumer Price Index. No category shows a potential decline.

Under Secy. Moffitt says her objective is to ensure producers have access to USDA dollars: “We see there’s a need for qualified technical expertise to capture the projects for producers and MPPTA will address that."

The Northwest Seaport Alliance is partnering the USDA to bring the Port of Seattle a 49-acre pop-up site that will accept both dry and refrigerated agricultural products for temporary storage.

As the Ukraine crisis continues to grab the world’s attention, President Biden's State of the Union address declared the U.S. is in a better place than it was a year ago, while agriculture was left largely unmentioned.

Expect Russia's invasion of Ukraine to dominate the State of the Union address tonight. As for issues affecting agriculture, there may be few details offered, says USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Congress returns Monday, but to a very different situation due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is expected to be one of the key issues President Biden talks about during his State of the Union address.

Wiesemeyer says “you don’t spend some $300 million on these [soybean crushing] plants without a solid foundation of a market in the future.”

Rep. Garamendi says the USDA partnership with the Port of Oakland “isn’t going to solve the problem” because shippers deliver product to the U.S. and leave ports with empty containers.

AFBF President Zippy Duvall told members this week he will continue to press for policy that progresses agriculture, citing AFBF's work on changes to the White House's "America the Beautiful" plan as an example.

AFBF's in-person annual convention focused on everything from H-2A workers, drought, supply chain chaos and policy changes like the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed the group Monday.

The House and Senate are on recess this week, but work is ramping back up to finalize 2021 legislation before the New Year begins.

The White House says 95.6% of USDA employees have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or filed for an exemption, but the number who've received the vaccine is the lowest among reported federal agencies.

USDA Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced on Monday the investment of $32 million in grants awarded to 167 meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities to support expanded capacity and efficiency.

African swine fever (ASF) is a nasty bug and it’s getting closer to the U.S. The highly contagious viral infection doesn’t infect humans, but it is 100% fatal to hogs. 

The Biden administration kicked off the nearly week-long trip EU climate trip with a $1 billion announcement. And there's more funds in the Build Back Better program, but some say details are still sparse.

Biden's new Build Back Better plan could have a sweeping impact on ag. The plan provides a boost to biofuels and conservation efforts and expands USDA's proposed minority farmer and rancher debt relief by $6 billion.

USDA said late last week it’s not approving a vaccine mandate exemption for Farm Service Agency (FSA) employees, and now there are fears the next shortage farmers will face will be with FSA local field staff.

The White House’s executive order signed in September requires all USDA employees to be vaccinated by Nov. 22, and includes county FSA offices and employees, as well as elected county committee members who are paid.

Chip Flory is joined by USDA Secretary Vilsack to discuss who is affected by stepped-up basis and why he thinks agricultural America should be in support of it.

In an unprecedented move, the Biden administration unveiled a broad plan to tackle record retail meat prices. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said consolidation in beef, pork and poultry processing is leading to higher prices.

Hurricane Ida, and possible aid to producers, was a big topic of the Farm Journal Farm Country Update with Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack Thursday. Vilsack highlighted when additional aid may be on the way. 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will join Clinton Griffiths for a virtual live town-hall Sept. 2 at 2 p.m. CDT. Farmers and ranchers will ask about the most pressing issues and opportunities they face.

USDA announced updates to CFAP 2, with the biggest revisions occurring for contract producers of livestock and specialty crops. The deadline is now October 12 to sign up or make modifications to existing applications.

USDA announced Tuesday "Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program," or PLIP, to help compensate livestock and poultry producers who were forced to depopulate their herds due to processing issues during the pandemic.

After President Biden signed a sweeping Executive Order late last week, NCBA and other livestock groups praised the President's focus on meat, poultry. However, not every ag group is on board with the President's plan.

On the heels of President Joe Biden signing an Executive Order to increase competition in the U.S., USDA says the President’s plan will also level the playing field for family farmers and ranchers.

USDA Secretary Vilsack is expected to announce $500 million in new funds to expand meat processing capacity during a trip Friday to Council Bluffs, Iowa, according to Jim Wiesemeyer.

USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack is scheduled to travel to Nebraska Friday for what the agency is calling a "major announcement." It could include details of the Biden Administration's plan to create more competition within ag.

An expected executive order by the Biden Administration could have sweeping impacts on agriculture, and includes allowing USDA to create new rules to increase competition in the meat industry and protect producers.

What happens when wild pigs are given 1,000 tons of groceries per day in the form of landfill trash? Expect a ticking time bomb, and quite possibly, a $50 billion blow to the entire U.S. pork industry.

The Department of Justice filed court documents Friday in defense of USDA’s plan to forgive debt for socially disadvantaged farmers. The filing is in response to a Judge's recent ruling to halt the payments.

The dollars tagged for such purposes are part of the Build Back Better program, the Biden administration’s COVID-19 relief plan.

“I like to say you’re going to have to have a permit to do normal farming decisions,” he told Chip Flory, host of AgriTalk.

USDA is continuing its rollout of aid to segments of the agriculture industry impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.