Surface Transportation Bill Passes House Committee
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the $580 billion Build America 250 Act, a five‑year reauthorization of road, bridge and transit programs. The bill earmarks more than $50 billion for bridge projects, the largest single investment in U.S. bridge infrastructure. It also adds a Rail Safety Act with speed limits and crew requirements for hazardous‑material trains, and a framework for autonomous commercial vehicles and EV fees. A pilot amendment lets states permit six‑axle trucks up to 91,000 lb on interstates.
Bayer Revises Loyalty Program Requirements Following DOJ Scrutiny
Major seed producer Bayer has eliminated the sales‑target condition in its Premier Performance loyalty program for independent corn and soybean seed licensees. The change decouples corn and soybean incentives for the 2025 planting season and commits Bayer not to reinstate...
House Panel Unveils $580B Surface Transportation Plan
The House Transportation Committee released a draft of the BUILD America 250 Act, a five‑year surface‑transportation reauthorization that would authorize $580 billion in spending. The plan earmarks more than $50 billion for bridge repairs—the largest allocation ever—and introduces the first federal framework...
Washington Week Ahead: China Deals, Tomatoes and Midterms in Focus
President Donald Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping secured a new Chinese commitment to buy at least $17 billion in U.S. agricultural commodities each year for the next three years, adding to existing soybean purchases and reviving poultry and beef exports. The...
Greer: Double-Digit Billion Chinese Ag Purchase Commitments Are Coming
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said China is expected to commit to double‑digit‑billion‑dollar annual purchases of U.S. agricultural products beyond soybeans after President Trump’s meeting with Xi, even though no formal announcement was made. The October soybean pact calls for...
Trump Says Makary Is No Longer FDA Commissioner
President Donald Trump announced that FDA Commissioner Marty Makary is no longer in his post, ending a 13‑month tenure marked by policy clashes with the White House and Congress. Makary faced criticism over his reluctance to re‑authorize flavored vaping products...
Food Price Increase Contributes to Overall 3.8% Jump in Consumer Prices
The U.S. Consumer Price Index climbed 3.8% in April, with grocery prices rising 0.7% after a flat March. Beef led the food surge, up 2.7% and now 14.8% higher than a year ago, while fruits and vegetables jumped 1.8%. Energy...
Trump Administration Proposes Rework of BLM Grazing Regulations
The Trump administration has unveiled a proposed rule to overhaul the Bureau of Land Management’s grazing program, affecting roughly 155 million acres and 18,000 permits. The rule would shift land‑health assessments, permit targeted grazing for wildfire mitigation, and replace the phrase...
Western Growers Backs Ag-Tech Hub with $1.5M
Western Growers has entered a three‑year partnership with Reservoir Farms, committing $1.5 million to develop and test agricultural robotics for specialty‑crop growers. The collaboration gives members and affiliated startups access to on‑farm trials at Reservoir’s sites in Salinas, California wine country,...
Trump to Sign Executive Orders to Boost Beef Imports, Cattle Supply
President Trump will sign two executive orders that temporarily suspend U.S. beef tariff‑rate quotas for about 200 days, aiming to increase imports and ease price pressure. The measures also include expanded loan programs for ranchers, reduced gray‑wolf protections and looser...
Mosaic to Scale Back US Phosphate Production over High Input Costs
Mosaic, the largest U.S. phosphate producer, announced it will halve output at its Faustina, Louisiana, and Bartow, Florida plants due to soaring sulfuric acid prices, a key input for monoammonium phosphate. The curtailment trims U.S. production by roughly 3.4 million tons, undermining...
Daybreak May 8: Trump, Lula Talk Trade as Administration Weighs Expanding Beef Imports
President Donald Trump and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met at the White House to discuss trade, including the possibility of expanding U.S. beef imports from Brazil to ease domestic prices. While no decision has been made, the administration is...
SNAP Stocking Standards Require More Variety on Store Shelves
The USDA announced a final rule tightening SNAP stocking standards, requiring authorized retailers to carry at least seven distinct varieties in each of four staple categories—protein, grains, dairy, and fruits and vegetables—and to stock a minimum of three units per...
Opinion: The Case for the UP-NS Merger Runs Through America's Heartland
Economists argue that the proposed $85 billion Union Pacific‑Norfolk Southern merger would create the first single‑line transcontinental freight railroad in the United States, linking the West and East coasts. By eliminating the current hand‑off at interchange points such as Chicago, the...
Daybreak May 7: Tariffs at Odds with MAHA Movement, Ag and Food Industries Argue
U.S. officials are facing mounting criticism that recent tariff hikes on imports clash with the administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) dietary goals, as seafood and olive oil producers warn higher prices will curb consumption. At the same time, the...