Tag: USDA
What can the Wildlife Habitat Initiative do for you?
The Wildlife Habitat Initiative is a new partnership offering up to 95% reimbursement for conservation practices. Whether planting pollinator plots or clearing invasive species, learn how to qualify through the USDA to improve your land for native wildlife.
Farm policy illusions: Inside milk jargon, DOGE and Big Ag
From confusing Federal Milk Marketing Order jargon to the deadly dismantling of USAID food programs by DOGE, Alan Guebert cuts through the noise. Explore why Big Ag continues to push outdated ethanol solutions while independent farmers are left scraping by.
Good luck with eating that cotton sandwich
While the Trump administration rolls out the "Great American Cotton Plan" to bail out a shrinking, synthetic-dominated cotton market, U.S. wheat farmers face historic droughts and crop abandonment with little federal support. A look at the paradox in modern American farm policy.
Farm bill gains momentum: The first major update since 2018
After passing the House, the $1.4 trillion 2026 Farm Bill is gaining momentum. The budget-neutral legislation shifts billions, cutting SNAP programs while boosting farm subsidies. It also triggers fierce lobbying over interstate meat regulations and animal welfare protections.
Screwworms eat flesh, screw-ups cost money
The flesh-eating New World screwworm has returned to the U.S. Southwest. While Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins blames the previous administration, critics point to early 2025 budget cuts made by the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency that halted critical livestock monitoring.
NW Ohio farmers wanted for soil survey
Ohio State University researchers, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, are conducting a statewide effort to revisit and re-sample historic National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) soil characterization sites across Ohio.
Flesh-eating screwworm found in Texas, beyond; USDA launches massive response
The USDA has confirmed a case of the flesh-eating New World screwworm in a Texas calf, marking its return after being eradicated in 1966. A second case emerged two days later in another calf about 6 miles from the first detection. By June 8, the tally of affected animals had risen to four, including a goat in Gillespie County, Texas, and a dog in Lea County, New Mexico, classified as the first U.S. case there.
Who is Palantir and why is USDA giving it $300 million?
Under Secretary Brooke Rollins’ National Farm Security Plan, the USDA has inked a $300M deal with Palantir to launch "One Farmer, One File." While the initiative promises faster disaster payments and streamlined services, the partnership raises major concerns about data privacy and surveillance.
Guebert: Worse and more of it
The Trump administration’s USDA reorganization and USAID cuts bring chaos to American farming. From soybean board snubs to global aid losses, Alan Guebert says it’s only getting worse.
USDA dismisses four women elected to United Soybean Board
The U.S. Department of Agriculture rejected four women nominated by their peers to the United Soybean Board, a move some are saying was based on gender.
