Wednesday July 01 Ag News - USDA Acreage and Grain Stocks Reports - E85 Wholesale Prices Remain Low - USDA Updates Crop Reporting - SPUR Program Supports Small Beef Processors - and more!

Corn Planted Acreage Down 3 Percent from 2025
Soybean Acreage Up 5 Percent
All Wheat Acreage Down 6 Percent
All Cotton Acreage Up 6 Percent

Corn planted area for all purposes is estimated at 95.3 million acres, down 3 percent from last year. This represents the fourth highest planted acreage in the United States since 1944. Compared with last year, planted acreage is down or unchanged in 40 of the 48 estimating States. Area harvested for grain, at 87.4 million acres, is down 4 percent from last year.

By State - (1,000 acres     2025      2026)
Nebraska ........:             10,750      10,500      
Iowa ...............:             13,550      13,000      

Soybean planted area for 2026 is estimated at 85.4 million acres, up 5 percent from last year. Compared with last year, planted acreage is up or unchanged in 23 of the 29 estimating States.

By State - (1,000 acres     2025      2026)
Nebraska .........:             4,850      5,100         
Iowa ................:             9,450     10,000       

All wheat planted area for 2026 is estimated at 42.7 million acres, down 6 percent from 2025. The 2026 winter wheat planted area, at 31.5 million acres, is down 5 percent from last year and down 3 percent from the previous estimate. Of this total, about 22.4 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 5.54 million acres are Soft Red Winter, and 3.55 million acres are White Winter. Area planted to other spring wheat for 2026 is estimated at 9.39 million acres, down 6 percent from the 2025 estimate. Of this total, about 8.75 million acres are Hard Red Spring wheat. Durum planted area for 2026 is estimated at 1.83 million acres, down 16 percent from the previous year. 

By State - (1,000 acres     2025      2026)
Nebraska ..............:            950       900

All cotton planted area for 2026 is estimated at 9.85 million acres, up 6 percent from last year. Upland area is estimated at 9.70 million acres, up 6 percent from 2025. American Pima area is estimated at 150,000 acres, up 6 percent from 2025.

Hay Acres
By State - (1,000 acres    2025       2026)
Nebraska .........:             2,300       2,215         
Iowa ................:             1,010       1,060       



Corn Stocks Up 14 Percent from June 2025
Soybean Stocks Up 5 Percent
All Wheat Stocks Up 8 Percent

Corn stocks in all positions on June 1, 2026 totaled 5.29 billion bushels, up 14 percent from June 1, 2025. Of the total stocks, 2.96 billion bushels are stored on farms, up 16 percent from a year earlier. Off-farm stocks, at 2.34 billion bushels, are up 12 percent from a year ago. The March - May 2026 indicated disappearance is 3.74 billion bushels, compared with 3.50 billion bushels during the same period last year.

By State (1,000 bu - on farm - off farm  -  total)
Nebraska ......:         325,000    277,562     602,562 
Iowa .............:         540,000    446,429     986,429 

Soybeans stored in all positions on June 1, 2026 totaled 1.06 billion bushels, up 5 percent from June 1, 2025. On-farm stocks totaled 367 million bushels, down 11 percent from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 694 million bushels, are up 16 percent from a year ago. Indicated disappearance for the March - May 2026 quarter totaled 1.06 billion bushels, up 18 percent from the same period a year earlier.

By State (1,000 bu - on farm - off farm  -  total)
Nebraska ......:         18,000     76,636      94,636 
Iowa .............:         56,000    121,736     177,736 

Old crop all wheat stored in all positions on June 1, 2026 totaled 920 million bushels, up 8 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks are estimated at 177 million bushels, down 4 percent from last year. Off-farm stocks, at 743 million bushels, are up 11 percent from a year ago. The March - May 2026 indicated disappearance is 383 million bushels, up slightly from the same period a year earlier.

By State  (1,000 bu - on farm - off farm  -  total)
Nebraska ......:           1,300     27,138      28,438  

Grain sorghum stored in all positions on June 1, 2026 totaled 66.7 million bushels, down 33 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks, at 8.61 million bushels, are up 25 percent from last year. Off-farm stocks, at 58.1 million bushels, are down 37 percent from June 1, 2025. The March - May 2026 indicated disappearance from all positions is 105 million bushels, up 107 percent from the same period last year.



E85 Wholesale Prices Remain as Low as 10 to 30 Cents per Gallon Across Iowa

According to public data, the price difference between wholesale and retail E85 prices remains historically wide. E85 is available on the wholesale market for as little as 10 cents per gallon while retail prices for motors are usually well over $2 higher.

“Last night President Trump urged fuel retailers to ‘get their prices down,’” stated Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw. “As a trade association, we never tell anyone how to price a product at any point in the supply chain but in 27 years I’ve never seen the wholesale-to-retail price spread as large as it is for E85 in Iowa right now. A reasonable person would assume that with E85 at 10 cents wholesale, the retail prices would be the best fuel bargain ever. But we’re not seeing that with a few, very rare exceptions.”

E85 can be used in flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs). FFVs are designed to run on any fuel blend from no ethanol up to E85, which contains up to 85 percent ethanol. Wholesale prices do not include federal and state taxes, transportation costs, and markups for things like credit card fees, depreciation and retailer margins.

“With Independence Day coming up, it’d be great to see America’s homegrown E85 fuel providing relief to Iowans,” added Shaw.



USDA Modernizes Crop Reporting to Save Farmers Time and Reduce Paperwork

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced an acreage reporting modernization pilot program that is a foundational part of the administration’s One Farmer, One File effort. FSA is focused on creating a more efficient, consistent, and customer-focused acreage reporting experience for producers and FSA employees. After spring planting is complete, agricultural producers should make an appointment with their FSA county office to complete crop acreage reports before the applicable deadline. July 15 is a major deadline for most crops, but acreage reporting deadlines may vary by county and by crop.      

“Acreage reporting is a major task that producers complete each year, and we owe it to the producers we serve to make it as painless and seamless as possible,” said FSA Administrator Bill Beam. “Our goal is to move away from paper maps to an electronic interface that simplifies the process for producers and saves time for county office staff, which increases operational efficiencies across the board. I encourage producers who have acreage located in these pilot counties to be patient with their local FSA office as they learn the system and solicit meaningful feedback from producers based on their experience with the simplified reporting process.” 

Pilot Program 
The following counties are participating in the acreage reporting pilot program. Producers with acreage in these counties will use the streamlined acreage reporting process for spring planted crops ahead of the major July 15, 2026, reporting deadline:  
    Georgia                       Tift County  
    Kentucky                    Union County  
    Maryland                    All Counties   
    Michigan                     Van Buren County  
    Minnesota                  Lac Qui Parle County  
    Missouri                      Harrison County  
    Nebraska                     Seward County  
    North Dakota            All Counties   
    Oklahoma                   Canadian County  
    Pennsylvania             Lancaster County  
    Texas                              Fisher County  

Producers with acreage located outside of the pilot program counties will complete their crop acreage reports as usual.  

How to File a Report    
To file a crop acreage report, producers need to provide:    
    Crop and crop type or variety    
    Intended crop use    
    Number of crop acres    
    Map with approximate crop boundaries    
    Planting date(s)    
    Planting pattern, when applicable    
    Producer share(s)    
    Irrigation practice(s)    
    Acreage prevented from planting, when applicable 
    Faile acres, if applicable    
    Other required information    
    
Acreage Reporting Details    
The following exceptions apply to acreage reporting dates:    
    If the crop has not been planted by the acreage reporting deadline, then the acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after planting is completed.    
    If a producer acquires additional acreage after the acreage reporting deadline, then the acreage must be reported no later than 30 calendar days after purchase or acquiring the lease. Appropriate documentation must be provided to the county office.    

Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) policy holders should note that the acreage reporting date for NAP-covered crops is the acreage reporting date or 15 calendar days before grazing or crop harvesting begins, whichever is earlier. Producers can contact their FSA county office for acreage reporting deadlines that are specific to their county.     

Producers with perennial forage crops should check with their local FSA office to see if their crops are eligible for continuous certification, which rolls the certified acreage forward each year until a change is made.   
    
Prevented Planted Acreage    
Producers should also report the crop acreage they intended to plant but were unable to because of a natural disaster, including drought. Prevented planted acreage must be reported on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA and USDA’s Risk Management Agency.     

Farmers.gov Portal    
Producers can continue to access their FSA farm records, maps, and common land units through the farmers.gov customer portal. The portal allows producers to export field boundaries as shapefiles and import and view other shapefiles, such as precision agriculture boundaries within farm records mapping. Producers can view, print and label their maps for acreage reporting purposes. A Login.gov account that is linked to a USDA customer record is required to use the portal.     

Producers can visit farmers.gov/account to create an account. Producers who have the authority to act on behalf of another customer as a grantee via an FSA-211 Power of Attorney form, Business Partner Signature Authority or as a member of a business can access information for the business in the farmers.gov portal.     

Geospatial Acreage Reporting   
Acreage reports using precision agriculture planting boundaries can be filed electronically with an approved insurance provider or an authorized third-party provider, who will then share the file with FSA staff. Producers should notify their local FSA office if they submitted an electronic geospatial acreage report containing precision planting boundaries that they want to use as part of their FSA acreage report.   

More Information    
Producers should contact their local USDA Service Center for questions about acreage reporting.    



Rollins Announces Program to Support Small- and Mid-Size Beef Processors

Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers (SPUR) Program that will provide temporary support for eligible beef processing establishments. Under SPUR, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide up to $500 million in payments to eligible entities to support stronger and more stable market opportunities for American ranchers.

“America’s ranchers deserve a strong, competitive marketplace that rewards their hard work and preserves opportunity for generations to come,” said Secretary Brooke L. Rollins. “Today, historically tight cattle supplies, the Biden administration’s anti-cattle focus, consolidation in and foreign ownership of meat packing and the reemergence of New World Screwworm have created extraordinary market conditions that are placing significant pressure on our independent and regional beef processors. Through the Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers (SPUR) Program, USDA is taking targeted action to preserve the independent processing capacity that ranchers rely on, strengthen competition across the American beef supply chain, and support rural communities across the country. This is another important step in our Plan to Fortify the American Beef Industry by strengthening domestically owned processing capacity and ensuring America’s cattle producers continue to have strong market opportunities and meet America’s historically high beef demand. As we Make America Healthy Again, we are working to ensure American families have continued access to nutritious, high-quality American beef while promoting greater competition, a more resilient food supply chain, and long-term affordability at the grocery store.”

“Small and mid-size beef processors are essential to maintain the diversity of America’s food system,” said Under Secretary for Food Safety Mindy Brashears. “Supporting this processing capacity helps preserve market options for our United States ranchers, strengthens regional supply chains and ensures American families continue to have access to safe, high-quality beef produced here at home.”

“Competitive supply chains help ensure American ranchers have reliable markets for their cattle,” said Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce. “Through the SPUR Program, USDA is bolstering market opportunities for ranchers and supporting a resilient beef industry.”

These payments are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and are administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Payments are intended to provide financial support to eligible beef processors who have faced increased costs of acquiring cattle for processing due to the abnormally low number of cattle being raised in the U.S at this time and other conditions currently impacting the cattle market. Additional information, including applications, will be provided to eligible entities using contact information that is currently on file with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Entities eligible to receive funding under SPUR must be beef processing establishments under Federal inspection, as well as beef processing establishments inspected under the Talmadge-Aiken Cooperative Inspection Program and the Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program (CIS). Further, eligible entities must be U.S. owned and cannot be nationally dominant in beef processing (or owned by an entity that is). For purposes of SPUR, nationally dominant will be defined as an entity holding a market share greater than or equal to the entity holding the fourth-largest share of the beef processing market.

For decades, the beef processing industry in the U.S. has been heavily concentrated and today just four companies control nearly 85% of the beef processing market, including two foreign owned companies. Ensuring domestic processors can continue operating during this period where the U.S. cattle herd is at a 75-year low is critical to national security and will ensure a strong supply chain once the herd is rebuilt.

This new program also directly supports the USDA Plan to Fortify the American Beef Industry and the USDA Small Processors Action Plan by ensuring American ranchers have access to regional processing capacity they rely on to support branded and value-added beef programs, such as the Product of USA label that USDA started promoting earlier this year.

Maintaining this regional processing capacity is also a key part of the Make America Healthy Again movement by ensuring access to high-quality protein in alignment with the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans.



Farm Bureau Strongly Supports the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act

America’s farmers are facing a labor crisis. Continued agriculture workforce shortages threaten farmers’ ability to grow the food families rely on. Many labor challenges are addressed in new legislation introduced by House Agriculture Committee Chair G.T. Thompson. The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026 builds on recommendations of the bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group and modernizes the H-2A visa program by expanding access to a year-round workforce and eliminating unpredictable swings in wage rates, among other changes.

“The lack of available labor is among the largest limiting factors of American agriculture,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Most Americans don’t want to work on farms. In fact, only 182 domestic applications were submitted for nearly 415,000 advertised positions in 2025. If Americans won’t apply for these jobs, we have no other choice but to depend on the H-2A program. Unfortunately, the current guest worker program is inadequate to meet the demands on farms across the country.

“We are grateful to Chairman G.T. Thompson for listening to America’s farmers. Farm Bureau members participated in the bipartisan House Agriculture Labor Working Group, and they shared the obstacles to participation in guest worker programs. Their needs are largely addressed in the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act. It delivers meaningful farm labor reform and will provide certainty and fairness to both farmers and their employees as they contribute to a strong and healthy food supply.”

The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act would:
    Allow temporary workers to remain on the job for up to 350 days, which gives farms like dairies greater access to the H-2A program;
    Limit excessive or irrelevant federal fees to participate in the H-2A program, which will make it more affordable for farmers;
    Codify an improved wage methodology and establish safeguards to prevent unpredictable Adverse Effect Wage Rate fluctuations; and
    Affirm H-2A workers as essential.

Farm Bureau strongly supports the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act and urges Congress to pass it. We are committed to working with lawmakers to ensure farmers have access to an adequate workforce to continue producing healthy and affordable food for America’s families.



NPPC Pleased House Labor Bill Addresses Pork Producers’ Workforce Shortage & Other Priorities
 
The National Pork Producers Council, representing America’s 60,000-plus pork producers, applauds House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson (R-PA) for his introduction of the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act, which incorporates NPPC recommendations that allow producers to utilize the H-2A visa program.
 
“Agriculture needs a strong—and reliable—workforce. For pork producers, one giant step in the right direction means expanding the H-2A visa program to include year-round agricultural industries like ours,” said NPPC President Rob Brenneman, a pork producer from Washington County, Iowa. “Thank you, Chairman Thompson, for listening to our ideas and solutions for rectifying our severe workforce shortage.”
 
Current federal law limits H-2A immigrant farm workers to temporary and seasonal work, excluding pork producers—and other year-round agricultural industries—from using the program.
 
In addition to expanding the H-2A visa program, the bill:
•    Modifies what is considered “agriculture labor or services” to address the needs of the sector, including certain meat processing activities, and transfers the authority to further define this term to the Secretary of Agriculture
•    Codifies Adverse Effect Wage Rate calculations standards to lower costs and provide stability in farmworker pay rates
•    Streamlines the program through the allowance of multi-year housing certifications and lowers costs by allowing maximum daily housing charges that employers can deduct from workers’ wages
•    Establishes one streamlined H-2A application processing system through the creation of an internet-based electronic portal

Despite higher wages and competitive benefits, pork production employment has declined the past five years and is one of the many hurdles producers face when feeding the nation and world.
 
Chairman Thompson’s legislation took recommendations from the bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group, with which NPPC has worked closely. NPPC will continue to advocate for solutions for pork producers’ workforce challenges. 



NMPF Praises Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act
President & CEO Gregg Doud

“The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act represents the most significant reform to the ag workforce we’ve seen in decades. It is particularly critical for dairy farmers, who have been effectively shut out of the nation’s primary legal agricultural guestworker program. 

“First and foremost, this bill finally grants dairy access to H-2A by removing the seasonal requirements of the program and allowing contracts up to 350 days of the year. The bill goes further, streamlining the application process, reducing administrative burdens, and addressing cost concerns that have deterred employers from using H-2A even when eligible.  

“Perhaps the most important provision of the bill for dairy beyond providing access, is the targeted mechanism to provide the current dairy workforce a means to transition to a workable visa program. This will ensure that we don’t face a major workforce disruption as dairy farms transition to H-2A – and that’s critical, because workforce stability underpins animal care, milk quality, and overall farm viability. 

“I applaud Chairman Thompson and the other original co-sponsors for introducing this bill. Chairman Thompson, thank you for leading the way, as you so often have to the most important issues facing agriculture. NMPF will rally its advocates across dairy and all of agriculture to support this bill, and it stands ready to help build momentum in the House, secure a Senate companion bill, and ultimately get this legislation to the president’s desk.”  



ASA Welcomes EPA Approval of New Soybean Crop Protection Tools

The American Soybean Association welcomes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's long-awaited approval of new and innovative crop protection technologies to support soybean production efficiency, providing farmers with additional tools to effectively manage weeds, protect crop yields, and enhance regenerative farming practices.

"We appreciate EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and the agency for advancing registrations for a suite of new crop protection tools to ensure U.S. farmers have access to cutting edge technologies that promote efficient agriculture production," said ASA President Scott Metzger, a soybean farmer from Ohio. "Soybean farmers across the country continue to combat new and mounting challenges related to weeds and other pest diseases. To produce the world’s most environmentally efficient and reliable soybeans, crop protection tools must evolve in alongside modernizing farm practices, making access to these innovative crop protection technologies critical to maintaining the competitive advantage of U.S. soybeans."

The EPA approval of new crop protection tools follows President Trump’s signing of an Executive Order to promote regenerative agriculture and support farm resilience, which directed EPA to ensure access to modern farming products through timely review and approval of registrations. ASA appreciates President Trump for prioritizing timely, science-based regulatory decisions through his Executive Order, which recognizes that crop protection tools are essential to adopting regenerative agriculture practices, including planting cover crops to improve soil health.

Today's approvals are an important step forward, and ASA encourages EPA to continue building on this momentum by advancing additional science-based registrations that provide soybean farmers with the innovative tools they need to remain productive, competitive, and sustainable.



Farmers Appreciate EPA Approval of New Tools

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalizing the registrations of new pesticide products that provide farmers with additional tools to protect their crops.

“We appreciate EPA’s rigorous review process and ultimate approval of new products that will help farmers grow crops for food, fiber and renewable fuel while also contributing to sustainability goals. Administrator Lee Zeldin promised comprehensive vetting, which we welcome. Farmers are dedicated to caring for our land and natural resources, so new tools that help us do that are important.

“Pesticides undergo years of rigorous testing, with very few making it through the approval process. Farmers trust and rely on EPA’s science- and risk-based regulatory process. These new products, backed by the best available science, will enable farmers to do more with less and provide more tools in the toolbox to help ensure an abundant and safe food supply for America’s families.”



NCGA Condemns Bayer Glyphosate Petition

The Monsanto Company and its subsidiary Ruveon LLC, filed a petition today with the International Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Commerce calling for anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports of glyphosate. Bayer is the parent company of Monsanto.
 
As glyphosate is one of the most used herbicides in corn production annually, this development is highly concerning for America’s corn farmers.  
 
“Agricultural companies like to position themselves as a partner to American farmers,” said Jed Bower, Ohio farmer and president of the National Corn Growers Association. “This is no act of partnership. They are taking this step purely for benefit of the company and its shareholders, once again at the expense of the American farmer and at a time when the ag economy is facing one of its most difficult periods in decades.”  
 
Bayer is the latest input provider to claim financial harm from imported fertilizers and pesticides. In the filed petition, Bayer alleges glyphosate sales of less than fair market value occurred from China into the United States.  
 
The petition comes a day after President Trump signed an executive order suspending countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizer imports. Those duties were implemented at the behest of the Mosaic Company and J.R. Simplot, working against the best interests of their customers. Record high prices of phosphate quickly followed.  
 
Corteva Agriscience, in 2024, similarly petitioned the ITC for countervailing duties on imported supplies of 2,4-D, despite a lack of adequate domestic production capacity to fulfill the needs of American farmers. NCGA readily engaged in the process with the ITC and repeatedly voiced concerns that this action would increase costs for farmers already bearing the burden of record high input costs. The ITC ruled in favor of Corteva, proving that the impact to U.S. consumers is not a relevant factor in their deliberations.  
 
“What we are seeing is an increasing trend of companies abusing trade remedy laws to box out competition and corner more of the U.S. market, at great expense to their customers - the American farmer,” said Bower. “These industries are already highly concentrated, and CVD actions further threaten the availability of inputs and keep prices inflated."
 
NCGA has a long history of supporting grower access to crop protection tools, including glyphosate. Earlier this year, corn growers joined other ag trade associations to publicly state their concern about glyphosate access in an amicus brief submitted to the Supreme Court in the Monsanto v. Durnell case, which ultimately ended in a favorable outcome for Bayer. Previously, NCGA was a plaintiff in a legal challenge to California’s decision to label glyphosate as a known carcinogen under Prop 65. In 2023, a federal court ruling prevented the state from labeling the product as a carcinogen.  
 
“The American corn grower has shown up repeatedly to defend access to important tools in our toolbox,” said Bower. “Unfortunately, we are being forced to defend our access to these tools again, but now we’re doing so thanks to the actions of companies we’ve previously partnered with. Disappointment doesn’t begin to cover how this news feels to American farmers.”



ASA Strongly Criticizes Glyphosate Trade Petition

The American Soybean Association strongly opposes action taken by Monsanto Company and its subsidiary, Ruveon LLC, to file a petition with the U.S. Department of Commerce seeking antidumping and countervailing duties on glyphosate imports from the People’s Republic of China – the world’s largest producer and exporter of glyphosate. Bayer – the parent company of Monsanto – is the only domestic manufacturer and supplier of glyphosate.

Glyphosate remains a critical crop protection tool that soybean farmers rely on to produce an efficient and reliable crop. At a time when producers continue to face tight margins and significant economic uncertainty exacerbated by rising costs, it is imperative that farmers have access to an affordable, reliable, and competitive supply of inputs they depend on to remain competitive in the global soybean marketplace. Soybean growers are dependent on a variety of input products to support crop production, and actions to impose import taxes on those products limits market competition, threatens cost spikes, and ultimately hurts U.S. farmers.

ASA has consistently opposed actions taken by input suppliers to restrict imports through countervailing duty and antidumping actions. ASA strongly opposed the countervailing duty petition filed by Mosaic and Simplot to restrict phosphate fertilizer imports. A recent Texas A&M study found that these duties cost growers $6.9 billion from 2021 to 2025. ASA asked the Trump Administration to terminate the duties on imported phosphate fertilizer; ASA cheered President Trump’s recent Executive Order that suspended these duties for eight months and ASA is seeking to fully terminate the duties. Similarly, ASA strongly opposed action taken by Corteva to have countervailing and anti-dumping duties imposed on imports of 2,4-D, another important herbicide used widely by farmers. Last year, ASA argued against duties on 2,4-D at the U.S. Court of International Trade.

ASA is reviewing the petitions and evaluating the potential implications for soybean farmers. As this process moves forward, ASA will advocate for policies that protect farmers' access to essential crop protection tools while maintaining a stable and affordable supply of agricultural inputs.

Soybean farmers rely on science-based regulatory decisions, competitive markets, and a resilient supply chain to remain productive and globally competitive. ASA will continue to engage with policymakers and stakeholders to ensure the interests of America's soybean farmers remain at the forefront throughout this process. 



EPA Announces New Chemical Registrations and Seeks Farmer Input on Desiccation Practices

Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced two separate actions affecting U.S. wheat growers: the final registration of several new and innovative crop protection tools and a forthcoming effort to gather input from farmers and other agricultural stakeholders on registered pre-harvest desiccation uses.

The new registrations will provide wheat growers with additional tools to manage weeds, protect yields, and support the production of safe, nutritious, high-quality wheat.

Separately, EPA announced that it will seek stakeholder input as the agency reviews available data related to registered pre-harvest desiccation uses. That review follows President Trump’s executive order directing the EPA Administrator to ensure those uses remain aligned with applicable safety and environmental standards, including accurate product labeling.

“NAWG commends EPA for completing the registration process for these important crop protection tools,” said Sam Kieffer, CEO of the National Association of Wheat Growers. “Providing farmers with access to new and innovative technologies gives growers greater certainty and more options to responsibly manage weeds, protect their crops, and remain productive and competitive.

“NAWG also welcomes the opportunity to engage with EPA as it conducts its separate review of registered pre-harvest desiccation uses. This process provides an important opportunity to ensure that discussions surrounding wheat production practices are grounded in science and reflect what actually occurs on farms.

“Unfortunately, public discussions sometimes mischaracterize wheat production practices or fail to recognize the significant regional, environmental, and agronomic differences across wheat-growing states. It is essential that EPA hear directly from wheat farmers about how crop protection products are used, which practices are not commonly used, how production systems vary by region, and what practical alternatives may be available.

“NAWG looks forward to working with EPA throughout this process and encourages the agency to continue relying on rigorous, peer-reviewed science to protect farmers, consumers, and the environment.”



Statement of NCFC CEO Duane Simpson on EPA Action on New Crop Protection Products

"EPA's decision to advance several crop protection products toward final approval is welcome news for America's farmers and farmer co-ops. EPA sets the global standard for pesticide safety and environmental review, and when that process moves forward, it delivers better, safer, and more effective tools to the people who grow our food.

“America's farmers are facing significant financial pressure. Access to the newest crop protection technologies helps lower input costs and keeps American producers competitive in global markets—without sacrificing the environmental and human health standards that make U.S. agriculture the envy of the world. These are not competing goals. They reinforce each other.

“For the farmer co-ops and retailers who serve our members, timely approvals matter. Moving these products forward now gives manufacturers and retail partners the lead time to plan production and ensure adequate supply is on the shelf for the 2027 growing season. We commend EPA for acting, and we encourage the agency to maintain this pace."