Nebraska Farmland Values and Cash Rental Rates - 2026 Final Results
The market value of agricultural land in Nebraska declined by 1% over the prior year to an average of $3,905 per acre as of Feb. 1, according to the 2026 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey final report updated on June 30th. This marks the second consecutive year that the market value of agricultural land in Nebraska has declined since reaching the record high non-inflation-adjusted statewide land value in 2024.
2026 Survey Highlights
The statewide all-land average value for the year ending Feb. 1, 2026, averaged $3,905 per acre, a 1% decrease from the prior year’s value of $3,935 per acre.
This marks the second consecutive year of declining agricultural land values in Nebraska since the market reached a record non-inflation-adjusted statewide land value of $4,015 per acre in 2024.
Land industry professionals responding to the survey cited lower crop prices, elevated farm input costs, and prevailing interest rates as the primary factors influencing agricultural land values.
Lower commodity prices have tightened the financial positions of many crop producers, while interest rates remain above the 10-year average and continue to increase borrowing costs for operating credit and real estate purchases.
The estimated market value of dryland cropland without irrigation potential decreased 1% statewide compared to the previous year.
Dryland cropland with irrigation potential declined 2% statewide.
Center pivot irrigated cropland averaged 2% lower in 2026, with declines in several regions ranging from 4% to 8%.
Gravity irrigated cropland declined an average of 3% statewide.
In contrast, grazing land and hayland values increased between 4% and 7%, led by nontillable grazing land, which rose 7% statewide as strong cattle prices increased competition for grazing acres.
Cash rental rates for dryland and irrigated cropland declined across Nebraska, generally falling between 1% and 9% depending on land type and region.
Pasture and cow-calf pair rental rates increased about 4% to 5% statewide, reflecting stronger cattle prices and shifts in national livestock inventories.
Northeast Counties: Antelope, Boone, Burt, Cedar, Cuming, Dakota, Dixon, Knox, Madison, Pierce, Stanton, Thurston, Wayne
Average Value of Farmland by Land Type
Land Type $/Acre % Change
All Land Average 8,185 -1
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 11,735 -2
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 9,710 -1
Dryland Cropland (Irrigation Potential) 9,185 -3
Dryland Cropland (No Irrigation Potential) 7,670 -1
Grazing Land (Tillable) 4,535 3
Grazing Land (Nontillable) 3,120 5
Hayland 4,145 2
Average Cash Rental Rates by Land Type
Land Type $/Acre % Change
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 360 -1
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 320 -2
Dryland Cropland 245 -2
Pasture 79 3
Average Monthly Cash Rental Rates for Pasture - Cow-Calf Pairs - $77.35/month
East Counties: Butler, Cass, Colfax, Dodge, Douglas, Hamilton, Lancaster, Merrick, Nance, Platte, Polk, Sarpy, Saunders, Seward, Washington, York
Average Value of Farmland by Land Type
Land Type $/Acre % Change
All Land Average 9,315 -1
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 12,430 -4
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 11,045 -2
Dryland Cropland (Irrigation Potential) 9,650 -1
Dryland Cropland (No Irrigation Potential) 8,320 2
Grazing Land (Tillable) 5,125 4
Grazing Land (Nontillable) 3,475 2
Hayland 4,630 3
Average Cash Rental Rates by Land Type
Land Type $/Acre % Change
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 335 -3
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 305 -2
Dryland Cropland 220 -6
Pasture 68 4
Average Monthly Cash Rental Rates for Pasture - Cow-Calf Pairs - $69.20/month
The Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey is an annual survey of land professionals, including appraisers, farm and ranch managers and agricultural bankers. It is conducted by the Center for Agricultural Profitability, which is based in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Results from the survey are divided by land class and agricultural statistic district. Land values and rental rates presented in the report are averages of survey participants’ responses by district. Actual land values and rental rates may vary depending upon the quality of the parcel and local market for an area. Preliminary land values and rental rates are subject to change as additional surveys are returned.
Nebraska Corn Growers Association Enraged by Bayer Glyphosate Petition
The Nebraska Corn Growers Association (NeCGA) is enraged by the recent anti-dumping and countervailing duties petition filed by Monsanto Company and its subsidiary Ruveon LLC on imports of their product, glyphosate.
“Glyphosate is a very important herbicide in operations across the state,” said NeCGA President, Michael Dibbern, a farmer from Cairo, Nebraska. “Bayer filing this petition demonstrates their lack of concern for their customer base, corn farmers.”
Facing a fourth consecutive year of tough financial conditions, Nebraska’s corn growers are reeling from record high input prices and low commodity prices. Bayer’s actions only add another layer of uncertainty to an already unstable ag economy.
“At a time when the agricultural industry needs to work together, Bayer’s petition restricts competition, keeps input prices high and places company profits above their customers,” says Dibbern.
NeCGA has a long history of standing in opposition against input cases that limit accessibility and potential profitability for corn growers. In 2020, NeCGA was active in opposition as Mosaic and J.R Simplot filed a countervailing duties petition on phosphate products and a few years later when CF Industries filed a case on imported urea. Then most recently, Corteva filed a similar petition in 2024 on 2,4-D of which NeCGA opposed. Bayer is the latest company to insist on financial harm from the import of fertilizer and pesticide products.
“As a grassroots organization, state and nationally, we will continue to stand up for our fellow corn growers in Nebraska and oppose anti-dumping and countervailing duties on glyphosate and other input products.”
CAP Webinar: Nebraska Farm Business 2025 Financial Averages & 2026 Outlook
Jul 9, 2026 12:00 PM
Join Tina Barrett and Flint Corliss, of Nebraska Farm Business, Inc., for an in-depth review of the most recent financial data collected by Nebraska Farm Business, Inc., from farms and ranches across the state. They will present key benchmarks including income, financial ratios, and family living expenses using 2025 year-end data. They will also explore trends from the past decade to help interpret what these numbers could mean for the ag economy in 2026. Use this valuable information to benchmark your own operation and make more informed decisions for the year ahead.
Presenters: Tina Barrett, director, Nebraska Farm Business, Inc.; and Flint Corliss, associate farm financial consultant, Nebraska Farm Business, Inc.
Nebraska Farm Business, Inc., was founded in 1976 as part of Nebraska Extension and today works with producers from across the state to provide financial and management assistance.
Register and get more information at their website https://cap.unl.edu/webinars.
July 13 & 20 Webinars- Making the Most of Your Free-Choice Mineral Program
Free-choice mineral is a common part of cow-calf management, but is your program meeting the needs of your cattle?
This two-part webinar series will help producers understand the key decisions behind mineral supplementation and then apply those decisions using a new mineral evaluation calculator.
Participants are encouraged to attend both sessions. The first session explains the concepts needed to make sound mineral decisions, while the second session shows how to apply those concepts when selecting a mineral and managing a mineral program.
This series is designed for cow-calf producers, Extension educators, nutrition consultants, and others interested in improving mineral decision-making in cow-calf production systems.
Webinar 1: Cow-Calf Mineral Basics (July 13, 8 pm CT)
This session will provide the foundation for evaluating and selecting a mineral program. We will discuss mineral as a form of insurance, why subclinical deficiencies can limit performance, and which minerals are stored in the body and which require more consistent intake. We will also cover common mineral challenges in cow-calf systems, how forage testing can help guide mineral decisions and why you have to look at more than just the amount of one mineral to understand what the animal can actually use.
Webinar 2: Meeting Needs and Managing Intake (July 20, 8 pm CT)
Building on the foundation from Session 1, this session will focus on applying mineral knowledge to real-world decisions. We will demonstrate a new calculator tool to help evaluate mineral products or formulate a custom mineral. We will work through real-world scenarios and cover practical strategies for managing mineral intake.
Register here https://ssp.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ea29FAfuVQesc2W.
Funded By
North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
Iowa Beef Industry Council
Scanit Technologies Launches Iowa SporeWarn™ Network, Giving Growers Advance Notice on Airborne Crop Disease
Airborne crop disease starts as a microscopic threat. It builds in the air long before it shows up in the canopy, sometimes weeks before symptoms of infection are spotted in the crop, leaving growers and agronomists with an incomplete picture of potential disease risk. Scanit Technologies has launched the Iowa SporeWarn™ Network to shed light on key disease pathogens in local fields, allowing any user to track the underlying, unseen pests behind yield robbers like corn tar spot and soybean white mold.
At the heart of the network is SporeCam™, Scanit’s AI-enabled, autonomous airborne pathogen-detection platform. Deployed in fields throughout central Iowa, each SporeCam sensor acts like a smoke alarm for disease — sampling the air around the clock and catching the invisible spores that signal a building risk of outbreak. Weather-based models can tell growers when conditions might favor disease, but not if the pathogen is actually present or how fast pressure is climbing.
The SporeWarn Network closes that gap by measuring the pathogens themselves, in local fields, in real time — showing where pressure is rising across the area so growers know where to focus first. This can turn the season’s biggest spray decision into an informed one: focus scouting and treat where pressure is climbing toward high risk, or hold off when it stays low and potentially save a pass.
Iowa SporeWarn Network subscribers can access reports refreshed daily through an online portal that features summarized pathogen pressure data for each disease, a rolling 7-day history, risk and trend analysis, and heat maps to visualize pressure across the area. There is also a daily morning report delivered by text message that provides a quick read on changes in pathogen presence and disease risk.
Altogether, the service includes access to area-wide monitoring for five corn and soybean diseases of concern to central Iowa growers — tar spot, gray leaf spot, Northern corn leaf blight, and Southern rust in corn; white mold in soybeans — across roughly 500,000 acres of corn and soybean plantings in Story, Marshall, Polk, and Hardin counties. Because airborne disease pressure is constantly shifting across the region, growers in and around these counties can use the network’s daily readings to understand what could be present or moving into their fields.
MaxAg, an innovative, independent ag services provider based in Maxwell, Iowa, has partnered with Scanit to deploy the Iowa SporeWarn Network across its service area in central Iowa — selecting monitoring locations, maintaining the network, and sharing agronomic insights.
“Scanit’s technology could completely change how agronomists scout for disease and help our customers be proactive with treatment,” said Patrick Sheets, Agronomist at MaxAg.
“Charts on a screen only go so far for a grower’s understanding,” said Ryan French, Market Development & Sales Lead at Scanit Technologies. “Having a partner like MaxAg, with their agronomists who know these fields and walk them often, is what transforms pathogen readings into supportive advice for their customers. The ground-level insight they provide adds valuable context to the SporeWarn Network data.
Because pathogen pressure is a new kind of data for most growers, the SporeWarn Network service is built to make it usable from day one — with plain-language reports, local context from the field, and blog articles that explain what the numbers mean for spray and scouting decisions.
Access to the Iowa SporeWarn Network is available now for the 2026 growing season. Through July 15, growers can subscribe for season-long access for only $60 — half the regular $120 price — by entering code IOWA26 at signup. This is a one-time fee with no recurring charges. Growers can preview the network and sign up at www.scanittech.com/sporewarn.
Scanit also offers a SporeWarn Business Tier for agribusinesses, retailers, NGOs, drone operators, and other organizations seeking network-scale pathogen intelligence for the growers they serve. As the industry leans harder on forecasting tools to anticipate disease risk, SporeWarn data complements existing crop-disease models and internal tools by measuring the actual airborne pathogens in the field — not just the conditions that favor them.
"We’ve monitored challenging disease environments all over the globe, including millions of corn and soybean acres, and each season we are listening to growers, agronomists, and university experts to understand their needs from an airborne pathogen monitoring service. The Iowa SporeWarn Network is us putting that knowledge to work,” said Jaydeep Rane, CEO and Co-Founder of Scanit Technologies.
“Central Iowa is a great place for us to introduce a publicly available, accessible pathogen monitoring service to a wider audience of growers and industry stakeholders, so they can sign up and see what disease pressure is around their fields in a few clicks. This is just the start, and we’re already exploring expanding access to cover more acres in more regions."
Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks
Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 6.39 million tons (213 million bushels) in May 2026, compared with 6.53 million tons (218 million bushels) in April 2026 and 6.11 million tons (204 million bushels) in May 2025. Crude oil produced was 2.47 billion pounds, down 2 percent from April 2026 but up 2 percent from May 2025. Soybean once refined oil production at 1.92 billion pounds during May 2026 decreased 1 percent from April 2026 but increased slightly from May 2025.
Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production
Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 524 million bushels in May 2026. Total corn consumption was up 9 percent from April 2026 and up 5 percent from May 2025. May 2026 usage included 92.0 percent for alcohol and 8.0 percent for other purposes. Corn consumed for beverage alcohol totaled 3.98 million bushels, down 7 percent from April 2026 but up 5 percent from May 2025. Corn for fuel alcohol, at 472 million bushels, was up 10 percent from April 2026 and up 6 percent from May 2025. Corn consumed in May 2026 for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 92.0 percent and 8.0 percent, respectively.
Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 1.77 million tons during May 2026, up 11 percent from April 2026 but down less than 1 percent from May 2025. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 1.37 million tons in May 2026, up 6 percent from April 2026 and up 12 percent from May 2025.
Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 292,461 tons during May 2026, up 20 percent from April 2026 and up 10 percent from May 2025. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 190,178 tons in May 2026, up 1 percent from April 2026 but down 5 percent from May 2025.
NCGA Releases Demand Strategy for U.S. Corn’s Next 250 Years
The National Corn Growers Association today released a new report outlining a strategy to secure new demand for American corn. As farmers face a projected fourth consecutive year of losses in 2026, NCGA is setting a course toward markets that could collectively unlock demand for billions of additional bushels of corn annually.
The report identifies three new high-growth sectors where NCGA looks to compete:
Maritime Fuels: Securing 10% of the global maritime fuel market fueled by corn-based ethanol would equate to 3 billion bushels of annual new demand.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Securing 10% of the global SAF market fueled by ethanol-to-jet technologies would represent 1.7 billion bushels of annual demand.
Biobased Products and Biomanufacturing: Securing 10% of the global biochemical and biobased product market, with corn-based feedstocks capable of replacing the petroleum in 10% of the world's plastics would total 6.6 billion bushels of potential demand.
"U.S. corn farmers are the most productive and innovative farmers in the world, and the crop they grow deserves markets that match their potential," said Jed Bower, Ohio farmer and president of the National Corn Growers Association. "This report is about building the next chapter for corn – not just defending what we have but opening doors to industries that can fuel our energy security, reduce carbon emissions and create lasting demand for America's crop.”
The report comes as U.S. corn farmers produced a record crop of 17 billion bushels in 2025.
A Strategy for New Demand
NCGA has set its sights on capturing 10% of three key markets that are largely untapped for corn growers right now; each market presents significant, long-lasting demand opportunities. With anticipated continued production growth thanks to ongoing advancements in genetics, management practices, and equipment innovations, U.S. corn farmers can meet the moment by providing a consistent, domestically produced, renewable feedstock for each of the target markets.
The maritime sector represents one of the largest untapped opportunities for corn-based ethanol. Early vessel testing has demonstrated that ethanol can operate effectively in methanol-designed engines.
For the aviation industry, ethanol presents one of the most immediately scalable domestic feedstocks for sustainable aviation fuel production.
In biobased products and biomanufacturing, NCGA sees corn as the plant-based solution to replace petroleum-derived chemicals and plastics.
Building on Existing Priorities
The report also reinforces NCGA's ongoing commitment to on-road biofuels and export market growth. Year-round, nationwide access to E15 remains the association's top near-term legislative priority. On trade, NCGA is urging the renewal of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, plus a renewed focus on new market access negotiations.
"Corn is America's crop," Bower said. "And with the right opportunities – in the skies, on the seas, and in the everyday products Americans use – it can be an integral part of America's future."
Ambassador Greer Issues Statement on the USMCA Joint Review
The Agreement between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada (USMCA or “Agreement”) requires the USMCA Free Trade Commission, composed of government representatives of each Party, to conduct a joint review of the Agreement on July 1, 2026. In accordance with the Agreement, the United States, Mexico, and Canada met virtually today to discuss the operation of the USMCA. The United States did not agree to renew the USMCA in its current form. As a result, the USMCA is not renewed. The United States will continue to engage with Mexico and Canada to address the Agreement’s shortcomings and our trade deficits with these countries. However, the Agreement remains in force pending resolution of these issues or until the Agreement’s termination. As previously announced, the United States will meet with Mexico the week of July 20 for a third round of bilateral negotiations related to the USMCA joint review.
Statement by Mark McHargue, President, Regarding USMCA Renegotiation
"Nebraska's trading relationship between Mexico and Canada represents a combined $3.5 billion in exports, making them our top two trading partners. Today, the governments of the United States, Mexico, and Canada met to review the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), one of the most important trade agreements to Nebraska farmers and ranchers.
Canada and Mexico remain top markets for Nebraska corn, beef, and soybeans, accounting for nearly half of Nebraska's total exports. While no trade agreement is ever perfect, USMCA is vital to the economic future of our state and our state's farm and ranch families. Nebraska Farm Bureau and our nearly 55,000 member families call upon all three governments to improve what needs to be improved and ultimately renew USMCA to help solidify this trade agreement.
USMCA stands as one of the most successful free trade agreements in the world. At a time when our state and nation's food producers face severe economic strain, now is simply not the time to harm our trading relationship with these two crucial markets."
NCGA Emphasizes USMCA Importance to Corn Growers, Calls for Renewal
The U.S. Trade Representative released a statement today saying officials from the United States, Mexico and Canada met to review the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and that the United States did not agree to renew the agreement in its current form. The agreement will remain in force as negotiations continue.
July 1 is the deadline for all three countries to indicate the path forward on USMCA. If no agreement is reached, officials from all three countries will be required to discuss the agreement each year until it automatically expires in 2036.
In response to this development, Jed Bower, an Ohio farmer and president of the National Corn Growers Association, released the following statement:
“USMCA is the single most important trade agreement to the corn industry, with Mexico serving as the largest purchaser of corn and Canada serving as our largest ethanol market. Additionally, the dispute settlement mechanism in the agreement has been critical for corn growers challenging harmful policies impacting biotechnology access.
“Right now, we need the long-term certainty that USMCA gives us. We encourage the three countries to make progress on the agreement, and work to complete targeted improvements over the coming year.”
NPPC Statement on USMCA Joint Review
The National Pork Producers Council, which represents the interests of America’s 60,000-plus pork producers, released the following statement in response to the decision not to renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement in its current state.
“Amidst the many uncertainties that come with pork production, trade has remained a bright spot for U.S. pork producers, whose neighbors to the north and south represent a third of all U.S. pork exports.
“Ensuring USMCA remains intact is vital to continuing the mutually beneficial trading relationships U.S. pork enjoys with both Canada and Mexico.
“While we would have liked to have seen immediate renewal of the USMCA, U.S. pork producers appreciate Ambassador Greer’s commitment to staying at the negotiating table with Mexico and Canada to make sure U.S. pork’s market access is preserved.
“U.S. pork exports account for more than $66 of value for each hog marketed and sustain more than 155,000 American jobs. In 2025, Mexico and Canada were the No. 1 export and No. 4 export markets, respectively, for U.S. pork. USMCA provides certainty in those markets and ensures the value of pork exports remains strong.”
NMPF and USDEC Statement on the First USMCA Joint Review
NMPF and USDEC Executive Vice President Shawna Morris
"As the United States, Mexico, and Canada launch the first Joint Review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), we commend the ongoing efforts to resolve outstanding issues and work toward a renewal of this vital agreement. Getting USMCA right matters enormously to our industry, which ships more than 40 percent of all U.S. dairy exports by value to Mexico and Canada.
"Mexico is our most important trading partner, and our dairy industries are deeply integrated. It is critical that a renewed USMCA fully protect the free trade of common name products, particularly against any EU-imposed geographical indication restrictions. Protecting the ability of both U.S. and Mexican producers to use common names is essential to preserving the integrated market we've built together.
"On the Canada side, USMCA was designed to deliver two key reforms: targeted new tariff-rate quotas and real disciplines on Canada's ability to distort global dairy markets through unlimited exports of artificially underpriced dairy proteins. Canada has flagrantly disregarded both commitments, underscoring exactly why this Review is such an important tool. A renewed agreement must fix what isn’t working.
"We strongly support the U.S. government’s efforts to address these challenges and urge focused, intensive work by our trading partners to resolve them. A stronger, durable, renewed USMCA is key to the long-term prosperity of dairy producers and exporters across North America."
Urea, UAN Fertilizers Lead Majority of Fertilizer Prices Lower
Retail fertilizer prices continue to move generally lower, according to sellers tracked by DTN for the last week of June 2026. This is the third consecutive week of mostly lower prices.
Six fertilizers were lower compared to last month, while the remaining two were slightly higher. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.
Leading the nutrients lower were urea and the UAN fertilizers. Urea was 13% less expensive with an average price of $720/ton. UAN32 was 9% lower compared to last month and had an average price of $534/ton, while UAN28 was 5% less expensive with an average price of $506/ton. The remaining three fertilizers were just slightly less expensive looking back a month. DAP had an average price of $910/ton, potash $494/ton and anhydrous $1,076/ton.
Two fertilizers were slightly more expensive compared to last month. MAP had an average price of $954/ton, while 10-34-0 is $725/ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was $0.78/lb.N, anhydrous $0.66/lb.N, UAN28 $0.90/lb.N and UAN32 $0.83/lb.N.
All eight fertilizers are now higher in price compared to one year earlier. Potash is 3% higher, UAN32 is 7% more expensive, 10-34-0 is 8% higher, urea is 10% more expensive, DAP is 12% higher, MAP is 13% more expensive, UAN28 is 23% higher and anhydrous is 40% more expensive, looking back to last year.
Weekly Ethanol Production for 6/26/2026
According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending June 26, ethanol production expanded 2.5% to an 11-week high of 1.12 million b/d, equivalent to 46.91 million gallons daily. Output was 3.8% higher than the same week last year and 5.2% above the five-year average for the week. The four-week average ethanol production rate increased 0.2% to 1.10 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.97 billion gallons (bg).
Ethanol stocks inched up 0.4% to 24.7 million barrels, a 5-week high. Stocks were 2.4% more than the same week last year and 7.7% above the five-year average. Inventories built in the Midwest (PADD 2) and West Coast (PADD 5) but thinned across the other regions.
The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, leapt 4.1% to 9.13 million b/d (140.36 bg annualized). Demand was 5.7% more than a year ago but 3.1% below the five-year average.
Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol ticked down 0.2% to 921,000 b/d, equivalent to 14.16 bg annualized. Net inputs were 0.4% less than year-ago levels and 0.5% below the five-year average.
Ethanol exports rose 4.1% to 126,000 b/d (5.3 million gallons/day). It has been more than two years since EIA indicated ethanol was imported.
Rollins Announces $500 Million for Fertilizer Investment & Expansion Program to Strengthen America’s Fertilizer Supply Chain
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins Wednesday announced the launch of the $500 million Fertilizer Investment & Expansion for Long-Term Domestic Supply (FIELDS) Program, a new initiative administered through USDA Rural Development to expand domestic fertilizer manufacturing, strengthen America’s fertilizer supply chain, and improve long-term affordability for American farmers.
Utilizing the authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), USDA will make $500 million available through the FIELDS Program to support construction and expansion of domestic fertilizer production facilities. The program prioritizes shovel-ready, financially viable projects capable of increasing production of critical crop nutrients.
"For decades, American farmers were forced to rely on unstable foreign suppliers for one of the most important inputs needed to feed our nation. Today we are announcing a plan to end this consolidation and bring competition back to the American fertilizer industry," said Secretary Brooke L. Rollins."Under President Trump's leadership, USDA is rebuilding America's fertilizer manufacturing base, strengthening supply chains, and ensuring our producers have reliable and affordable access to the fertilizer they need to remain competitive. The previous administration chose to prioritize their radical climate agenda when searching for fertilizer projects, and as result let this problem exacerbate by not getting shovels in the ground and only building 6% of their stated goal. The Trump Administration’s FIELDS program is solely focused on producing fertilizer leading to lower costs for American farmers and consumers, as well as restoring a critical supply chain for our country. Farm security is national security.”
“American natural resource extraction is the safest and most environmentally friendly in the world. It makes zero sense to import fertilizer from foreign competitors when we can make it right here while fueling our economy and protecting human health and the environment,” said Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin. “This is an obvious win-win for Americans farmers, families, and businesses. The Trump EPA stands ready to help rebuild this vital arm of American manufacturing while ensuring each facility adheres to the strict environmental standards required by law.”
“President Trump's promise to restore commonsense to America's energy and climate policy continues to deliver. While past leaders harmed America’s agriculture industry with anti-hydrocarbon policies that drove up the cost of our food, the Trump administration will continue to take actions across the federal government to make fertilizer more accessible and affordable,” said Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “I’m proud to be working hand-in-hand with Secretary Rollins on these important initiatives."
FIELDS builds upon USDA’s review of more than 120 fertilizer projects inherited from the previous Administration. The Department worked alongside project developers, lenders, farmers, and federal partners to identify barriers to construction and financing, using those lessons to develop a program focused on implementation-ready projects capable of delivering measurable production increases.
Administered by USDA Rural Development’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service, the program will support projects that expand domestic production of nitrogen, phosphate, potash, sulfur, and other critical crop nutrients, strengthen competition, improve supply chain resilience, and increase fertilizer availability for American farmers. Unlike previous fertilizer funding efforts, FIELDS emphasizes project readiness, financial strength, realistic construction timelines, and measurable production outcomes.
The FIELDS Program complements the Administration’s broader fertilizer strategy to lower input costs and strengthen domestic production. In recent months, President Trump suspended countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizer imports to improve fertilizer availability and lower costs for farmers, designated phosphate and potash as Critical Minerals, established a USDA-Department of Justice Memorandum of Understanding to address anti-competitive practices affecting agricultural input markets, improved fertilizer transportation flexibility during supply disruptions, and created USDA’s first dedicated Agricultural Economist focused on fertilizer markets and crop inputs.
The FIELDS Program is designed to support projects that are:
Made in America
Independent and Competitive
Farmer Focused
Innovative
Energy Dominant and Secure
Capable of Delivering Measurable Production Increases
“Food security is national security,” Rollins added. “A strong domestic fertilizer industry is essential to a strong agricultural economy. This investment will help ensure American farmers have access to a secure, reliable, and domestically produced fertilizer supply for generations to come.”
Individual awards will range from $15 million to $150 million, with funding focused on projects that strengthen domestic fertilizer manufacturing and deliver meaningful benefits to American agriculture.
Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. on August 15th, 2026. Additional information, including eligibility requirements and application materials, is available through USDA Rural Development at www.rd.usda.gov and on Grants.gov.
USDA Announces July 2026 Lending Rates for Agricultural Producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for July 2026, which are effective July 1, 2026. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.
Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans
FSA offers farm operating, ownership and emergency loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation.
Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for July 2026 are as follows:
Farm Operating Loans (Direct): 5.125%
Farm Ownership Loans (Direct): 6.000%
Farm Ownership Loans (Direct, Joint Financing): 4.000%
Farm Ownership Loans (Down Payment): 2.000%
Emergency Loan (Amount of Actual Loss): 3.750%
FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders. To access an interactive online, step-by-step guide through the farm loan process, visit the Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov.
Commodity and Storage Facility Loans
Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low. Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.
Commodity Loans (less than one year disbursed): 4.875%
Farm Storage Facility Loans:
Three-year loan terms: 4.125%
Five-year loan terms: 4.250%
Seven-year loan terms: 4.375%
Ten-year loan terms: 4.500%
Twelve-year loan terms: 4.625%
Sugar Storage Facility Loans (15 years): 4.875%
More Information
To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Additionally, producers can use online tools, such as the Loan Assistance Tool and Debt Consolidation Tool to explore loan options.
E15 Offers $21 Million in Fuel Savings During the July 4th Holiday
American drivers could collectively save more than $21 million this Independence Day weekend if they fill up with E15— a more affordable fuel option made with 15% ethanol. The analysis is based on AAA projections that 61.4 million people will drive at least 50 miles from home over the July 4th holiday. E15, also sold as Unleaded 88, can save consumers 30 cents per gallon on average.
“Ethanol producers, farmers, and retailers are proud to celebrate the holiday by holding down fuel prices for Fourth of July travelers,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “Despite arbitrary federal restrictions, E15 is used by millions of American drivers, approved for more than 96% of cars on the road, and offered at thousands of fuel stations across the country. Now it’s up to Congress to ensure that more American families have the freedom to choose lower-cost fuel all year long.”
Skor’s message echoes those of Senate champions working with Majority Leader John Thune to secure a path forward for a permanent, nationwide legislative fix offering consumers year-round access to lower-cost E15. Retailers are also calling for Congressional action to finally secure a regulatory fix that allows them to sell this more affordable fuel all year round.
“As retailers, our priority is to deliver affordable, reliable access to the fuel options our consumers need and desire,” said Steve Walk, COO of Protec Fuel. “Providing fuel choices to consumers on price, performance or both. Congressional action on year-round E15 is vital to that mission.”
E15 can be found at over 5,100 gas stations in 35 states and is legal for sale in every state, although sales are restricted over the summer due to outdated federal regulations drafted for a previous generation of fuels. However, this cleaner, more-affordable fuel choice remains available this summer thanks to a waiver issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The temporary waiver ensures that retailers, refiners, and biofuel producers have the certainty they need to keep E15 on the market for the time being, but it falls short of the permanent fix retailers need to bring lower-cost E15 to more fueling locations.
Travelers can plan their road trip and locate gas stations selling Unleaded 88 and other higher ethanol blends using the Get Biofuel Fuel Finder https://getbiofuel.com/#find-unleaded-88.
Welcome to the KTIC Agriculture Information blog!!! Check back here for the latest in ag news and information, from local events to international happenings and government reports that affect your operation. Please email with suggestions! -Chad Moyer, Farm Director, KTIC Radio
Thursday, July 2, 2026
Thursday July 02 Ag News - NE Farmland Values '26 Report Finalized - NE Corn Growers on Glyfosate Petition - Webinars on Financial Outlook, Mineral Use - ScanIt Tech Launches SporeWarn - USMCA Not Renewed - and more!
Wednesday, July 1, 2026
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."
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Tuesday June 30 Ag News - Weekly Crop Progress Report - LENRD Meeting Summaries - LGM/LRP Changes July 1 - Trump Suspends Countervailing Duties on Phosphate Fertilizer Imports - USDA Improves Conservation Programs - and more!
Nebraska Crop Progress & Condition Statistics - June 28
Very Short Short Adequate Surplus
Topsoil Moisture .......: 16 26 49 09
Subsoil Moisture .......: 24 32 37 7
..... Last year Last week This week 5YrAve
Corn Silking................: 2 na 3 1
Soybeans in bloom.....: 04 12 26 15
Soybeans setting pods.: -- na -- --
Sorghum planted ........: 96 89 98 98
Sorghum headed ........: 01 01 04 02
Winter Wheat Harvested: 03 00 05 05
VP Poor Fair Good Excellent
Corn Condition Rating ...: 02 05 30 44 19
Soybean Condition Rating 01 06 29 47 17
Winter Wheat Condition .: 59 24 13 04 -
Pasture Conditions ..........: 35 31 26 7 1
Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report
Farmers had 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending June 28, 2026. This is 2.7 days more than last year, when there were 2.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture condition rated 2 percent very short, 19 percent short, 69 percent adequate, and 10 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 3 percent very short, 21 percent short, 67 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus.
Corn silking in Iowa reached 1 percent, which is 2 percentage points behind last year. Corn condition rated 78 percent good to excellent.
Soybeans emerged reached 99 percent, which is 1 percentage point ahead of last year. Soybeans blooming reached 18 percent, which is 3 percentage points behind last year. Soybeans setting pods reached 1 percent, which is 3 percentage points behind last year. Soybean condition rated 75 percent good to excellent.
Oats headed reached 94 percent, which is 5 percentage points ahead of last year. Oats condition rated 81 percent good to excellent.
Pasture condition rated 77 percent good to excellent.
USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report
U.S. corn and soybean crop conditions each declined 1 percentage point from the previous week, according to USDA NASS's weekly Crop Progress report released Monday.
CORN
-- Crop development: Corn silking was pegged at 9%, 2 percentage points ahead of last year's 7% and 3 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 6%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 67% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition, 1 point below the previous week and 6 points below last year's 73%. Eight percent of the crop was rated very poor to poor, 2 points above the previous week's 6% and 3 points above previous year of 5%.
SOYBEANS
-- Crop development: 96% of soybeans had emerged as of Sunday, 3 points ahead of last year's pace and 1 point ahead of the five-year average of 95%. Soybeans blooming was pegged at 19%, 3 points ahead of last year's 16% and 4 points ahead of the five-year average of 15%. Soybeans setting pods was estimated at 4%, 1 point ahead of last year and up 2 points from the five-year average of 2%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 65% of soybeans that had emerged were in good-to-excellent condition, 1 point below the previous week and previous year of 66%.
WINTER WHEAT
-- Harvest progress: Harvest moved ahead 8 percentage points last week to reach 48% complete nationwide as of Sunday. That was 14 points ahead of last year's 34% and 9 points ahead of the five-year average pace of 39%.
-- Crop condition: An estimated 26% of winter wheat was rated good to excellent as of June 28, steady with the previous week and 22 points below 48% a year ago, according to NASS.
SPRING WHEAT
-- Crop development: Thirty-two percent of spring wheat was headed, 3 points behind last year's pace of 35% and 2 points below the five-year average of 34%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 59% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition nationwide, up 5 points from 54% the previous week.
Directors Hear About Upcoming Field Day and Meet Newest LENRD Staff Member at June Board Meeting
At the monthly board meeting held on Thursday, June 25th, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) Board of Directors heard numerous monthly reports and voted on various topics. Among those reports, Directors learned about an upcoming Regenerative Ag Field Day to be held near McLean in July and met the newest LENRD staff member, MacKenzie Doerr.
Directors heard reports from fellow Directors Jerry Allemann and Chad Korth about the NRD Basin Tour they attended earlier in the month. Allemann and Director Gary Loftis also shared updates from the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts. Waylon Petsche, NRCS Resource Conservationist, was in attendance to provide a monthly update from the Natural Resources Conservation Services. Directors Gary Loftis and Melissa Temple provided updates from the RC&D Boards they sit on.
Marcus Blunck, Project Coordinator for the Bazile Groundwater Management Area (BGMA), provided his monthly report and informed Directors of the upcoming Regenerative Ag Field Day he has been planning with Junior Pfanstiel. The BGMA is hosting a Field Day on Friday, July 17th from 10 a.m. until noon. The site, farmed by Pfanstiel, is located near McLean.
Pfanstiel, Outside the Box Agronomy, will discuss the theory, process, and goals of converting to regenerative agriculture practices. Attendees will get a true look into the benefits, and the challenges, of farming using regenerative practices. Pfanstiel will be joined by Zack Smith, one of the developers of The Stock Cropper. Stock Cropping is a regenerative agriculture system that raises row crops in conjunction with multiple species of livestock simultaneously in the field. The event is free to attend and the deadline to apply is Monday, July 6th.
Brian Bruckner, General Manager, also took the time to acknowledge the retirement of Administrative Assistant, Patty Martens. Martens has been with the LENRD since February 2016 and has been a key staff member during her tenure. Kristie Freudenburg is preparing to step into the role of Administrative Assistant after Martens’ retirement.
At the meeting, Directors were introduced to the newest LENRD employee, MacKenzie Doerr. Doerr filled the spot of Lindsay Hinkel as the LENRD/NRCS Programs Assistant in Pierce County. Hinkel will assume the duties of Programs Coordinator once Freudenburg takes over as Administrative Assistant on July 6th.
Directors voted to approve an interlocal agreement with Colfax County on a streambank stabilization project in the Maple Creek Watershed. The project is located approximately 3 miles east and 8-9 miles south of Howells that would protect a county road bridge that was replaced in 2018. Due to erosion occurring in the curve of the stream, and the possibility that it may threaten the bridge if it continues, the County is looking for financial assistance to stabilize the streambank with rip rap. Because public infrastructure would be at risk, and another government entity is acting as a partner, the request falls within the policy requirements of a streambank stabilization project. With this agreement, the LENRD would provide 50% of the cost of the project, not to exceed $150,000.00. The total cost of the project is anticipated to cost a little over $300,000.00.
Curt Becker, Assistant General Manager, provided a summary from a meeting with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Battle Creek Flood Mitigation Options. One of the biggest takeaways from the meeting was that the City of Battle Creek would be eligible for 100% federal funding of the study if they act as the Sponsor. The study scope would be defined with the assistance of US Army Corps of Engineers, once a letter of request has been submitted by Battle Creek. If needed, the local sponsor could change from the City of Battle Creek to another entity at later stages of project development.
The Board once again visited a request from the Northeast Weed Management Area (NWMA) to provide financial assistance to treat phragmites. Phragmites is found throughout the Great Plains, forming dense patches in wet and moderately fertile soils along banks of ponds, lakes, streams, marshes, roads, ditches, and wet fields. These noxious weeds create competition for other plants having access to available surface and ground water.
When first approached last year, the Board voted against providing financial assistance for the practice. Since then, the NWMA has worked hard to secure a 3-year grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) and financial support from the Lewis & Clark, Upper Elkhorn, and Lower Niobrara NRDs. With this new information, Directors voted to approve the request for financial assistance and will provide a maximum of $6,000.00 annually for FY27 and FY28 to be used as matching funds for the grant.
In other action, Directors were notified that all Phase 2 and 3 Management Area Reports had been turned in prior to the beginning of the meeting and no Cease and Desist Orders would be enacted. They also revisited a conversation about whether to allow a producer to continue to use his irrigation system without Chemigation for his organic field, when he had initially indicated Chemigation would be used on his variance application. Directors voted to adopt an amendment to the NARD 457 Deferred Compensation Plan which will allow for voluntary In-Plan Rollover Contributions and Transfers for NRD personnel. Finally, Directors approved recommended wage adjustments for cost of living and step and grade changes for LENRD personnel.
To learn more about the 12 responsibilities of Nebraska’s NRDs and how your local District can work with you and your community to protect your natural resources, visit www.lenrd.org and sign up for our monthly emails. The next Board of Directors meeting will be Thursday, July 23, 2026, at the LENRD office in Norfolk at 7:30 p.m.
Lower Elkhorn NRD Partners with NRCS on North Fork Elkhorn River Watershed Plan
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in partnership with the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District, received official approval in May for the North Fork Elkhorn River Watershed Improvement Plan in eastern Nebraska.
The North Fork Elkhorn River Watershed spans over 226,000 acres in Antelope, Cedar, Knox, and Pierce Counties, Nebraska and includes the Cities of Pierce and Osmond. The plan proposes the implementation of flood damage reduction measures including levee improvements, diversion channels, and pump stations in the City of Pierce, and berms, road raises, and building floodproofing in the City of Osmond. The plan estimates the total construction cost of the project at$28.8 million with the local sponsor being responsible for approximately $9.1 million.
Funding for the plan came through NRCS’s Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Operations Program (WFPO), which provides technical and financial assistance to states, local governments and tribes to plan and implement authorized watershed enhancement projects. NRCS provided $802,000 toward completing the North Fork Elkhorn River Watershed Plan. With the plan approved, Lower Elkhorn NRD now qualifies to request future financial assistance from NRCS for developing the identified flood prevention measures.
“NRCS is pleased to have provided technical and financial assistance to Lower Elkhorn NRD for completing the North Fork Elkhorn River Watershed Plan,” said Rob Lawson, NRCS Nebraska state conservationist. “One of our top priorities is assisting local sponsors in identifying and completing watershed projects for natural resource enhancements and public safety.”
“As local sponsors, we are most appreciative of NRCS’s commitment toward completing the watershed plan,” said Brian Bruckner, General Manager, Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District. “Their partnership has helped us identify essential improvements in the North Fork Elkhorn River watershed to reduce flood damage in Pierce and Osmond.”
Revisions to Livestock Insurance Programs Take Effect July 1
NPPC Newsletter
Revisions to the principal livestock risk management programs, as well as to crop insurance, take effect July 1.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency made changes to the Livestock Gross Margin and Livestock Risk Protection programs used by pork producers for crop year 2027. Among them:
• Added clarifications for off-exchange contracts and subsidy capture definitions, including additional prohibited conduct under Section 25 of the LRP Basic Provisions
• Allowed concurrent coverage of LRP and LGM in the same month
• Required policies not earning premiums for three consecutive years to be cancelled
• Clarified when coverage can be transferred
• Revised the definition of beginning farmer and rancher and updated subsidy percentages to conform with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Pork producers rely on LRP and LGM to help manage risk and protect market opportunities. Over the past five crop years, an average of 27% of hogs marketed in the United States were covered by either LRP or LGM, including a high of approximately 35% in crop year 2025. Additional resources for producers are available on RMA’s website, including more information about the latest policy changes and frequently asked questions about using LRP and LGM.
President Trump Takes Action to Lower Fertilizer Costs and Support American Farmers
Monday, President Donald J. Trump signed a proclamation temporarily suspending countervailing duties (CVDs) on certain phosphate fertilizer imports, providing immediate relief to American farmers while advancing the Administration’s broader strategy to strengthen America’s fertilizer supply chain.
The temporary suspension will increase phosphate fertilizer availability, improve competition, and help lower one of agriculture’s largest production expenses while supporting a stable and reliable fertilizer supply ahead of future planting seasons.
Current USDA analysis indicates American farmers could save approximately $1.82 billion annually through lower phosphate fertilizer costs as additional supplies enter the U.S. market. The action is expected to reduce phosphate fertilizer prices by approximately 22 percent, benefiting more than 100,000 farms across 97 million planted acres nationwide.
“As we have worked to implement America First fertilizer actions—from waiving the Jones Act to implementing more flexible Hours of Service waivers—we have focused on finding short-term solutions while delivering long-term stability for our nation’s farmers,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “Today’s announcement will bring immediate relief to producers who rely on these critical inputs with an estimated 22 percent reduction in phosphate fertilizer prices, and $1.82 billion in annual savings for producers. President Trump will always put farmers first, and he will continue to fight for those that feed, fuel, and clothe our nation.”
Today’s announcement builds on a series of actions taken by the Trump Administration to strengthen fertilizer affordability, improve supply chain resilience, and expand domestic production. The Administration has designated phosphate and potash as critical minerals, signed a USDA-Department of Justice Memorandum of Understanding to address anti-competitive practices affecting agricultural inputs, worked with federal partners to accelerate major domestic fertilizer manufacturing projects, and recently established a dedicated USDA Agricultural Economist position focused on fertilizer markets and agricultural inputs.
In addition to providing immediate relief through increased fertilizer availability, USDA continues to support long-term domestic fertilizer production by advancing major manufacturing projects across the country that will strengthen supply chains, create rural jobs, and reduce America’s reliance on foreign fertilizer sources.
“President Trump’s action today will provide immediate relief as well as a stable source of supply for American producers as they enter fall application season,” said Deputy Secretary Stephen Alexander Vaden. “The Department will continue to support initiatives to secure American farmers’ access to fertilizer, including by increasing domestic production capacity.”
Fertilizer remains one of the largest input costs facing American agriculture. Under the Biden Administration, fertilizer prices reached historic highs, placing significant financial pressure on producers. President Trump’s action provides immediate relief while complementing the Administration’s long-term efforts to rebuild domestic fertilizer manufacturing, strengthen America’s food and national security, and ensure American farmers have access to affordable, reliable fertilizer for years to come.
Corn Growers Thrilled by Suspension of Phosphate CVDs
President Trump signed an executive order Monday instituting a temporary suspension of countervailing duties applied to imported phosphate. In response to this development, Ohio farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower released the following statement:
“This is such welcome news for corn farmers. Fertilizer represents one of the biggest expenses for farms every year, only made worse in recent years by actions of companies looking to further consolidate their control of the market. Input prices generally have been incredibly high and are a major contributing factor to the profitability picture, or lack thereof, for corn farmers right now.
“Thank you, President Trump, for recognizing the economic outlook facing American farmers right now and taking steps to alleviate some of that pressure. This is an important step as the sunset review and the anti-trust investigations are taking place.”
ASA Applauds Executive Order Suspending Countervailing Duties on Phosphate Imports
The American Soybean Association applauds President Trump's Executive Order to suspend the countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizer imports. This action provides much-needed relief to soybean farmers and other agricultural producers who continue to face tight margins and high input costs.
"Fertilizer is one of the most significant expenses soybean farmers face each year," said ASA President Scott Metzger, a soybean farmer from Ohio. "Suspending import taxes on this critical farm resource will improve fertilizer availability and help reduce input costs at a time when farmers begin to plan for the 2027 crop while tackling increasingly challenging financial decisions. U.S. soybean farmers thank President Trump and his administration for recognizing the challenges facing America's farmers, identifying targeted solutions to defray farm production costs, and taking meaningful action that will strengthen the agricultural economy.”
ASA has consistently advocated for policies that promote competitive fertilizer markets and ensure farmers have access to the crop nutrients they need at reasonable prices, including a review and repeal of the 2021 countervailing duties. Suspending these duties on phosphate fertilizers imported from the second largest global producer will increase availability and encourage competitive pricing, which ultimately will improve on-farm margins. The association looks forward to continuing to work with the administration and Congress on long-term solutions that support U.S. agriculture, strengthen domestic fertilizer supply, and improve the competitiveness of American farmers.
Farmers Applaud Executive Order to Suspend Tariffs on Fertilizer
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on President Trump’s executive order to lift countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizers from Morocco through early next year.
“Farmers applaud President Trump’s executive order to suspend tariffs on phosphate fertilizers from Morocco. Skyrocketing fertilizer costs have contributed to rising expenses for farmers who were already struggling after years of inflation, depressed commodity markets and high interest rates. In fact, 7 out of 10 farmers said, in a Farm Bureau survey this spring, that they would not be able to afford enough fertilizer for this year.
“The decision to suspend tariffs on critical supplies, along with the recent request for emergency economic aid for farmers, are common-sense steps that will bring relief to farmers at a time when they need it most. We shared the impact of high fertilizer prices and availability with the president and we appreciate him listening to those concerns. We’ll continue to work with the administration to find more ways to improve market conditions and lower expenses for the men and women who work to ensure pantries are stocked for America’s families.”
USDA Modernizes Conservation Solutions to Better Conserve Natural Resources, Support Working Lands
NRCS Seeks Public Comment until July 6 on 32 Conservation Practice Standards
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is improving and modernizing 32 key conservation practices, part of a broad effort by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to put farmers first by strengthening conservation solutions. To gather feedback to update the practice standards, NRCS held more than 150 roundtables, bringing together more than 2,000 agricultural producers in every state and territory. Additionally, NRCS is currently accepting input now through July 6, 2026, on the Federal Register.
“We want to make sure our conservation practices meet the needs of farmers, supporting their efforts to solve natural resource challenges and grow more productively and profitably,” said NRCS Chief Colton L. Buckley. “We listened to farmers and fine-tuned our practices to better integrate their real-world needs, including considerations for precision and regenerative agriculture. Ultimately, we want to keep working lands in working hands.”
NRCS’s conservation practices offer guidelines for planning, installing, operating and maintaining conservation practices used by farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners nationwide.
A few examples of updated practices:
Livestock pipeline, now with expanded options like collapsible lay flat tubing.
Combustion system improvement, now with greater flexibility at the local level to make improvements that reduce air emissions or improve energy efficiency.
Spring development, now with expanded flexibilities for the landowner, such as allowing the use of a pump when needed and the option to install a water battery for storing water during high flow seasons for later use during low flow seasons.
Waste separation facility, now more aligned with industry standards.
The full list of conservation practices is available in the Federal Register notice https://www.regulations.gov/document/NRCS-2026-0034-0001.
Submitting Comments
NRCS is encouraging agricultural producers, landowners, organizations, Tribes and others that use its conservation practices to comment on these 32 revised conservation practice standards by July 6, 2026. NRCS will use public comments to further enhance its conservation practice standards.
The proposed revisions to the 32 conservation practice standards are available on the Federal Register portal under docket number NRCS-2026-0034. Follow online instructions for submitting comments virtually or via mail/hand delivery.
Both Can Be True: Strong Demand, Tight Cattle Inventories, and Beef Prices
James Mitchell, Extension Economist
University of Arkansas
A lot has been said about beef prices in 2026, and there has been a lot of productive discussion about what is driving them. Some point to historically tight cattle supplies. U.S. cattle inventories are at their lowest since the 1950s, and federally inspected cattle slaughter through May is 1.12 million head below the same period in 2025 and 2.56 million head below 2022, the cyclical peak for the current cattle cycle. Others argue that exceptionally strong consumer demand is the primary reason why beef prices have reached record highs. Both explanations are correct, and the market is more nuanced than either explanation by itself.
Total beef disappearance has declined much less than cattle slaughter would suggest. According to the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC) balance sheet, total beef disappearance in 2026 is forecast to be 2.6% below 2025 but still 0.2% above 2022. This reflects two important factors impacting total beef supplies. First, heavier dressed weights have partially offset lower slaughter numbers by producing more beef per animal. Second, larger beef imports have kept total U.S. beef supplies from plummeting.
Figure 1 helps illustrate why this is important. While total per capita beef consumption has remained relatively stable over the last several years, ground beef has become an increasingly larger share of consumption. Ground beef accounted for 47% of per capita beef consumption in 2022 and is expected to account for 50% in 2026. This shift is not surprising. Heavier carcass weights produce more fat trim for grinding, and beef imports have historically been an important source of lean trim for the U.S. beef market. Total pounds of beef may not have changed much, but the mix of beef products available to consumers certainly has.
That distinction is important because “beef” is not a single homogeneous product. Beef is consumed in many different forms, from ground beef to steaks and roasts, and both at home and away from home. Each of those products has its own supply and demand fundamentals, which have unquestionably changed the relative price of different beef products. Looking only at either total beef disappearance or cattle inventories provides an incomplete discussion.
This is a good example of ceteris non paribus. Historically tight cattle supplies, stronger production efficiency, larger beef imports, and resilient consumer demand are all occurring at the same time. That is why record beef prices are not simply the result of lower cattle numbers or stronger demand. Ultimately, total beef expenditures continue to increase, which supports higher revenues throughout the U.S. beef industry.