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!

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.