Politics

R-CALF USA welcomes the 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican beef and cattle — and we want more.

Uncertainty in both commodity prices and input prices is making farmers’ already tough job even more difficult.

Farmers must advocate for themselves. That is a matter of fact.

From issues impacting the farm economy, including record costs for labor, interest and taxes, to trade and biofuels, there a lot of challenges facing farmers today. But there also are opportunities, said Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association.

In her recent AgriNews piece, Matilda Charles highlights the benefits of AARP membership, but leaves out a crucial fact: AARP’s deep financial ties to UnitedHealth Group, the nation’s largest health insurer.

Happy National Agriculture Week! As the old saying goes, spring has sprung. The question on the tip of the tongue of many people I’ve spoken with recently is: Do you think we are going to get any more wintry weather?

I am proud to be a farmer; it’s a genuine privilege to serve my family and yours every day. Like most farmers, I have seen life’s greatest challenges and greatest joys on the farm.

What started as a lunch gathering of local agribusiness leaders several months ago culminated into a very successful Illinois Agricultural Summit.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency upheld the current April 28 implementation date expanding E15 access to Midwest states year-round while awaiting a permanent solution from Congress.

A push to ban sugary drinks, candy and more from the U.S. program that helps low-income families pay for nutritious food has been tried before — but it may soon get a boost from new Trump administration officials.

An important lesson I’ve learned over the years is that success is built on the foundation of strong relationships. We are stronger when we work together, building trust, exploring new opportunities and navigating challenges.

What happens globally can impact the profitability of U.S. farmers.

Members of Illinois Agri-Women gathered for their annual meeting to elect new officers, conduct association business and learn about several Illinois agricultural organizations.

With egg prices soaring, the Trump administration is planning a new strategy for fighting bird flu that stresses vaccinations and tighter biosecurity instead of killing off millions of chickens when the disease strikes a flock.

President Donald Trump temporarily suspended across-the-board 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada until April 2.

As the trade deficit and farm production costs continue to rise, the state of the agricultural economy is “dire,” lamented new U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.

It is a new day for agriculture, said Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins.

With the blustery cold we have seen across most parts of the country in recent days, it’s hard to believe that spring is right around the corner. Springtime brings planting, fresh blossoms and, of course, taxes.

You can kill houseflies with a shotgun, but that’s best done outdoors and away from people. Of course, drawing a bead on the indoor pests outdoors defeats the purpose of going after the little buggers in the first place.

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture held its 2025 Winter Policy Conference. Members adopted 16 policy amendments and 10 action items.

One of the first marketing lessons offered to me, a wet-behind-the-ears ag editor, by a steely and successful ag futures trader was as simple and useful as a feed bucket.

Farmers were more optimistic about the ag economy in February, according to the latest reading of the Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.

The Soybean Innovation Lab will close April 15 due to a federal funding stoppage for the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Gov. Mike Braun announced Kyle Shipman as the new Indiana state veterinarian.

The National Institute for Animal Agriculture will host its 2025 annual conference “Securing Our Future: Don’t Just Talk … Act!” in Kansas City. The agenda focuses on maintaining trust across animal agriculture’s value chain.

Crop insurers gathered for the industry’s annual convention, where leaders celebrated significant growth and charted a course for the future of American agriculture’s most important risk management tool.

There are a lot of new faces in the nation’s capital with the ushering in of 2025. Crop insurance may be familiar to some of the incoming officials and staff, but it will be brand new for others.

As we bid farewell to February, I find myself aching for the warmth and promise of spring in the heart of middle America.

Over this past year, I dedicated extra time to celebrating our county presidents because they are the very heartbeat of our mighty federation.

The number of monarch butterflies spending the winter in the western United States has dropped to its second-lowest mark in nearly three decades as pesticides, diminishing habitat and climate change take their toll on the beloved pollinator.

Lawmakers and farmers mingled at the Indiana Statehouse to enjoy a bacon brunch and discuss farm policies.

The notion of tariffs dates back to the first major law passed by the U.S. Congress in 1789 and has evolved over time.

The long-term downward spiral in the number of U.S. cattle farms and ranches informs us that our industry is in a severe crisis.

New Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers officers were installed at the group’s annual conference.

A freeze on federal loans and grants is creating turmoil for some rural U.S. business owners who fear they won’t get reimbursed for new, cleaner irrigation equipment or solar panels they purchased with the promise of a rebate.

The CattleFax Outlook Seminar, held as part of CattleCon 2025 in San Antonio, shared expert market and weather analysis.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Executive Committee approved the organization’s policy priorities at CattleCon 2025.

Tariffs will not curtail imports, but they will help to rebalance trade by leveling the economic playing field between domestic cattle producers and producers from countries who enjoy less stringent production standards and lower currency valuations.

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture set its federal policy focus for 2025, prioritizing five key issues.

Over his 30-year career, Tim Harris has never strayed far from his multigenerational family farm southeast of Princeton, but his volunteer work for various organizations and his impact expands far beyond Bureau County.

Gov. Mike Braun proclaimed the week of Feb. 15-22 as FFA Week in Indiana to celebrate agricultural education and FFA’s impact on youth leadership and career success.

During the final stages of building the world’s first atomic bomb, scientists worried their new weapon might ignite the atmosphere and wipe out every living thing. Farmers are experiencing similar anxieties as efforts slash federal spending.

America’s farmers and ranchers are no strangers to uncertainty, but the challenges they face today call for immediate attention and decisive leadership.

Zoe Kent hopes people get a little joy out of her talking about farming on the Internet. In one of her latest videos, she compares pesticide application to dry shampoo. “Farming is for the girls,” she quips.

Just a couple weeks ago at the American Farm Bureau Convention in San Antonio, Texas, I reminded Farm Bureau members that it’s going to take all of us stepping up in 2025 to drive agriculture forward.

When you push markets one way with tariffs, you should expect an equal and opposite reaction from those same markets.

Sean Duffy, the new transportation secretary, faced his first major crisis just hours after his swearing-in.

Hours after being sworn in as the new U.S. secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy took aim at the way the government regulates miles per gallon for cars and trucks — a principal way it regulates air pollution and climate change.

During National FFA Week, many of us recall those years we spent wearing blue and gold jackets with the FFA logo emblazoned on the back. I still have mine, a hand-me-down from my sister, hanging in a closet somewhere in this old house.

Automaker Stellantis plans to reopen an assembly plant in Illinois and build the next-generation Dodge Durango in Detroit, the automaker said.