Rural Voices USA today announced a continuation of its six-figure "Stop the Stall" advertising campaign targeting congressional districts across Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, as gas prices approach $4 a gallon nationwide and Congress departs for a two-week recess without passing year-round E15 legislation. ...

St. Paul, Minn.: The Minnesota Department of Agriculture's (MDA) Pesticide and Fertilizer Management Division (PFMD) conducts inspections statewide to protect public health, the environment, worker safety, and ensure compliance with federal and Minnesota laws. As inspection schedules ramp up each season, the MDA remind...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced updated loan interest rates for April, offering a key benchmark for producers making financing decisions ahead of the planting season. Operating loans are set at 4.75%, while farm ownership loans will carry a 5.75% interest rate. The rates reflect broader trends in credi...

Organic producers across the U.S. are reporting delays in receiving federal reimbursements intended to offset certification costs, raising concerns about cash flow during a critical time of year. The payments are administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Organic Certification Cost Share Program. Farmers...

A federal plan to relocate the headquarters of the U.S. Forest Service from Washington to Utah is drawing mixed reactions from agriculture and rural stakeholders. Officials say the move is intended to bring leadership closer to the lands and communities the agency serves. Supporters argue the shift could improve respon...

The National Milk Producers Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council and the Consortium for Common Food Names commended USTR for spotlighting persistent trade barriers facing U.S. dairy exporters in the 2026 National Trade Estimate report: "Nearly one in every six pounds of milk produced in America is shipped to a cu...

Midwest Dairy released its 2025 Annual Report, demonstrating a strong year of progress building trust and demand on behalf of dairy farmers. Campaigns across retail, convenience stores, and coffee chains generated more than 4 million incremental pounds of milk sales while reaching millions of consumers across the regio...

In honor of National Ag Day, legislators introduced the bipartisan Agriculture Access to Addiction and Mental Healthcare Act. The bill aims to improve access to mental health and addiction services for farmers and ranchers in rural communities. Wisconsin Congressman Derrick Van Orden, one of the cosponsors, says farmer...

A new surge in oil prices will hit farmers right in the bottom line. New estimates suggest a $90-per-barrel market, which could significantly raise production costs across the board. Kansas State University economist Gregg Ibendahl said higher oil prices are already creating a ripple effect through key farm inputs like...

BISMARCK - As fair and rodeo season begins, participants are reminded that any animals coming into North Dakota from out of state require a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) to enter the state. A CVI documents that an animal has been checked by a veterinarian to ensure it is free of signs of infectious, contag...

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) led ten Democrats in raising concerns to USDA about the reliability of data reports from the agency. They said that a recent Farm Journal survey found 73 percent of ag producers and 78 percent of ag retailers are less confident in USDA reports than in recent years...

A report from the American Farm Bureau has good news for egg buyers. Egg prices have dropped sharply as production recovers from volatility caused by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza infections. While detections in January and February rose sharply, with over 15 million birds infected, it's still 56 percent fewer bird...

Amid rising prices at the pump and volatile global energy markets, an overwhelming majority of registered voters support the expansion of the lower-cost E15 fuel blend and legislation that would make it permanently available nationwide. That's according to a new poll from Morning Consult, conducted for the Renewable Fu...

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on a memorandum of understanding between USDA and the Department of the Interior to strengthen public lands grazing and the partnership between ranchers and the agencies. "Farmers and ranchers appreciate USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Depart...

FARGO, N.D. - The North Dakota Soybean Growers Association applauds the North Dakota Industrial Commission's decision to add $100 million in funding to the Bank of North Dakota's 2026 Farm Financial Stability Loan Program. The Industrial Commission oversees the Bank of North Dakota and is made up of Governor Kelly Arms...

Corn planted area for all purposes in 2026 is estimated at 95.3 million acres, down 3 percent or 3.45 million acres from last year. Compared with last year, planted acreage is expected to be down or unchanged in 37 of the 48 estimating States. Soybean planted area for 2026 is estimated at 84.7 million acres, up 4 perce...

(JAMESTOWN, N.D.) - North Dakota Farmers Union opens its 92nd season of youth summer camps in June for kids who have completed grades 3-6 and 7-12. The program annually draws more than 1,100 farm and city kids from across the state to the shores of Lake Tschida near Elgin and the Jamestown Reservoir, where camp facilit...

Plant Based Products Council Executive Director James Glueck released a statement following the introduction of the Biobased Materials Investment and Production Act, bipartisan legislation from Reps. Michelle Fischbach (R-MN) and Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) that would provide incentives to promote infrastructure development...

The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is accepting online applications from entrepreneurs for the 2027 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge through June 5. Now in its 13th year, this national business competition showcases U.S. startup companies developing innovative solutions to challeng...

INDIANAPOLIS-Farmers across the U.S. - whether they use cover crops, formerly used them, or have never planted covers - are invited to share their insights on cover crops in an online survey currently being conducted by the Conservation Technology Information Center, the USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Educ...