Articles by Philip Brasher

Fruits and vegetables are still inexpensive enough that Americans can eat an adequate amount for a few dollars a day, according to USDA economists.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, debating for the first time Tuesday night, tangled over trade policy and Trump’s proposal to impose across-the-board tariffs on U.S. imports.

Banning the use of foreign biofuel feedstocks such as used cooking oil for a new tax credit could result in retaliation against U.S. farm exports, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Tuesday.

Some House Republicans say they hope the farmer fly-ins this week will spur action on a farm bill, although there’s no sign of a breakthrough between the House and Senate, and time is fast running out.

Leading advocates for former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris clashed over trade, immigration and tax policy during an informal debate Monday.

Some 300 organizations are sending a letter to congressional leaders today, appealing for a farm bill, and teams of farmers representing a cross-section of commodity groups will be fanning out across Capitol Hill this week to make the pitch in person.  North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum defended former President Donald Trump's tariff policy on Sunday.

Farmers who grow the crops being hammered the hardest by commodity market declines are hitting Capitol Hill this week, accompanied by ag bankers and Farm Credit lenders, to make a last-ditch push for a new farm bill.

USDA is due out today with its latest forecast for farm income, and the numbers are expected to be bad. Look for more new calls for Congress to pass a new farm bill to shore up incomes of row crop producers. 

The Agriculture Department has sharply raised its forecast for farm earnings this year, projecting that net farm income will fall by close to 7% from 2023, a far smaller decline than USDA economists had estimated in February.