Noah Wicks

The Agriculture Department is working to update its system for tracking agricultural land leases and purchases to appease lawmaker demands, but staffing and funding limitations have limited the agency to "low-cost" options, a department official told the Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday. 

One economist is optimistic that farmers will be able to weather the drop in annual net cash farm income that producers are expected to face next year as agricultural commodity revenues fall and production expenses rise.

House Republicans remain unable to agree on a continuing resolution to keep the government funded in October. Meanwhile, senators left town Thursday still unable to get agreement on bringing up a three-bill spending package that includes its version of the USDA-FDA bill.

Witnesses at a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on Thursday called on Congress to provide more funding to bolster a broadband affordability program that is set to run out of money next year.

The White House on Wednesday announced the creation of the American Climate Corps to undertake conservation, energy and wildland fire work across the country.