Department of Agriculture News

Coverage of Department of Agriculture programs, rural policy, and farm legislation. The Daily Signal provides reporting and conservative commentary on agricultural subsidies, food stamp programs, trade policy, and the federal government’s role in farming and rural communities.
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    • News

    Farm Bill Clears House as Congress Sides With MAHA

    Congress secured major wins for the Make America Healthy Again movement, including striking pesticide liability shields and passing the 2026 Farm Bill. States’ and families’ rights are protected, and pesticide companies can continue to be held liable for poisoning Americans. The Farm Bill passed the House on Thursday by a vote of 224-200. Rep. Anna…
    Virginia Grace McKinnon
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    • News

    $5 Million on Trees, $300K to Trans Farmers: Brooke Rollins Shares Woke Agriculture Department Spending Cuts

    The Department of Agriculture has worked with the Department of Government Efficiency to slash millions in woke spending projects, from a $300,000 contract educating queer and transgender farmers to $5 million to keep trees alive. “Probably the most stunning for me was the $500,000 grant to study transgenderism in mice,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told…
    Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell
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    • News

    As Deals Advance, Farmers May Not Need Tariff Bailouts, Agriculture Secretary Hopes

    As deals advance with foreign countries, farmers may not need bailouts from tariffs, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins told The Daily Signal. Rollins hopes deals will be “struck pretty quickly” with foreign countries facing Trump administration tariffs so bailouts to farmers will be unnecessary.  “The economy has already begun to realign around putting America first,…
    Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell
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    • News

    EXCLUSIVE: Biden Admin Adds LGBTQ Strings to Foreign Agriculture Grants

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture intends to cultivate the transgender ideology on a global scale using international farm-aid programs.  That could mean attaching strings to international grants that the USDA doles out to support the Biden administration’s LGBTQ agenda, which President Joe Biden ordered in a presidential memorandum.  The USDA’s Sub-Working Group for the Memorandum…
    Fred Lucas
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    • Opinion

    5 Things to Know About Agriculture Amnesty Bill

    The House of Representatives is expected this week to take up one of the most egregious immigration amnesty bills in recent memory, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. In 2019, the House passed the bill, but fortunately, it went nowhere in the Senate. Now, the new Congress is taking it up.  The legislation would, among other…
    Daren Bakst
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    • Opinion

    Expect US Agriculture Exports to China to Increase in Coming Months

    Since the signing of the U.S.-China trade deal in January, much media focus has been on China’s agreement to buy over $142 billion worth of U.S. manufactured, energy, and agriculture goods this year.  At this point in time, it is likely that China will fall short of its purchase agreement. However, there is ample reason…
    Riley Walters
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    • Opinion

    USDA Is Funneling ‘Trade Aid’ to the Agriculture Sector. It’s Old-Fashioned Corporate Welfare.

    There is renewed hope for trade talks with China—a welcome development for the American economy. But the damage caused by the fight continues. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is using the situation as an excuse to funnel more taxpayer money to the agricultural industry. It is spending $16 billion on trade aid for farmers affected…
    Daren Bakst
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    • Opinion

    Rejecting Much-Needed Reforms, Agriculture Committee’s Farm Bill Favors Status Quo on Costly Subsidies

    The House Agriculture Committee’s farm bill is a complete rejection of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2018 farm bill principles when it comes to farm subsidies. Here are a few examples: USDA principle: “Provide a fiscally responsible farm bill that reflects the administration’s budget goals.” The committee’s farm bill doesn’t include any of the Trump…
    Daren Bakst
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    • Opinion

    Responding to a Critic of Having More Freedom in Agriculture

    A former Obama administration official has written a new agricultural study that is critical of The Heritage Foundation’s publication “Farms and Free Enterprise: A Blueprint for Agricultural Policy.” Most of the arguments in this agricultural special interest-sponsored study are the same recycled claims that get trotted out any time someone challenges the farm subsidy status…
    Daren Bakst
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    • Opinion

    Senate Agriculture Appropriations Bill Would Expand Crony Handouts for Cotton Industry

    What are Senate appropriators doing to address two new farm programs whose costs are spiraling out of control? They are increasing the costs even more. Cotton growers just can’t seem to get enough handouts, and many Senate appropriators are happy to funnel even more money their way at the expense of taxpayers. The Senate agriculture…
    Daren Bakst
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    • News

    Trump’s Agriculture Chief Tosses Out Michelle Obama’s School Lunch Rules

    Former first lady Michelle Obama’s dictates on school lunches were thrown out Monday by one of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet members. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue signed a proclamation to begin to undo federal standards that the Obama administration placed on lunches in public schools and return those decisions to local schools. “This announcement is the…
    Rachel del Guidice
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    • Opinion

    10 Free Market Principles That Could Transform Agriculture

    Agriculture policy affects all Americans. From policies that drive up food prices to government control of your dietary decisions, it warrants significant attention. Unfortunately, central planning has been entrenched in agriculture policy for more than 80 years. The 2014 farm bill didn’t change that reality. When it comes to agriculture, many legislators ignore any free-market…
    Daren Bakst
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