National Ag News for July 02, 2025
Senate Passes Big, Beautiful Bill
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed the Senate by a vote of 51-50, with Vice President Vance breaking the tie. The budget legislation, which paves the way for much of President Trump’s domestic agenda, included several priorities important to groups like the American Soybean Association. “ASA applauds the Senate for its support of U.S. agriculture,” says ASA President Caleb Ragland. “Soybean growers have long supported comprehensive revisions to the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, an improved safety net for agriculture, and increased support for research and market expansion.” The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association also thanked the Senate for passing the legislation. “This bill protects family farmers and ranchers across the country from a massive tax hike at the end of the year, increases the death tax exemption, makes the Section 199a tax deduction permanent, as well as many other priorities,” said Ethan Lane, NCBA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs.
***********************************************************************************
Farmer Sentiment Weakens on Trade Outlook
Farmer sentiment weakened in June following two months of improvement. The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dropped 12 points from the previous month to 146. A change in producers’ expectations for the future served as the primary factor in the shift. The Index of Future Expectations sank 18 points to 146. However, the Current Conditions Index only lost two points to 144. A drop in optimism about future agricultural exports seems to have influenced producers’ weakened outlook. Even with the June declines, all three indexes persist at higher levels than a year ago. The Farm Financial Performance Index dropped five points to 104, with producers projecting a slightly weaker financial outlook for their farms in June compared to May. An index above 100 indicates that U.S. farmers expect a stronger financial performance in 2025 than in 2024. The Farm Capital Investment Index rose five points in June to 60.
***********************************************************************************
Largest June Hog Herd Since 2020
The June 1 inventory of hogs and pigs was at 75.1 million head, up less than one percent from last quarter and slightly higher than last year. Meanwhile, the breeding herd is the smallest in a decade, down .02 percent from last quarter and .47 percent from last year, and within the bottom range of pre-report expectations. That’s only .9 percent higher than the breeding herd in June 2015, and matches the total in June 2016. All but the heaviest category of market hog inventories are up compared to a year ago. Overall, the number of hogs weighing less than 180 pounds is about 63 percent larger than a year ago, which are the market hogs arriving at processing plants from July through November 2025. USDA’s Cold Storage Report says cold stocks of pork at the end of May were down one percent from April and one percent from 2024.
***********************************************************************************
Phased Reopening for Southern Livestock Imports
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced risk-based port re-openings for cattle, bison, and equines from Mexico beginning as early as July 7. USDA – after extensive collaboration between the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service experts and their counterparts in Mexico to increase New World screwworm surveillance, detection, and eradication efforts – is set to begin a phased reopening of the southern ports, starting with Douglas, Arizona. Progress has been made in several critical areas since the ports were closed on May 11, including the resolution of challenges with conducting flights in Mexico that allowed the USDA team to consistently conduct sterile NWS fly dispersal seven days a week and the dispersal of more than 100 million flies each week. “We’ve focused on fighting the New World screwworm’s advancement in Mexico,” Rollins said. “We have made good progress with our counterparts in Mexico to increase surveillance efforts and have boosted sterile fly dispersal efforts.”
***********************************************************************************
Cattle Producers Applaud Resuming Livestock Imports
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association announced support for the USDA’s plan to strategically reopen key ports of entry to shipments of live cattle, bison, and horses. This decision was made by Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins following a New World screwworm assessment by USDA staff in Mexico. “NCBA and our state affiliates have spent months working with USDA to safeguard the U.S. cattle industry from the threat of New World screwworm,” says NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “We strongly support USDA’s five-pronged plan to fight the screwworm, which includes boosting sterile fly production by renovating a facility in Mexico and building a new fly dispersal facility in South Texas.” NCBA also calls the announcement to reopen key ports of entry a measured, thoughtful approach by the Secretary to allow some trade while also ensuring the American cattle industry is protected from this pest. “We’ll continue working to protect our livestock producers,” Woodall added.
***********************************************************************************
Applications Open for Veteran Farmer Award
The American Farm Bureau, with support from Farm Credit, is seeking applications for the Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence. The award recognizes U.S. military veterans or service members for excellence in farming or agriculture and for positively impacting local communities. The winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize plus reimbursement for travel and other expenses incurred for him or her and one guest to attend the American Farm Bureau Convention in Anaheim, California, January 9-14, 2026. “We’re proud to elevate and celebrate veterans for their service to our country and their involvement in agriculture and local communities,” says Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall. “We greatly appreciate the sacrifices of veterans and active service members so we can enjoy the freedoms that we have in this country and highlight their contributions to agriculture.” Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence applications are due by 5 p.m. Eastern time on September 2.
**********************************************************************************