July 23, 2025

Grain Carriers Discuss Potential Merger

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are in merger talks to create the largest railroad in North America that would connect the East and West Coasts. The merger discussions began during the first quarter of 2025, according to someone familiar with the talks but not authorized to publicly discuss them. It would combine the largest and smallest of the country’s six major freight railroads. Both railroads declined to comment. Within the industry, the AP says there is a lot of debate over the merger and whether it would be approved by the Surface Transportation Board. The questions come despite regulators approving the deal that created CPKC railroad two years ago with the Canadian Pacific’s $31 billion acquisition of Kansas City Southern Railroad. That merger combined the two smallest major railroads in North America and left only six major freight railroads. But at the time, it was the first approved merger in 20 years.

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New Protocol Announced for Reducing Dairy Emissions

Thanks to a new partnership, dairy producers will soon have additional options for achieving and marketing verified greenhouse gas reductions from on-farm sustainability practices. The National Milk Producers Federation, California Dairies, Inc., and Athian (A-thee-an) have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a “carbon intensity” protocol supported by the FARM Environmental Stewardship Program, which seeks to define, quantify, and verify how production efficiencies and new practice adoptions contribute to positive environmental outcomes. “Facilitating supply chain partnerships is an important part of our mission,” said Kendra Tolley, chief product officer for Athian. “This MOU is a perfect demonstration.” Athian is a technology company founded to connect food company buyers looking to source Scope 3 reductions with sustainability-minded farmers in their supply chain. “This partnership supports dairy farmers interested in carbon-claim opportunities by creating a streamlined process,” said Nicole Ayache (aye-ah-sh, chief sustainability officer for NMPF, which administers the National Dairy FARM Program.  

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USB Approves FY 2026 Budget to Strengthen Resilience of Soy

In the year ahead, the United Soybean Board will boost demand for U.S. Soy, drive on-farm resilience, and bring value to the nearly half a million U.S. soybean farmers. Led by its 77 farmer-leaders, USB recently approved a $121.3 million budget for the 2026 fiscal year. The board is strategically allocating funds for vital research, promotion, and education investments. This spans the food, feed, fuel, industrial, exports, and sustainable production market segments. “Just like we have done on our farms, USB’s farmer-leaders have sharpened their pencils, identifying high-impact opportunities that provide return to America’s soybean farmers,” said Phillip Good, USB Board Chair. “As soybean farmers navigate trade and input uncertainty along with unpredictable weather, the Soy Checkoff aims to be the long-term, steady hand on the rudder.” The board is also looking 5–10 years out to ensure that U.S. farmers have viable markets and protection against weather, weed, and disease pressure.

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Weekly Wheat, Bean Inspections Increase

Data from USDA shows inspections of wheat and beans for offshore delivery rose week to week while corn assessments declined. Wheat inspections totaled 732,300 metric tons in the seven days ending on July 17. The agency report says that’s up from 446,000 tons a week earlier. Examinations of soybeans for offshore delivery increased to 365,000 metric tons from 151,300 tons during the previous week. Corn saw the only decline on the week, falling to 983,600 metric tons, which the USDA said was down from 1.31 million tons a week earlier. Since the start of the marketing year on September 1, corn inspections total 58.8 million acres versus 45.6 million last year. Soybean inspections now total 46.8 million tons, up from 42.4 million tons at the same point last year, and wheat examinations since the marketing year began June 1 are at three million metric tons, up from 2.66 million last year. 

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USDA Invests $80 Million to Protect Forests and Fuel Economic Growth

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins said the U.S. Forest Service is awarding $80 million in Wood Innovation Grants to spur wood products manufacturing, expand active forest management, and accelerate energy innovation across America’s timber-producing communities. “The U.S. has a bounty of natural resources that we must properly manage to sustain our future economy and boost rural communities,” Rollins said. “Proper forest use and management lowers our reliance on foreign products.” The investments in innovation that ensure a steady, sustainable supply of American wood not only support jobs and fuel economies, but they also protect the people and communities we serve, as well as the forest resources they depend on to survive and thrive. The new spending also tears down unnecessary barriers that have kept forests dangerously overstocked and unhealthy, putting communities at risk from wildfire and other threats. The broader goal is to advance economic opportunity and ensure long-term forest resilience.

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Texas Ag Department Taking Steps to Stop Screwworm

Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller announced a new step in the battle against the reemergence of the New World Screwworm near the United States. Working closely with USDA, the Texas Department of Agriculture is spearheading efforts to reintroduce an improved pest control method to respond against the Screwworm called Swormlure Bait. “The Screwworm isn’t just a Texas problem,” Miller said. “We cannot wait for sterile flies alone to turn the tide, so that’s why we are applying Swormlure.” Swormlure is a synthetic bait designed to attract adult screwworm flies and may be highly effective when combined with insecticides in eradicating NWS. “Back in the 1960s, we used this combination to help wipe out one of the nastiest parasites we’ve ever faced,” said Miller. Swormlure-5 bait, when used as an attractant and capture tool, is highly targeted. It only impacts screwworms and blowflies and should pose no threat to beneficial insects.

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