August 20, 2025
Groups Want USTR Action Against Brazil
The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office launched a Section 301 investigation into Brazil for its unfair ethanol trade practices. Groups like Growth Energy called on the agency to take bold action on behalf of American ethanol producers, who face a competitive disadvantage bilaterally and globally due to Brazil’s discriminatory practices. “We appreciate the opportunity to provide input on ethanol market access challenges considering Brazil’s years-long effort to seek preferential treatment for its ethanol in the U.S. while limiting U.S. access into Brazil through tariff and non-tariff measures,” said Growth Energy Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Chris Bliley. Renewable Fuels Association President Geoff Cooper said Brazil’s tariff rates have had a demonstrable impact on America’s ethanol exports. “The imposition of tariffs without a duty-free quota in recent years has essentially closed the market,” Cooper said. “U.S. ethanol faces an 18 percent import tariff while Brazil enters America with only a 2.5 percent duty.”
**********************************************************************************
Rollins Blocks Taxpayer Dollars for Solar Panels on Prime Farmland
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins said the USDA will no longer fund taxpayer dollars for solar panels on productive farmland or allow solar panels manufactured by foreign adversaries to be used in USDA projects. Subsidized solar farms have made it more difficult for farmers to access farmland by making it more expensive and less available. Within the last 30 years, Tennessee alone has lost over 1.2 million acres of farmland and is expected to lose two million acres by 2027. This problem isn’t just in Tennessee, because, since 2012, solar panels on farmland nationwide have increased by almost 50 percent. That’s why the Department took action. “Our prime farmland should not be wasted and replaced with Green New Deal-subsidized solar panels,” Rollins said. “One of the biggest barriers to entry for new and young farmers is access to land, and subsidized solar farms are making land much more expensive and less available.”
***********************************************************************************
Dairy Checkoff Champions “First 1,000 Days Strategy”
The Dairy Checkoff is doubling down on one of the most critical windows of human development, with its “First 1,000 Days” campaign. It’s a multichannel strategy that positions dairy as essential for optimal brain growth and cognitive development from conception through a child’s second birthday. The surround-sound campaign is designed to meet today’s parents where they are: in their social feeds, on trusted parenting platforms, through pediatric offices, in WIC clinics, and on digital search engines, all with content rooted in science, relevance, and personal connections. “The first 1,000 days set the foundation for a lifetime of health,” said Lindsay Datlow, senior vice president of nutrition affairs at the farmer-founded National Dairy Council. “Dairy foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt provide seven of the 14 nutrients identified by the American Academy of Pediatrics as vital during this period.” The initiative includes promotion across third-party media outlets and the checkoff’s USDairy.com site.
***********************************************************************************
Farm Credit Supporting Young Farmers
Farm Credit System Institutions made more than 150,000 loans to young, beginning, and small U.S. producers in 2024. A new Farm Credit Administration Report shows the institutional support for its ongoing mission of supporting rural communities and agriculture. “The future of agriculture depends on the next generation,” said Christy Seyfert, president and CEO of the Farm Credit Council. “We’re proud to deliver on our ongoing commitment to supporting young, beginning, and small producers as evidenced through this report.” During 2024, Farm Credit institutions made 150,156 loans to young, small, and beginning farmers, totaling $33.1 billion, which was more than half of all loans made last year. Through 2024, Farm Credit supported 50,143 loans to young producers who were 35 and under. More than 72,600 loans were made to beginning producers with ten years or less of experience, and 121,200 loans to producers with under $350,000 in gross cash farm income.
***********************************************************************************
USDA Issues August Livestock Report
Based on the mid-year cattle report, a further tightening is expected of calves available for placement in late 2025 and early 2026. The report also suggests steady but gradual changes to inventories of beef cows and replacement heifers. That means the 2025 and 2026 beef production forecasts were lowered from last month. Elsewhere, lamb prices moved sharply upward in June and July of this year, leading to higher lamb price forecasts for the rest of 2025 and 2026. Milk production is forecast to increase in 2025 and 2026, driven by larger herds and improved yields. The all-milk price remains unchanged at $22 per hundredweight. Pork production for 2025 is reduced by one percent from last month’s forecast to 27.7 billion pounds, reflecting a slower slaughter rate and reduced dressed weights in the third and fourth quarters. Projected broiler production in the poultry industry is expected to increase due to strong hatchery data and lower feed costs.
***********************************************************************************
Export Inspections Lower Across the Board
USDA data says that grain and soybean inspections for overseas delivery declined week-to-week during the seven days ending on August 14. Wheat assessments were reported at 395,240 metric tons, down from almost 415,000 last week but still higher than the same week last year. Corn inspections reached 1.05 million metric tons versus 1.52 million tons the previous week and the 1.22 million tons inspected last year. Examinations of soybeans for export reached just over 473,600 metric tons. USDA said that’s down from the 544,200 tons a week earlier, but higher than the 406,000 tons in 2024. So far, since the start of each commodity’s marketing year, the government has inspected 64.2 million metric tons of corn compared to 50.2 million last year, 48.9 million metric tons of soybeans compared to 43.8 million tons last year, and 4.81 million metric tons of wheat, an improvement from 4.64 million last year.
***********************************************************************************