September 29, 2025

Rollins Announces Suite of Actions to Support American Farmers

On Thursday, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins spoke on the current state of the farm economy in the United States and addressed the ways President Trump is supporting American agriculture. U.S. farm production inputs are significantly more costly than four years ago, putting pressure on farmers’ bottom line. Between 2020 and now, seed expenses have increased 18%, fuel and oil expenses increased 32%, fertilizer expenses increased 37%, and interest expenses increased by a whopping 73%. the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Justice signed a Memorandum of Understanding that represents a joint commitment by both agencies to protect American farmers and ranchers from the burdens imposed by high and volatile input costs while ensuring competitive supply chains, lower consumer prices, and the resilience of U.S. agriculture and the food supply. The Antitrust Division of DOJ will work hand in hand with USDA to take a hard look and scrutinize competitive conditions in the agricultural marketplace, including antitrust enforcement that promotes free market competition.

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A Butterfat Boom Leaves Cheesemakers Demanding More Protein

Consumer demand for products like cheese, butter and yogurt that rely on protein and butterfat content continues to drive dairy sales growth in the U.S. and abroad. Over the past decade, milk delivered to U.S. dairy processing plants has become more nutrient-dense with higher levels of the two key components to meet rising demand. However, the pace of growth in butterfat content has far exceeded protein, which creates challenges for U.S. cheddar and American-style cheesemakers that rely on a more balanced ratio of the two. “U.S. dairy producers did an exceptional job increasing butterfat levels in milk to meet demand,” said Corey Geiger, lead dairy economist at CoBank. “For 10 years, the market couldn’t supply enough of it, and now there’s an oversupply – it’s almost too much of a good thing. Cheesemakers strive for a protein-to-fat ratio near 0.80. Anything significantly lower than that can reduce cheese quality and compromise production yields.”

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United States Hog Inventory Down 1%

As of Sept.1, there were 74.5 million hogs and pigs on U.S. farms, down 1% from September 2024 but up 1% from June. 1, 2025, according to the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report published today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Other key findings in the report were:

• Of the 74.5 million hogs and pigs, 68.5 million were market hogs, while 5.93 million were kept for breeding.
• Between June and August 2025, 34.1 million pigs were weaned on U.S. farms, down 3% from the same time period one year earlier.
• From June through September 2025, U.S. hog and pig producers weaned an average of 11.82 pigs per litter.
• U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.86 million sows farrow between September and November 2025, and 2.82 million sows farrow between December 2025 and February 2026.
• Iowa hog producers accounted for the largest inventory among the states, at 25.1 million head. Minnesota had the second largest inventory at 8.75 million head. North Carolina was third with 7.80 million head.

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USDA Deregulates Bayer GMO Corn Variety

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is deregulating Bayer U.S.-Crop Science (Bayer) MON 95379 corn. This corn was developed using genetic engineering to resist feeding damage caused by certain pests, including  fall armyworm, sugarcane borer, and corn earworm. After a thorough review, APHIS has determined that MON 95379 is unlikely to pose a greater plant pest risk than the nonmodified comparator and therefore is no longer subject to federal regulation governing the introduction of certain organisms developed using genetic engineering.

A news release stated the determination is based on:

• Information and data Bayer submitted in its petition for deregulation
• Available scientific data
• Public comments received in response to previous notices announcing the availability of the petition and draft plant pest risk assessment (PPRA)

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White House Says to Plan for Shutdown and Mass Firings; Risk for Shutdown Continues to Increase

The White House budget office is instructing federal agencies to prepare reduction-in-force plans for mass firings during a possible government shutdown, specifically targeting employees who work for programs that are not legally required to continue. The Office of Management and Budget move to permanently reduce the government workforce if there is a shutdown, outlined in a memo shared with Politico ahead of release to agencies tonight, escalates the stakes of a potential shutdown next week. In the memo, OMB told agencies to identify programs, projects and activities where discretionary funding will lapse Oct. 1 and no alternative funding source is available. For those areas, OMB directed agencies to begin drafting RIF plans that would go beyond standard furloughs, permanently eliminating jobs in programs not consistent with President Donald Trump’s priorities in the event of a shutdown. The move marks a significant break from how shutdowns have been handled in recent decades, when most furloughs were temporary and employees were brought back once Congress voted to reopen government and funding was restored.

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Rep. Taylor Introduces Improving Monitoring Act

Ohio Congressman Dave Taylor introduced the Improving Drought Monitoring Act, aimed at reauthorizing the USDA’s “Improvements to the Drought Monitor” program and forming a Drought Monitor Interagency Working Group. This group will recommend ways to enhance the accuracy and consistency of drought data. The bill addresses the importance of reliable data for farmers, especially in light of recent drought conditions affecting southern Ohio. Taylor emphasized the necessity of accurate information for agricultural planning and response efforts, urging Congress to include the bill in the upcoming Farm Bill. This legislation calls for a $5 million investment in drought monitoring services, reauthorization through 2030, and strategic coordination among various federal agencies to improve drought responses for farmers across the nation.

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