January 21, 2026

China Meets U.S. Soybean Purchase Pledge

China has purchased about 12 million metric tons of soybeans. Three traders told Reuters that the total meets a U.S.-stated pledge to purchase that amount by the end of February. “The 12-million-ton target was met last week after bulk purchases by state buyer Sinograin and state trader COFCO, which were the only buyers of U.S. soybeans,” Reuters reported. “Private crushers continued to favor cheaper supplies from Brazil and Argentina.” Bloomberg agrees that the current total reflects continued bookings by state-owned firms in recent weeks. The USDA’s export data, which lags behind real-time totals, put China’s total purchases at just over eight million tons as of January 8. Hitting the 12-million-ton target will likely boost trader and exporter confidence that China could also meet the broader goal outlined by the White House of buying at least 25 million tons of U.S. soybeans through 2028. 

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SNAP to be a Huge Issue in the Midterm Elections

The Democratic Party is previewing this year’s mid-term elections by highlighting the continued importance of food aid, affordability, the job market, and the health of local economies. A report from Politico said that over 22 million households will lose SNAP benefits under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. “On the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump taking office for his second term, families everywhere have been devastated by Trump’s tariffs and the Big Ugly Bill,” said DNC spokesman Abhi Rahman. “Trump has sacrificed families who need critical food assistance to put dinner on the table to line the pockets of his billionaire backers.” Research compiled by the Democratic National Committee said the states projected to have the most families losing SNAP benefits include California, New York, and Florida. The report warned of spillover damage to farmers and grocers, such as reduced food purchases and a reduction in local employment. 

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USDA Launches Lender Lens Dashboard

USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden unveiled the Lender Lens on the Rural Data Gateway. This dashboard will make Rural Development’s entire commercial guaranteed loan portfolio available to the public, guaranteed borrowers, and commercial lending stakeholders. Lender Lens will give communities a clear view into where federal investments are being made by introducing a series of intuitive data visualizations that allow users to monitor performance, spot trends, and proactively manage their Rural Development loan guarantee portfolio. The dashboard showcases key metrics, including total loan volume, average loan size, loan distribution by sector, geographic spread, and delinquency rates, allowing an at-a-glance look at nationwide activity. Data is refreshed monthly and can easily be downloaded down to the individual loan, giving users timely, flexible access to the information they need. Learn more at rd.usda.gov.

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Sheep Officials Meet with USDA on Assistance

Last week, producers and staff from the American Sheep Industry Association met with USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce. They advocated for the inclusion of wool under the Farmer Bridge Assistance program. Eleven of the $12 billion set aside in the program will go to traditional row crop commodities, and the remaining $1 billion is set aside in reserves for uncovered commodities like specialty crops and sugar, but will exclude livestock and meat products. During the meeting, ASI provided testimony, and the discussion helped USDA better understand the market disruption and high harvesting costs facing the U.S. wool industry with the persistently low prices sheep producers have experienced since 2019. USDA indicated that wool will be considered within the competitive reserve for uncovered commodities, but no decisions have been made at this time. Fordyce did say that additional information can be expected in the coming weeks. 

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Ethanol Industry Partners Meet Officials in Canada

U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council Chair Mark Wilson and President Ryan LeGrand recently traveled with Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor and Renewable Fuels Association President Geoff Cooper to Ottawa, Canada. The group met with government officials and other energy and transportation sector leaders. “Canada is one of U.S. agriculture’s most important export markets, with room to continue growing, especially in biofuels,” said Wilson. “Both Emily and Geoff brought their expertise and outlooks on the state of U.S. ethanol production, and I think we made an impression that our industry is ready to meet any and all increases in Canada’s biofuel production.” Conversations covered the human and environmental benefits of ethanol and biofuels’ role in uplifting producers and the broader agricultural community. “There are so many factors that make Canada such a vital market for our producers, ranging from sheer demand to its proximity to key growing regions,” said LeGrand. 

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The Largest U.S. Landowner is…?

There’s a new number one on the list of the nation’s largest landowners in the United States. If you don’t recognize the name Stan Kroenke (KRAHN-key), you’re likely familiar with at least one of the sports teams he owns: The NBA’S Denver Nuggets, the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, and the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. The sports and entertainment mogul now owns about 2.7 million acres of private land, consisting mostly of cattle ranches. That’s according to the new Land Report 100 list. The Emmerson family, owners of Sierra Pacific Industries, owns 2,440,000 acres. John Malone, Liberty Media Chairman Emeritus, has 2,200,000 acres. CNN founder Ted Turner owns an even 2,000,000 acres, and the Reed family, forestry business owners, have 1,615,000 acres to round out the top five. 

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