February 11, 2026
Farm Bankruptcies Continued Climbing in 2025
A new American Farm Bureau Market Intel Report said Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies increased for the second year in a row, reaching 315 filings in 2025, a 46 percent increase from 2024. The Midwest and Southeast filed 121 and 105 Chapter 12 cases, respectively, far outpacing any other regions. Deep crop losses across commodities common in those two regions have compounded after years of declining receipts and rising expenses. Filing for Chapter 12 bankruptcy is a last resort for farmers who have incurred large debts to continue operating with increased flexibility for payments. Midwest states with double-digit filings include Iowa with 18, Nebraska 17, Missouri and Wisconsin each had 16 filings, Minnesota with 13, and Kansas had 11. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City said farmers are taking out larger operating loans and taking longer to repay them. USDA estimates that total farm debt will rise 5.2 percent to a record $624.7 billion this year.
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Sterile Fly Dispersal Facility in Texas is Complete
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the completion of the U.S.-based sterile fly dispersal facility in Edinburg, Texas. The facility expands the USDA’s ability to disperse sterile flies along the border and into the U.S., if necessary. “This sterile fly facility was a high-priority project, and our team delivered it in record time,” said Rollins. “This new facility is a monumental achievement for our domestic preparedness efforts, but we are also diligently working to stop the spread of screwworm in Mexico, conduct extensive trapping and surveillance along the border, increase U.S. response capacity, and encourage innovative solutions.” She also said that the USDA will continue to hold Mexico accountable for mitigating the spread of this dangerous pest. Texas Governor Greg Abbott joined Rollins at the announcement, saying that America is going to take care of itself, including dealing with the approach of screwworm to the southern border.
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Groups Continue Push for Continuing the USMCA
Trade with Mexico and Canada delivers significant economic benefits to rural communities across the U.S. That’s according to new economic analysis released today by the Agricultural Coalition for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. During a press conference in Washington, D.C., coalition members highlighted the findings and urged leaders of the three countries to renew and further strengthen USMCA as the agreement enters its formal review period. “Our analysis shows that USMCA is a powerful driver for employment, investment, and long-term competitiveness in the U.S. agricultural sector,” said Krista Swanson, chief economist for the National Corn Growers Association, a coalition member. “While the agreement is due for a few targeted improvements, overall, it’s critical to the farm economy and a key part of rural America’s success and resilience, particularly during the tough economic times that we’re in right now.” Among the coalition’s findings, agricultural and seafood exports to Canada and Mexico generated $149 billion in total economic output.
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USDA Releases February WASDE Report
The USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report shows the 2025-2026 U.S. corn outlook is for greater exports and lower ending stocks. Exports were raised 100 million bushels to 3.3 billion, reflecting sales and shipments to date. However, with no supply changes and use rising, corn ending stocks dropped by 100 million bushels to 2.1 billion. The season-average corn price is unchanged at $4.10 per bushel. The U.S. soybean supply and use projections are unchanged this month. The season-average soybean price is projected to be unchanged at $10.20 per bushel. The report said China is considering buying more U.S. soybeans in the months ahead. The wheat outlook calls for unchanged supplies, modestly lower domestic use, unchanged exports, and slightly higher ending stocks, which were raised to 931 million bushels, nine percent higher than last year. The projected 2025-2026 season-average farm price remains at $4.90 per bushel.
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Export Inspection of Corn and Wheat Rise
USDA data said inspections of corn and wheat for overseas delivery rose week to week, while soybean assessments declined during the seven days ending on February 5. Corn inspections totaled 1.31 million metric tons, which the agency said was up from the 1.15 million tons the week before. However, it was still behind the 1.36 million tons examined during the same week last year. Wheat assessments increased to 580,100 metric tons, up from 330,000 tons the previous week and 570,300 metric tons during the same time last year. Soybean inspections for export dropped to 1.14 million metric tons, down from 1.32 million a week before. That’s still higher than the 1.1 million tons inspected during the same week in 2025. Since the start of the marketing year, export inspections of corn and wheat are higher, at 33.9 million and 14.6 million metric tons, respectively. Soybean inspections are down at 23.1 million metric tons compared to last year’s 35.3 million.
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USDA Announces Enrollment Periods for 2026 Continuous and General CRP
The USDA announced the enrollment periods for agricultural producers and landowners to submit offers for the Continuous and General Conservation Reserve Program. The Farm Service Agency is accepting offers for Continuous CRP starting this Thursday, February 12, through March 20, 2026. Enrollment for the General CRP will run from March 9, 2026, through April 17, 2026. FSA will announce the dates for the Grassland CRP signup in the near future. “We’re still very close to the 27-million-acre statutory cap, with 1.9 million acres available for all CRP enrollments this fiscal year, so enrollment is likely to be competitive,” said Richard Fordyce, USDA Undersecretary for Farm Programs and Conservation. “It’s not about the total number of enrolled acres, it’s about producers and landowners offering the acres that can best deliver real and lasting benefits to soil, water, and wildlife.” Producers and landowners interested in participating in CRP should contact their local FSA county office.
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