March 12, 2026

Specialty Crop Payment Rates Due in April

The USDA has already allocated over $6 billion in payments under the Farmer Bridge Assistance Programs. Payment rates for specialty crops under the program are due in early April. “I believe we’ll have those payment rates in place by early next month,” Deputy Ag Secretary Stephen Vaden told Politico. “We’ll publish those payment rates as soon as we have them, and then quickly get going on the payment part of it.” He added that sugar beets, cotton, and rice are the commodities in the most financial distress because of their high production costs and trade issues. In fact, because of those issues, Senate Ag Chair John Boozman recently told Bloomberg that he’s calling for new federal aid to farmers in the wake of a spike in gasoline, diesel, and fertilizer prices that are driven by the military offensive against Iran. “I think they’re definitely going to need more assistance,” Boozman said.

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FDA Approves Wound Spray to Treat New World Screwworm

The Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for using the indexed product F10 Antiseptic Wound spray with Insecticide for the prevention and treatment of infestations caused by New World Screwworm. The treatment is approved for cattle, horses, species of hoof stock, raptors, and other wild birds, pet birds, and captive wild, exotic, and zoo mammals. F10 Antiseptic Wound Spray with Insecticide is indexed for use as a topical antiseptic for surface wounds, to repel flies, and to treat infestations due to fly strike in raptors, pet birds, captive small mammals, captive reptiles, and captive exotic/zoo mammals. The FDA Report says that when the product is used under the conditions described in the authorization, the known and potential benefits of F10 Antiseptic Wound Spray with Insecticide outweigh the known and potential risks. 

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Duvall Testifies Before Senate Ag Committee

American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall offered a variety of solutions for increasing the demand for U.S.-grown agricultural goods during testimony before the Senate Ag Committee. He joined several other agricultural leaders to share priorities to address a structural imbalance that threatens both farmers’ livelihoods and food insecurity in the U.S. The solutions offered included authorizing year-round E15, modernizing farm labor programs, and establishing improved programs to enable schools and the military to purchase directly from local farms. When it comes to E15, Duvall said it’s a no-brainer. “It’s a win-win-win,” he said. “It’s a win for our consumers, a win for the farmer, and it’s a win for Congress to make sure that you can do that for the consumer and for the farmer at the same time.” Duvall also recently sent a letter to President Trump asking him to intervene to address the disruption of fertilizer shipments from the Middle East. 

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U.S. Tractor and Combine Sales Down 12 Percent in February

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ monthly “Flash Report” said the sales of all tractors during February in the U.S. were down 12 percent from the same month in 2025. During February, a total of 9,084 tractors were sold, which compares to 11,167 sold during the same month in 2025. For the month, two-wheel drive smaller tractors under 40 horsepower were down 11 percent from last year, while 40-and-under-100-horsepower sales were down nine percent from 2025. Sales of two-wheel drive 100-plus-horsepower tractors were down 26 percent, while four-wheel drive tractors were up 11 percent. Combine sales in February totaled 159, down 13 percent from last year. For the year, total tractor sales are down nine percent from 2025. For the year, combine sales totaled 322 through February, which was up 15 percent from last year during the first two months. 

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National FFA Hosting Next Gen Conferences

The National FFA Organization is proud to host Next Gen conferences for members three times a year. They focus on specific career pathways to in-demand industries. Earlier this month, the first FFA Next Gen Conference of 2026 was in Raleigh, North Carolina, with a focus on hands-on learning in power, structural, and technical systems. FFA members apply to attend Next Gen Conferences, which provide an opportunity to map out their future careers through exploration sessions, industry roundtable discussions, and tours. These Next Gen conferences open the doors for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors to get an in-depth look at career opportunities for their futures before they even graduate high school. The Raleigh event hosted 72 FFA members participating from around the country. Members toured John Deere Turf Care and BASF during the conference. Next Gen Conferences occur three times a year, and for more information, go to ffa.org. 

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March WASDE is a “Non-Event”

Ending stocks for corn, soybeans, and wheat were left unchanged in the March World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, called a “non-event” by some analysts. There were no changes to the 2025-2026 U.S. corn outlook relative to last month. The season-average corn price is unchanged at $4.10 per bushel. The biggest change was in global coarse grain production, which was forecast to be 2.7 million tons higher at 1.593 billion. The U.S. soybean supply and use projections included increased imports and crush, and unchanged ending stocks. Soybean imports and crush were raised by five million bushels. The season-average soybean price is unchanged at $10.20 per bushel. There were no changes this month for the 2025-2026 U.S. wheat supply and use categories. The season-average farm price is up a nickel to $4.95 per bushel on NASS prices reported to date and price expectations for the remainder of the year. 

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