September 01, 2026
EPA Grants Most Small Refinery Exemption Requests
EPA has granted most of the small refinery exemption requests it considered for the 2025 Renewable Fuel Standard compliance year. The agency announced decisions Monday on 34 petitions from individual refineries seeking relief from their biofuel blending obligations. EPA granted full exemptions to 18 refineries and partial, 50 percent exemptions to another 11. Three petitions were denied, while two were deemed ineligible. The decisions come as soybean and biofuel groups have warned that expanded refinery exemptions could significantly reduce demand for biofuels and soybean oil. The EPA says it reviewed information submitted by each refinery and consulted with the Department of Energy before making its decisions. The agency also considered the DOE Small Refinery Study and other economic factors as required under the Clean Air Act. EPA says it will continue to monitor how exemptions are implemented and is reissuing a partial exemption for one refinery covering the 2024 compliance year. The decisions could have significant implications for renewable fuel demand and farm markets.
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Rural Mainstreet Economy Edges Back Into Growth, But Farm Concerns Persist
The Rural Mainstreet Index edged back above growth-neutral in August, but the latest survey still shows significant financial pressure across farm country. Creighton University’s index rose to 50.3, up sharply from 42.1 in July. However, nearly half of surveyed bankers expect farm income to decline over the next year, while only about 16 percent expect an increase. Farm and ranchland prices also slipped below growth-neutral, with the index falling to 47.2. Farm equipment sales remained especially weak, dropping to 22.2 for the 36th consecutive month below 50. Creighton economist Ernie Goss says higher input costs, weak grain prices, and uncertainty surrounding tariffs and the Iran conflict are weighing on producers. Bankers also report signs of stress in cattle country, with drought prompting some ranchers to begin liquidating herds. Despite weaker cash flows, almost 54 percent of bankers say they haven’t yet tightened credit standards in the last three months.
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USDA Launches Ranchers First Initiative
The USDA is rolling out a broad package of programs aimed at rebuilding America’s beef herd and strengthening the nation’s cattle industry. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says the Ranchers First Initiative will support producers through several new and expanded programs. A new Beef Retention and National Development, or BRAND, endorsement would allow ranchers to insure the economic value of keeping heifers as breeding stock for up to two years. USDA also plans to let ranchers use Emergency Conservation Program funds on Grassland Conservation Reserve Program acres following wildfires and other disasters. The department is expanding support for small and regional beef processors through guaranteed loans and a new processor continuity effort. USDA also plans to prioritize American beef in federal purchasing and expand assistance for beginning and veteran farmers and ranchers. Rollins says the initiative builds on USDA’s ongoing efforts to rebuild the “Great American Beef Herd.”
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Cheese Names Become Sticking Point In U.S.-Mexico Trade Talks
A dispute over cheese names is becoming a sticking point in U.S.-Mexico trade negotiations, with billions of dollars in dairy exports potentially at stake. Reuters reports the U.S. is objecting to Mexico’s new trade agreement with the European Union, which extends protections to hundreds of European products, including Parmigiano Reggiano (par-mee-JAH-no reh-JAH-no), feta (FEH-tah), and Manchego (Mahn-CHAY-goh). U.S. officials argue those names are generic and should remain available to American producers. The European Union says certain names should be reserved for products from specific regions. Jaime Castaneda (HY-may Cas-ta-NAY-dah) of the U.S. Dairy Export Council says Mexico must ensure American dairy companies can continue selling cheeses using common names. The dispute comes as the U.S. and Mexico negotiate an interim trade agreement while also discussing renewal of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Mexico has become a billion-dollar market for U.S. cheese, making the issue especially important to American dairy exporters.
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NCBA Warns Against Weakening Beef Inspection Standards
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says expanding competition and supporting small and regional beef processors should not come at the expense of food safety. NCBA supports reducing unnecessary regulations that make it harder for smaller processors to compete. But the group says weakening federal meat inspection standards, as President Trump has suggested, would put consumer confidence in American beef at risk. The association says cattle producers have spent generations building a reputation for high-quality beef and rigorous food safety. NCBA also says recent proposals to increase foreign beef imports and change domestic processing rules are creating additional uncertainty for producers trying to make long-term decisions. “If the Administration wants to help cattle producers, it should focus on reducing legitimate regulatory burdens, lowering fuel and fertilizer prices, protecting the U.S. cattle herd from foreign animal disease, and expanding opportunities for mid-size and regional cattle processors,” NCBA said. The group says Washington should let the cattle market work.
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“America’s Dairyland” Herd Numbers Fall Below 5,000
Wisconsin’s dairy herd count has fallen below 5,000 for the first time, highlighting just how dramatically the state’s dairy industry has changed over the past century. The National Agricultural Statistics Service reports 4,991 licensed dairy herds as of August 1, down from 5,222 a year earlier. That’s a fraction of the 167,000 herds Wisconsin had in 1930. Yet despite the steep decline in farms, milk production has remained relatively stable over the past 25 years. The reason is productivity. Wisconsin cows averaged 25,599 pounds of milk in 2025, compared with just 5,140 pounds in 1933. The state now has about 1.29 million dairy cows, nearly unchanged since 2001. Meanwhile, the average herd has grown to about 260 cows. The numbers show Wisconsin dairy farming has become far more concentrated, but also far more productive.
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