November 4, 2026

Deere Recalls Workers as Farm Equipment Sales Remain Weak

John Deere anticipates hiring more than 400 workers across its factories and recalling more than 275 employees to its Waterloo, Iowa, operations in the coming months. The company says the moves would bring total callbacks since 2024 to about 1,000 employees. Deere also reports that workers previously laid off in Waterloo, the Quad Cities, Ottumwa (oh-TUM-wah), and Dubuque (duh-BYOOK) have been asked to return. Agri-Pulse reported that about 125 employees remain on layoff in the Des Moines area. The hiring comes as Deere prepares for labor negotiations next year, while continuing to manage uneven demand between its agricultural and construction equipment operations. However, the broader farm machinery market remains weak. Association of Equipment Manufacturers data show U.S. tractor sales fell 16.4 percent in September compared with a year earlier. Combine sales were down 10.9 percent. The figures suggest Deere’s workforce moves have not yet been matched by a broader recovery in farm equipment demand.

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Report Questions Funding Behind Campaign Opposing Save Our Bacon

A new RealClearInvestigations (RCI) report is raising questions about the funding and leadership behind a multimillion-dollar campaign opposing the Save Our Bacon provision in the farm bill. The proposal would address California’s Proposition 12, which sets animal housing standards affecting pork producers nationwide. Reporter James Varney says the American Meat Producers Association has announced a 30-million-dollar campaign against the provision. The investigation traces some of its financial backing to Silicon Valley philanthropists and animal rights organizations. The report says an affiliated political action committee received a three-million-dollar transfer from an AMPA nonprofit, while public filings identified just one donor listed as a farmer, contributing one-thousand dollars. It also examines connections between campaign leaders and animal advocacy groups, as well as a pork company marketing Proposition 12-compliant products.  The National Pork Producers Council says the campaign relies on “character attacks and misleading claims,” rather than representing American farmers.

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U.S. Grain Inspections Show Mixed Export Trends

USDA export inspections showed mixed results for major U.S. grains during the week ending October 29, with wheat shipments continuing to lag last year. Wheat inspections totaled just over 75,000 metric tons, down sharply from 195,000 tons the previous week and 351,000 tons during the same week last year. Season-to-date wheat inspections have reached 7.53 million metric tons, compared with 11.8 million at this point last year. Soybean inspections slipped slightly week to week, totaling 2.44 million metric tons. However, that remains well above the 993,000 tons inspected during the same week in 2025. Corn inspections moved higher, reaching nearly 885,000 metric tons, up from 638,000 the previous week. But that was still below the 1.71 million tons inspected a year ago. Since September 1, soybean inspections are running ahead of last year, while corn inspections remain behind.

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Report Says India Provided Nearly $18 Billion in Sugar Subsidies

A new report submitted to the World Trade Organization says India provided nearly 18 billion dollars in subsidies to its sugar industry in 2025, raising concerns about competition in the global sugar market. The report says those subsidies exceed WTO limits and increased even after the United States raised similar concerns in a filing last year. India is the world’s second-largest sugar producer and third-largest exporter, making its domestic policies an important factor in international sugar prices and trade. The report says India’s government support gives its producers advantages that can affect sugar markets worldwide, including competition facing American sugar producers. The findings add to broader concerns about government intervention and foreign subsidies in the global sugar trade. The report’s authors are calling for policymakers to modernize U.S. trade policies to address foreign subsidies and protect American farmers and workers.

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USDA Invests Nearly $52 Million to Combat Feral Swine

USDA is investing nearly 52 million dollars in efforts to control feral swine, which threaten farms, ranches, and natural resources across the country. The department awarded funding to 29 partnership projects in 13 states through its Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program. The projects are part of a broader 105-million-dollar investment involving USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. NRCS Chief Colton Buckley says feral swine threaten working lands, and the selected projects will focus on controlling or eliminating populations in areas experiencing the greatest damage. APHIS Administrator Kelly Moore says the animals continue to cause serious harm to farms, ranches, and natural resources. Projects will receive funding in 13 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. USDA says the funding comes from the Working Families Tax Cuts Act.

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National Wheat Yield Contest Recognizes 24 Growers

The National Wheat Foundation has announced 24 national winners in its 2026 National Wheat Yield Contest, representing 10 states, and averaging 146.4 bushels per acre. The contest also recognized four winners in a pilot digital yield category and 71 state winners from 22 states. State winners in the traditional categories averaged nearly 135 bushels per acre. The foundation says drought and reduced wheat acreage contributed to fewer entries this year, but growers continued to produce strong results despite challenging conditions. Executive Director Anne Osborne says Montana and Washington each had four national winners, with both states increasing participation. She also says interest is growing in double-crop regions, where high-yielding, high-quality wheat can improve profitability ahead of soybeans. National winners will be honored at Commodity Classic in New Orleans next March. The contest’s top-quality awards are expected in January, following grain and flour testing.

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