November 5, 2026

Election Results Set Stage for Shift in Congressional Ag Leadership

Democratic gains in several farm states are setting the stage for a major shift in congressional agriculture leadership following Tuesday’s midterm elections. Agri-Pulse said Democrats will take control of both the House and Senate, reversing Republican majorities on Capitol Hill. Agriculture and rural issues played a role in campaigns across the country, including concerns about higher fuel and fertilizer costs, trade disruptions, and changes to food assistance programs. Democratic Senator-elect Adam Hamilton, who defeated Republican Senator Roger Marshall in Kansas, cited fuel and fertilizer costs and trade policy among the concerns raised by voters. The shift raises questions about how the new Congress will approach a farm bill. Leaders from both parties previously committed to reaching a bipartisan agreement this year. Another immediate focus will be leadership changes on the House and Senate Agriculture committees, along with other panels overseeing issues affecting farmers and rural communities.

***********************************************************************************
Renewable Fuels Group Backs EPA Plan to Restore RFS Volumes

The Renewable Fuels Association is supporting an EPA proposal to restore renewable fuel volumes lost through small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard. At a hearing Wednesday, RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper said the agency should reallocate all 770 million additional renewable identification numbers, or RINs, waived beyond the levels anticipated in its earlier rule. Cooper says full reallocation is needed to prevent exempted gallons from reducing demand for newly produced renewable fuels in 2026 and 2027. He also criticized EPA’s process for granting small refinery exemptions, arguing the program was intended to provide temporary relief for refiners facing economic hardship, not become a permanent entitlement. RFA says the exemptions undermine renewable fuel demand and discourage investment by farmers, biofuel producers, and fuel retailers. The group says restoring the waived volumes would help protect the Renewable Fuel Standard’s market benefits.

***********************************************************************************
New DMI CEO Outlines Priorities for Dairy Checkoff

New Dairy Management Incorporated President and CEO Corey Scott says strengthening relationships with farmers and growing consumer demand are key priorities for the dairy checkoff. Scott began the job on October 12, succeeding Barbara O’Brien, who is retiring after 25 years with DMI. Speaking at the industry’s Joint Annual Meeting in Florida, Scott emphasized the importance of listening to farmers and importers and maintaining open communication. She outlined three goals for her first three years: helping farmers better understand and explain how checkoff dollars are spent, building a strong organization focused on serving the industry, and increasing dairy consumption. Scott says she wants every person who can consume dairy to add one more serving each day. She also emphasized the need to anticipate changing consumer preferences, including demand for taste, texture, clean labels, and protein. As Scott put it, the checkoff needs to go where the consumer market is headed, not simply where it is today.

***********************************************************************************
U.S. Soybean Farmers Face Higher Input Costs Than Brazilian Producers

U.S. soybean farmers spend considerably more per acre on production inputs than their counterparts in Brazil, according to a new Farmdoc daily report. The report estimates total input costs average 616 dollars per acre in the United States, compared with 416 dollars in Brazil. Seed costs account for part of the difference, with U.S. farmers spending an average of 66 dollars per acre, compared with 43 dollars in Brazil. But the cost picture varies by input. Brazilian farmers spend more on fertilizer, averaging 85 dollars per acre, compared with 57 dollars in the United States. The cost gap comes as Brazilian soybean production continues to gain ground in global markets. A September Purdue University-CME Group survey found 80 percent of U.S. farmers were concerned or very concerned about the competitiveness of American soybeans compared with Brazil.

***********************************************************************************
USDA Grant Supports Future Regulatory Veterinary Workforce

A USDA grant will help introduce veterinary students to careers in state and regulatory veterinary medicine through paid summer internships. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation received a Veterinary Services Grant Program award from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture for a three-year project. The program will provide nine veterinary students with paid, 10- to 12-week internships in state animal health offices, with three students participating each year. Students will work alongside state animal health professionals and gain experience in disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, animal health programs, and regulatory activities. NASDA Foundation Senior Director Chris Jones says many veterinary students have limited opportunities to explore careers in state and regulatory medicine. He says the internships will show students how their training can contribute to public service. The project aims to strengthen the veterinary workforce responsible for preventing and responding to animal diseases and protecting agricultural communities.

***********************************************************************************
EPA Ends Long-Running Emissions Study Requirements for Livestock Farms

Livestock farmers will no longer face uncertainty over federal emissions-estimating requirements tied to a study launched nearly two decades ago. The Environmental Protection Agency says it will not finalize emissions-estimating methodologies developed under a 2005 agreement with livestock and poultry farms. The agency also plans to end the remaining obligations under that agreement. EPA says data collected from 2005 through 2007 are too old and limited to support reliable estimates, particularly as farm designs, production practices, and technologies have changed. The National Pork Producers Council has long opposed the effort, citing concerns about how the proposed methods could affect farms under federal air regulations. NPPC President Rob Brenneman, an Iowa pork producer, says every farm is different and should be evaluated based on its own location, practices, animals, and people. The decision brings an end to a lengthy period of uncertainty for pork producers and other livestock farmers.

**********************************************************************************