Federal

On April 30, 2026, the House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567). In response, National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President Jamie Kress issued the following statement: “NAWG appreciates Chairman Thompson’s leadership in advancing this critical legislation. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 delivers meaningful improvements that will provide ... Read More »

On April 24, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is maximizing disaster assistance support for producers by issuing a second Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) payment to eligible producers who have approved program applications for losses due to natural disasters in calendar years 2023 and 2024. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has ... Read More »

By Faith Parum Economist Rising input costs tied to the conflict in the Middle East are adding strain to an already challenging farm economy. To better understand how global fertilizer market disruptions are affecting producers during spring planting, the American Farm Bureau Federation conducted a Fertilizer Availability Survey of farmers and ranchers across the country. More than 5,700 farmers responded ... Read More »

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has opened the enrollment period for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program, providing $11 billion in one-time bridge payments to row crop producers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs. The FBA enrollment period opened Feb. 23 and closes April 17, 2026. These bridge payments are authorized under the Commodity ... Read More »

On March 31, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) urged the United States International Trade Commission to revoke countervailing duty (CVD) orders on phosphate fertilizers from Morocco and Russia, citing significant economic harm to U.S. wheat farmers. In a letter to Secretary Lisa R. Barton, NAWG emphasized that maintaining these duties would continue to impose unnecessary costs on farmers already ... Read More »

On March 24, 2026, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) released a new report highlighting the significant financial burden that countervailing duties (CVD) on phosphate fertilizer imports have placed on U.S. wheat farmers. The report finds that these duties have greatly increased fertilizer costs, contributing to nearly $1 billion in additional expenses for wheat growers – alone – between ... Read More »

From farmpolicynews.illinois.edu AgWeek’s Noah Fish reported that “the U.S. Department of Agriculture already has obligated more than $6 billion in payments under its new Farmer Bridge Assistance program just days after enrollment opened.” “The program, intended to help farmers facing tight margins and weak commodity prices for the 2025 crop year, has drawn strong early participation from producers across the ... Read More »

On March 5, the House Committee on Agriculture passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) with a vote of 34-17. In response, National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President and Idaho farmer Jamie Kress made the following statement: “NAWG thanks Chairman Thompson for his leadership in moving the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of ... Read More »

The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) welcomed its new officer team on Feb. 27 at the 2026 Commodity Classic in San Atonio, Texas. These officers will begin their one-year terms, continuing NAWG’s mission to promote the needs of our nation’s wheat growers. Jamie Kress of Idaho will serve as president, Nathan Keane of Montana will serve as vice president, ... Read More »

From the Capital Press U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon has mostly agreed to plaintiffs’ requests to increase spill over dams and lower reservoir levels on the Columbia and Snake rivers, in an injunction issued Feb. 25 in Oregon District Court. Stakeholders say the order will further hamper navigation on the rivers, but somewhat tempers impacts to power users and ... Read More »