In a recent USDA conference with congressional staff, the agency reported that more than 15,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture employees have taken one of the two Trump administration’s financial incentive offers to leave the agency, which represents about 15% of the USDA’s total workforce. These numbers could rise in the near future, because employees over 40 were given more time to decide whether to leave. A USDA statement indicated that Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is working to make the agency more efficient. Those leaving include 674 county employees of the Farm Service Agency who directly serve farmers in offices across the country, and 2,408 staff of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which provides technical assistance to farmers and manages working land conservation programs. Oh, 555 employees of the Food Safety Inspection Service, which ensures the safety of the U.S. meat, poultry and egg supply are gone as well, and, some of the 1,377 staff departures from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will probably affect the agency’s response to bird flu.
The USDA is still calculating total 2024 crop receipts, and is forecasting that receipts are down $27.7 billion, or 10%, from 2023, led by a 22% drop in corn receipts and a 16.7% slide in soybeans. For perspective, estimated 2024 farm income is still 15% above the $121.5 billion inflation-adjusted average for the past 20 years, but agricultural economists are growing even more pessimistic about the U.S. agricultural economy according to the latest Ag Web Economist Monthly Monitor. The April survey found that 72% of economists surveyed believe that the row crop side of agriculture is in a recession. That’s up 10% from last month. Eighty-two percent of economists also think this could force more consolidation in agriculture, and economists are also concerned that President Trump’s tough stance on trade could push U.S. agriculture deeper into a recession, while also giving Brazil more of a competitive edge. As one economist stated, the stakes are high, and the key is whether Trump’s policies add to U.S. producer's problems, and if U.S. agriculture can survive without China. The Ag Economy survey also found that 72% of economists believe that the row crop side of agriculture is in a recession. That’s up 10% from last month. Eighty-two percent of economists also think this could force more consolidation in agriculture. According to Bloomberg L. P, a top Chinese state planner, stated that China’s grain supply won’t be affected by a loss of U.S. feed grain and oilseed imports, since inbound shipments of grain, mainly from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, are expected to climb to more than 30 million tons from April to the end of June.
But farmers aren’t the only sector of agriculture being affected by Trump tariffs. Farm machinery manufacturers such as AGCO and Case New Holland Industrial NV thought this year would bring a bottom in the industry’s sales slump following a steep slide from a 2022 peak. But farmers are delaying equipment purchases as President Donald Trump’s tariffs cloud the outlook and China’s retaliation threatens to deepen the ag downturn. However, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has stated that the government is considering more aid payments for American farmers after about $10 billion in assistance funds in March.
The American Farm Bureau Federation is inviting farmers and ranchers to submit nominations for the 2026 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest. The grand prize winner will win a year’s worth of Purina Pro Plan dog food and $5,000 in prize money, along with recognition at the Farm Dog of the Year award ceremony at the American Farm Bureau Convention in Anaheim, California, in January 2026.
"The Average dog is nicer person than the average person"
