Other Ag News:
(Washington, D.C., Aug. 11, 2026) – Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins hosted an event at Moore Air Base in Texas to announce new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), reinforcing a whole-of-government commitment to protect the nation’s food, agriculture, and veterinary systems from emerging threats like New World screwworm (NWS). U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott represented U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin at the event.
USDA’s Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program and its state partners are working together to protect honey bees and other pollinators by combating the yellow-legged hornet. This invasive hornet is a serious predator of bee colonies and threatens the health of native pollinators that support our nation’s agriculture.
(Washington, D.C., Aug. 7, 2026) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins applauds the Senate confirmation of Glen R. Smith of Atlantic, Iowa, as U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development. This reaffirms the Trump Administration’s commitment to rural America and the farmers, small towns, and rural communities.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
press@sustainableagriculture.net
Comment: Senate Farm Bill Takes A Step Forward, Significant Work RemainsWashington, DC, August 6, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the Senate Agriculture Committee’s markup of the Agricultural Act of 2026:
“The path to a durable farm bill for all farmers and families has always been through a robust, bipartisan process – today’s markup reinforces that. A bipartisan amendment successfully secured meaningful funding for market opportunities for local farmers, an incredibly positive step forward. Yet the inability to find bipartisan solutions to address deep cuts to popular, oversubscribed conservation programs and the SNAP program will continue to weigh this bill down until real solutions are found. NSAC thanks Senators for their diligent work to make some progress today – and encourages continued bipartisan conversation toward a bill that levels the playing field for family farmers, expands opportunity through conservation and research programs, and supports the long-term viability of local and regional supply chains.”
The final passage of the updated Agricultural Act of 2026 failed on a party line vote, 10-11, although the Committee can return to the bill in September. Stay tuned to NSAC’s blog for future updates, analysis, and coverage of the farm bill reauthorization. Find our deep dive analysis of the original Senate ‘discussion draft’ farm bill from June 2026 here.
###
About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more and get involved at: https://sustainableagriculture.net
The post Comment: Senate Farm Bill Takes A Step Forward, Significant Work Remains appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
(Washington, D.C., August 5, 2026) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today signed a proclamation (PDF, 365 KB) recognizing National Farmers Market Week, August 2-8, 2026, calling on Americans to make the week a nationwide celebration by visiting and supporting their local farmers markets.
(Washington, D.C., August 4, 2026) – Today, at Minnesota Farmfest, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced several steps that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking to support America’s farmers in response to ongoing challenges across the agricultural sector. These actions include a series of data modernization, payment flexibility, and enhanced crop insurance options to benefit farmers.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
press@sustainableagriculture.net
Comment: Revised Senate Farm Bill Proposal Still Falls Flat for Most Farmers
Washington, DC, August 2, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman’s (R-AR) revised farm bill proposal. The committee will mark up the updated version of the Agricultural Act of 2026 on the morning of Thursday, August 6.
The latest Senate farm bill proposal comes up short on delivering the stability and level playing field that are so badly needed. American farmers and ranchers face a fundamentally destabilized agriculture landscape, and this farm bill would compound uncertainty by making deep cuts to conservation programs, withholding investments that would fuel domestic markets for local farmers, and leaving out critical farm safety net reforms. While we were heartened to see several modest, bipartisan policy improvements to the Senate’s initial discussion draft, the overall bill is still lacking. Without significant changes, it won’t meet most farmers’ needs. We can and must do better. NSAC urges the Committee to aim high toward a bold and truly bipartisan process that can deliver lasting opportunity and autonomy for farmers and the communities they call home.
The updated Agricultural Act of 2026 adds more than 80 pages of text to the initial discussion draft, which includes changes to nearly every title of the farm bill, from conservation, nutrition, research, local and regional food programs, and much more. Many of these changes bring the Senate’s bill into closer alignment with the House-passed Food, Farm, and National Security Act. Stay tuned to NSAC’s blog for future analysis and coverage of the farm bill reauthorization. You can find our deep dive analysis of the original Senate ‘discussion draft’ farm bill from June 2026 here.
###
About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more and get involved at: https://sustainableagriculture.net
The post Comment: Revised Senate Farm Bill Proposal Still Falls Flat for Most Farmers appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
(Washington, D.C., July 31, 2026) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced six additional meat and poultry companies have adopted USDA’s voluntary Product of USA (POTUSA) label, continuing the strong momentum behind the Trump Administration’s efforts to help consumers easily identify products that are truly born, raised, harvested, and processed in the United States.
(Washington, D.C., July 29, 2026) – Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins visited the livestock inspection facilities at the Douglas, Arizona, Port of Entry, joined by Rep. Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Rep. Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Rep. Eli Crane (AZ-02), and Arizona Director of Agriculture Paul Brierley, highlighting the Department’s extensive preparedness measures ahead of the planned reopening of the port to livestock trade on August 24.
(Washington, D.C., July 29, 2026) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced a new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiative to recruit veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses into mission-critical careers that protect America’s food supply, strengthen rural communities, and defend the nation’s agricultural security.
Pages
Signup for the Ag Newsletter
Get the freshest farm news, events and updates from in and around Cattaraugus County, NY at least once a month! Go signup!
Other ways to stay connected:
Get Involved in Farming
Resources for Starting a Farm in Cattaraugus County
Profile of Cattaraugus County soils
Agriculture Career Exploration
Questions about farming? Find out Who to Call










