A new year has delivered a new food pyramid from the Trump administration, and we will see how it impacts what Americans buy from farmers. On January 7th, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) unveiled an updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030. It was complete with a redesigned food pyramid that departs sharply from models of the past. This policy shift, centered on a message to “eat real food,”  could have significant impl

MAHA, Make America Healthy Again, will influence America’s food system in 2026, although it may be too early to know how deeply. U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy, Junior, has made a host of claims about ultra-processed foods, synthetic dyes, and pesticides and discussed thematic changes to better promote good health in Americans, especially children. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February 2025 that created the MAHA Commission. I

As farmers wait to find out how much a new federal bridge payment could replace some of the income that they have lost from higher costs, lower market prices, and international trade complexities, they are assessing their finances for 2026. Jerry Gulke is president of the Gulke Group, an Illinois-based research and information analysis firm that provides marketing strategies for agribusinesses. Gulke has also farmed corn and soybeans for the past 40 years, but he isn’t sure t

For generations, U.S. farmers have competed in global markets on the strength of productivity, innovation, and trust. But today, Brazil seems to be a more difficult challenger. USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden laid out a blunt assessment of how Brazilian agricultural practices are reshaping global commodity markets and why American farmers are feeling the squeeze. “Brazil is the reason for so many of our commodity crops that they are in the position that they are in with d

Farmers who failed to accurately report their 2025 acreage reporting by 5 p.m. Friday, December 19, could miss out on their share of the $12 billion USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. The program provides emergency help for farmers struggling with repercussions from President Donald Trump’s higher tariffs on imports, low commodity prices, and higher costs. Acreage reporting will help the USDA determine individual assistance for farmers. USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance Prog

A sweeping reorganization that brings a substantial reduction in personnel and shift in geographical footprint is underway at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one that could reshape the direction of the agency.