Magnetic Ag

The chickens have come home to roost—which seems common when USDA rule-making is met with opposition. Republican Reps. Steve Womack (R-AR) and Tracey Mann (R-KS) introduced a bill that would block a USDA rule that increases salmonella regulations.

While RFK Jr. is out here trying to "Make America Healthy Again," 90% of ag economists are side-eyeing his policies. His plan? Team up with the USDA to push regenerative ag, cut chemicals, and rethink food systems. Farmers? Split. Big Ag? Also confused. The Senate? Still deciding. Is he the visionary ag needs or the chaos it didn’t ask for? Drop your thoughts. ⬇️

If you work in crop production, you know that last year wasn’t easy.👎🌱 Tighter margins impacted growers across the nation, and the downturn has farmers looking for ways to cut back in the new year. ✂️ Where will farmers make these cuts? AgWeb recently surveyed more than 1,300 farmers, and overwhelmingly, nearly 80% said the first place they’ll look is machinery.🚜

You might want to follow the rules on this one.😉 Just an idea.

We think our food is safe, but according to a recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the FDA is lagging in its food safety inspection efforts.🧬 🍽️

And your just sitting here watching it all happen!

The USDA predicts a 4.1% decrease in net farm income to end 2024. 💵📉 🌾 Send love to your crop farmer friends: Crop farms are suffereing a projected 9.2% lower crop receipts. 🤠 Lucky livestock farmers: Livestock producer incomes are slightly better, as receipts are projected to be 8.4% higher than a year ago. Whoa what a year!

🚨 Ag’s 2025 vibes: Not exactly it, chief. ✨ The Crystal Ball Says: CoBank’s latest report spills the tea on trade policies, labor shortages, and more curveballs ag might face under the new (old?) administration. 📉 Exports & Labor: Retaliatory tariffs + migrant labor crackdowns = big yikes for ag margins. 💡 But hey, $8B in dairy investments and cheap feed costs for livestock are something. 🥴 2025 is gonna be a rollercoaster, y’all. Buckle up. #AgEcon #PolicyShifts #BigMood

The T-word has almost become a swear word recently. That’s right: tariffs. Tariff tsunami: On day one of re-entering the Oval Office, President-elect Donald Trump says he plans to sign an executive order to impose a 25% tariff on goods imported from Canada and Mexico, plus an additional 10% levy on Chinese imports. Trump says he would keep the tariffs in place to pressure the two neighboring countries to curb the flow of fentanyl and migrants into the U.S. Now, many are wondering what this means—just take a look at the spike in Google searches the past month. What are the impacts? Mexico and Canada are the U.S.’s top trading partners. The two countries export significant amounts of agricultural goods to the U.S., including fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy. And don’t forget the avocados, where nearly 90% are sourced from Mexico. If these tariffs are enacted, consumers would likely feel the effect at the grocery store through higher prices and possible shortages. Mexico president Claudia Sheinbaum suggested her country should introduce its own levies if Trump follows through with tariffs. It wouldn’t be the first time: Canada and Mexico imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural products in 2018. Soundbite: "To one tariff will follow another in response and so on, until we put our common businesses at risk." — Sheinbaum Mexico is currently the top importer of U.S. corn and pork, which could also be impacted if Mexico retaliates. Just blowing smoke? Trump plans to use tariffs as a bargaining chip, and many hope that won’t come at the expense of Americans. As Trump’s inauguration approaches, it may become more apparent if countries believe the president means what he says—or calls his bluff.

🚨BREAKING NEWS 🚨: Plants and fungi are LOWKEY chatting, and scientists are like, “Wait, WHAT?!” 🧑‍🔬🍄 Turns out plants aren’t just standing there like “I’m thirsty” — they’re sending secret messages to fungi using a plant hormone called strigolactone. 💌 This little messenger gets fungi all riled up, activating genes and proteins that help plants gobble up phosphate, which is basically the plant version of "fuel" 💥🌱 (hello, fertilizer!). 🌿 Get this: 80% of plants are basically in a lifelong BFF relationship with fungi. 🤝 They’re basically swapping notes on how to grow better and how to avoid fertilizer overdose. But wait — it’s not all sunshine and rainbows 🌈: sometimes the fungi start doing the most and infect plants, causing crops to literally ghost their harvest. 😱🍂 But don’t freak out — scientists are ON IT, learning how to block the bad fungi from sliding into the DMs with their nasty chemicals. 🍄🛑 Oh, and guess what? They found that even yeast (yes, that stuff you put in bread) can understand this plant/fungi convo. 🙌 They’re literally “listening” to the strigolactone signal and adjusting how they take up phosphate like little bio-geniuses. So, yeah. This plant/fungi drama? It's BIG. If we can crack the code, we might get healthier crops with less fertilizer (AKA saving the planet 🌍). 🔑💪 As Shelley Lumba from the University of Toronto says: "Healthy soil = healthy planet." 🌱🌍👩‍🔬 #PlantScience #FungiFam #BioVibes #SoilGoals #Sustainability #UnhingedScience

🚨 Litigation Layer Cake Alert 🚨 More groups are piling on lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Labor’s new & improved (read: controversial) H-2A program rule. 🍰 ICYMI: The final rule says, “Hey, workers, you can totally stand up for yourselves and your coworkers now.” It’s all about self-advocacy, clarity in termination for "cause," wage transparency, and ensuring employers can’t squash those brave voices. Sounds fair, right? 🤔 Hold up—not so fast. A judge in Georgia hit the brakes in 17 states, saying the DOL went too far. BUT... instead of backing off, the DOL basically said, “We hear you, but we’re doing it anyway” and rolled out a new application process without proper notice or feedback. Cue the lawsuit parade 🎉: The National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE) is leading the charge, filing another lawsuit, this time in Kentucky. They’re hoping the court will swat down the rule for good. 🧑‍⚖️ Soundbite of the century: “The DOL decided to add even MORE layers to this mess—because, why not?—without following the rules. We’re not having it." — NCAE’s Michael Marsh Will the rule survive, or will the courts say, “Nice try, but no?” Stay tuned for the next episode of "As the H-2A Program Turns." 👀

Today's Quick Hits are ready for you! Sign up for #Magnetic today for more! ➡️ #Pigging out. Yet another price-fixing case has been settled, with Seaboard Foods agreeing to pay $15M in settlement money for two lawsuits related to pork price-fixing. ➡️ No kidding. In #Greece, Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR—aka "goat plague") has been detected for the first time; the disease can kill 70% of #goats infected. ➡️ The #pests come marching in. The #EPA granted an exemption to use a certain insecticide in #Arkansas, as #farmers there try to fight back against an invasion of armyworms. ➡️ Down in the deficit. According to new cost estimates, the House farm #bill would increase the federal budget deficit by $33B over the next decade. ➡️ #Burgers on the #grill. During lean economic times, more #consumers choose ground #beef at the grocery store; the cattle industry is now watching to see how an ongoing economic slowdown impacts beef demand. ➡️ 1M strong. For the first time in organization history, the National #FFA has surpassed 1M members across 9,235 chapters.