The value of agricultural trade was rising the U.S., Mexico and Canada under the USMCA for all three countries until this year, though statistics show USMCA also has been a major factor in increasing the U.S. agricultural trade deficit.
Since 1997, Farmers' Independent Research of Seed Technologies (FIRST) has provided timely, unbiased data farmers can use to influence their seed-buying decisions and ultimately improve their profitability.
Farmers are blending tradition with innovation, using cover crops, no-till, and diversified practices to cut input costs, fight weeds, and protect soil while there is a growing push for regenerative agricultural practices. But these practices also offer farmers another way to reshape profitability while increasing conservation.
Prices for popular cover crops such as cereal rye and nitrogen-fixing brassicas are a little cheaper for producers this fall. A range of programs offers farmers incentives to try the practice and rewards farmers who have already been planting cover crops.
In 2026, more pesticide labels are likely to require measures to protect endangered species. EPA is offering a webinar next week to help farmers navigate these requirements.
