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US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
The latest news and top stories on US Department of Agriculture. A prominent Washington, D.C.-based governmental body, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is dedicated to developing and executing federal policy on farming, agriculture, and food. Its main areas of focus include supporting agricultural production, ensuring food safety, promoting rural development, managing natural resources, and providing nutrition assistance. The USDA, established in 1862, is recognised for its crucial role in safeguarding the nation’s food supply, fostering rural communities, and addressing hunger both domestically and internationally.The latest news and top stories on US Department of Agriculture.
Philippine farmer Elmer Ullani spells out “Stop US-Iran War” with his cabbages after having to spend almost all of the money he had earned at the market to pay for the fuel needed to get him there and back. Photo: Facebook / Elmer Ullani
The Philippines

How soaring fuel prices are pushing Filipino farmers to the brink

Farmer Elmer Ullani spent seven hours transporting his produce to a trading post, but says he has nothing left after paying for fuel.

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US-China trade war

Trump pitches China trade ‘win’ to US farmers ahead of Xi meeting, midterms

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Science

Could ultra-precise harvest forecasts give China an advantage in Iran war fallout?

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United States

US may have averted major shutdown by splitting bill, but partial closure is on

House approval still needed, with a funding lapse expected before lawmakers move to pass the spending package early next week.

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US President Donald Trump signs the funding bill to end the US government shutdown in November. Photo: Reuters
US-China trade war

Trump sells tariffs as farmers’ win in Iowa, but many aren’t buying it

As US president courts rural voters before midterms, growers fear Beijing may retaliate against Trump policies by curbing purchases again.

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United States

Are Trump loyalists struggling in US rural heartland ready to say ‘enough’?

Hammered by crippling costs and precious revenue lost to China, Midwest farmers’ loyalty to the US president will be tested in 2026 midterms.

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US-China trade war

China reportedly sticking to its soybean deal with US, but worries remain

Beijing secures 7 million tonnes of soybeans, passing halfway mark of its US purchase agreement. However, little has been shipped so far.

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China secures 7 million tonnes of soybeans, passing halfway mark of its US purchase agreement. Photo: The Minnesota Star Tribune/TNS
US-China trade war

‘A slap in the face’: some US farmers unhappy with Trump’s US$12 billion bailout

US soybean growers, who were hit hardest by tariff disputes, have voiced frustration that overdue funding falls well short of what they need.

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China-Latin America relations

Trump seizes on China ‘ban’ in Brazil soy trade, but data shows US gains small

China halted imports of soybeans from five Brazil-based exporters after pesticide-treated wheat was found mixed into cargo bound for Beijing.

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China food security

‘Impossible to achieve’: why China can’t grow enough soybeans to feed itself

The shift from soybean exporter to world’s top buyer has reshaped global markets and forced Beijing to confront new security risks.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
US-China relations

US soybean futures rebound on signs China is ramping up purchases

Prices in Chicago rose as much as 3.2 per cent on Monday, a 17-month high, after Trump said China is in the process of buying soybeans.

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A combine harvests soybeans in Marion, Kentucky Photo: Getty Images / AFP
United States

Trump signs funding bill to end longest US government shutdown

The signing came just hours after the Republican-controlled US House passed a measure to end the record 43-day shutdown.

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United States

US Supreme Court lets Trump continue food aid cuts, even as shutdown nears end

Reopening the government would restart the programme that helps 42 million Americans, but it’s not clear how soon full payments can resume.

Mainland China

China’s importers sign record US$83.5 billion in deals at trade expo

Deal value at the just-ended import fair rises 4.4 per cent from a year earlier, reflecting confidence in Chinese consumer spending.

Visitors attend the 8th China International Import Expo in Shanghai on Friday. Photo: AFP
United States

US court orders Trump to fund food aid amid shutdown chaos

On Saturday, the US Department of Agriculture directed states to ‘undo’ any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits during the shutdown.

People carry bags of groceries during a free food distribution in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Sunday. Photo: AFP
US-China trade war

US government shutdown muddies China trade as agricultural officials miss expo

Federal shutdown prevents officials from opening agriculture pavilion, complicating positive trade momentum after US-China leaders’ summit.

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United States

Trump blames ‘kamikaze’ Democrats for longest ever government shutdown

The Republican president told a breakfast meeting at the White House that the Democrats would ‘take down the country if they have to’.

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Donald Trump

Trump threatens to withhold Snap food aid until US shutdown ends

Critics warn that the US president may be planning to defy a court order requiring that the programme continue to be funded.

A message from the National Women’s Law Centre is projected on the US Department of Agriculture building in Washington on Monday. Photo: AP
Xi Jinping

Premier Li Qiang to highlight US-China pact at world’s largest trade fair CIIE

Li Qiang’s plan to visit booths of American companies aims to send strong signal that China is open for global business, sources say.

United States

Snap benefits cut off during US shutdown, driving long lines at food pantries

US judges have ordered the Trump administration to keep funding the programme, but it is not clear how and when payments will be made.

United States

Trump says ready to continue Snap aid, doesn’t want Americans to go hungry

The US president’s comments come after two judges ordered his administration to keep paying for the programme despite the shutdown.

A worker sorts fresh fruit and vegetables at La Colaborativa’s food pantry in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
United States

US judge blasts ‘political game’ over shutdown pause on food aid

More than 42 million people receive Snap benefits, which are set to lapse on November 1.

Union members and activists rally and hold a food drive in front of the US Department of Agriculture on Thursday. Photo: AFP
United States

US shutdown nears 1-month mark, threatening flights and food aid

US transport secretary predicts growing cancellations, saying air traffic controllers will receive a ‘big fat zero’ pay cheque.

United States

US will not use contingency fund to keep food aid flowing, memo says

The Trump administration’s funding is crucial for a food aid programme, which helps about one in eight Americans buy groceries.

Donald Trump

Trump to quadruple Argentine beef imports while US ranchers fume

Farmers are also angered by Trump’s US$20 billion currency swap with Argentina and losing out to the country on soybean sales to China.

Handlers move cattle at the livestock market in Canuelas, Argentina’s main cattle trading hub, on Tuesday. Photo: AP
US-China trade war

Argentina’s soy exports to China soar, angering US

China’s soybean buyers turn to Argentina after tax drop, leaving US farmers sidelined and Washington unhappy.

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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent checks a text message regarding Argentina’s relations with the US during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week. Photo: AP
Science

Why are honeybees dying en masse in the United States but thriving in China?

With 62 per cent of American hives wiped out in 6 months last year, Chinese scientists are racing to improve anti-mite defences.

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United States

US farm agency fires 70 foreign researchers after national security review

Most of those dismissed were Chinese postdoctoral researchers on two-year contracts with the Department of Agriculture.

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