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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.
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
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

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US-China trade war

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

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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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US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Tuesday that US farmers are benefiting from China’s recent ban on select Brazilian soybean shipments. Photo: Getty Images/TNS
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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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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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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US President Donald Trump after signing the funding bill to end the US government shutdown. Photo: Reuters
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.

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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The US Soybean Export Council’s stand is seen at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
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’.

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.

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.

A photo taken on October 29, 2025, shows the south square of the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, the main venue for the eighth China International Import Expo. Photo: Xinhua
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.

People wait in line for free food at the World of Life Christian Fellowship International food pantry in New York on Saturday. Photo: Reverend John Udo-Okon via AP
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.

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.

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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.

A Delta Air Lines flight passes in front of the Air Traffic Control tower while departing from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: EPA
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.

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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China’s beekeepers often manage fewer than 50 colonies, providing meticulous, hands-on care. Photo: Shutterstock
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.

US-China relations

Trump admin increasing scrutiny of Chinese, other foreign farmland ownership in US

US starting to cancel agricultural contracts with entities from ‘countries of concern’.

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Hong Kong society

Hongkongers urged not to buy Oscar Mayer turkey bacon due to bacteria concerns

Spokesman for Centre for Food Safety says preliminary investigation found that City’super had sold one of the affected packs.

Hongkongers have been urged not to consume Oscar Mayer turkey bacon over possible listeria contamination. Photo: AP
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