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Agriculture

Executive action to bolster wildfire response

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum recently joined President Donald Trump for the signing of Executive Order Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response, at the White House. The newly signed order directs federal agencies to consolidate and streamline federal wildland fire capabilities and enhance local response by adopting practical, technology driven strategies for land management, wildfire mitigation and response. It also directs agencies to modernize wildland firefighting efforts and expand efforts to ...

Highlights of USDA trade delegation talks in Italy

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins recently concluded her trade delegation visit to Rome, Italy. Rollins reinforced the Trump Administration’s expectations for improved agricultural market access to our ally Italy and encouraged opportunities to expand the reach of the American agricultural industry across the European Union. Key highlights: Secretary Rollins held a bilateral meeting with her Italian counterpart, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forests Francesco Lollobrigida alongside the Charge d’affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Rome, ...

Penn State Extension offers animal-agriculture info hotline

UNIVERSITY PARK — A Penn State Extension resource that provides timely, animal-agriculture production information via telephone has expanded for 2025. Designed by Extension’s Animal Systems unit primarily for those with limited or no internet access, the Animal Systems Hotline — available toll-free at 888-655-2407 — now features information on livestock production, in addition to the dairy and poultry advice offered previously. By calling (888) 655-2407, producers and hobbyists can listen to messages — each typically three to five minutes long — with tips on dairy, ...

US secures ag market access in Brazil, Thailand, Vietnam

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced American agricultural producers will have greater market access to Thailand and Vietnam and maintained access to Brazil. The Trump Administration continues to break down non-tariff barriers and defend current market access, and these latest actions are some of many wins ahead for American producers. U.S. dairy producers will have maintained access to Brazil markets, citrus and apple growers will be able to sell more products to Thailand, and stone fruit growers will face lower non-tariff trade barriers in Vietnam as a ...

Funding increased to reimburse states for food safety inspections

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins has announced she will exercise the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) authority to provide a much-needed funding increase of $14.5 million in reimbursements to states for meat and poultry inspection programs. Without this funding, States may not have the resources to continue their own inspection programs which ensure products are safe. This funding increase ensures American produced meat and poultry can make it to market and onto the tables of families across the country. “President Trump is committed to ensuring ...

State waivers approved to remove unhealthy foods from SNAP

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins signed waivers to amend the statutory definition of food for purchase for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) in Indiana and Iowa, each commencing in 2026. Earlier in May, Secretary Rollins signed the first-ever waiver of this kind in Nebraska. “President Trump has given our nation a once in a generation opportunity to change the health trajectory for our entire country. On my first day as Secretary, I sent a call to states to innovate, and Governors Jim Pillen, Kim Reynolds, Mike Braun, Sarah Huckabee ...