Trade Mission to Philippines and USDA Data Concerns
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins is working directly with ag input companies to address the still-rising costs amid warnings of fertilizer supply shortages and ongoing disruptions.
Agri-Pulse reports that the White House is wrestling with high prices for diesel and fertilizer, which have risen sharply since the Iran war began, and we’re now talking about this likely not just as a spring problem, but a problem that will likely last into the fall.
**The USDA will lead a trade mission to the Philippines next week, to expand market access for America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers.
The mission follows a trade agreement in July 2025, that opened new opportunities in the Philippines.
Michelle Bekkering, USDA Deputy Undersecretary, says this mission will connect U.S. exporters to reliable buyers in one of Asia’s fastest-growing markets.
The Philippines is the tenth-largest market for U.S. agricultural and food products.
**Senators Amy Klobuchar and Jeanne Shaheen led ten Democrats in raising concerns to USDA about the reliability of their data.
They said that a recent Farm Journal survey found 73% of ag producers and 78% of ag retailers are less confident in USDA reports in recent years.
The Senators say farmers need reliable data to make critical decisions on what to plant, how to manage risks, and when to market their products.
