Ag Spending Bill for 2027 and Americans Continue Buying Meat
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**Sustainable agriculture advocates are concerned about the House fiscal year 2027 ag spending bill, saying it could reduce support for conservation, climate resilience and ag research.
The House Appropriations Committee approved the measure in April, advancing legislation that would provide about $26.3 billion in discretionary funding for agriculture, rural development and food safety, slightly below current spending levels.
Republican lawmakers say the bill prioritizes farmers, ranchers and rural communities while reducing federal spending.
**Americans continue to buy more meat despite rising grocery store prices.
That’s according to a new Market Intel analysis from the American Farm Bureau Federation ahead of Memorial Day.
The report says meat sales reached $112 billion in 2025, with more than 98% of U.S. households purchasing meat for meals.
USDA also forecasts that beef, pork, and chicken consumption will increase again in 2026.
Record high beef prices are averaging $9.64 per pound.
**U.S. egg production rose 5% year-over-year in April as the number of layers also increased.
In the USDA’s monthly report, output totaled 8.92 billion eggs last month, up from 8.49 billion in April of last year.
That included 7.65 billion table eggs and 1.27 billion hatching eggs.
U.S. egg layers on May 1 totaled 373 million, a 4% annual increase.
