Post Recess Farm Bill and Trade Deficit Decline
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**Senate Ag Chair John Boozman says he will reconvene committee members in September to vote again on his farm bill package after it failed to advance before recess.
This, after the proposal stalled due to Republican absences and Democratic backlash over food aid legislation.
Democrats are demanding Republicans delay by two years the requirement that states share the cost of providing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits starting next fall.
**The U.S. trade deficit declined in June but remains only slightly below levels seen before President Trump’s second term.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the trade gap narrowed more than 5% from May to $73.3 billion.
This year, the deficit is down about 7.5% compared with the first half of 2024.
Reuters says the decline comes after more than a year of tariffs aimed at reducing the nation’s trade imbalance.
**The National FFA continues to grow, reporting a record 1,053,847 student members during the 2025-26 school year.
FFA membership increased 1.1% from the previous year, with students participating in 9,591 chapters across all 50 states.
FFA CEO, Scott Stump says seeing continued growth is a powerful reminder that students everywhere are looking for opportunities to lead, build meaningful skills, and prepare for their futures.
