Pennsylvania officials are urging the USDA to expedite federal disaster assistance after an April freeze caused widespread damage to specialty crops across the state.

The sixth USDA Crop Progress Report of the spring showed that U.S. farmers in the top 18 states continued to make rapid planting progress during the week ending May 10.

Changing weather patterns are continuing to test farmers across the country, but agronomists and researchers have noted that these shifts could eventually influence how resilient crops become.

Grapes, strawberries and apples continued to dominate the U.S. noncitrus fruit industry in 2024 according to USDA data highlighted in the report.

Diesel prices are climbing rapidly across the U.S., with several states already reaching record highs as global energy volatility continues to pressure fuel markets.

Corn planting reached 38% complete nationwide as of May 3, marking a sharp jump from 25% the previous week as favorable weather allowed farmers to accelerate fieldwork across much of the Corn Belt.

The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) is upgrading the rainfall data source used in its index-based crop insurance products, transitioning to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the 2026 farm bill on a narrow 224-200 vote, advancing long-awaited legislation that updates federal agriculture policy.

Corn futures have remained in a relatively narrow range, generally between $4 and $5, even as both supply and demand have stayed strong.

USDA has signed a $300 million agreement with Palantir Technologies to support its “One Farmer, One File” initiative, which aims to consolidate farmer data across programs into a single system.