Old Man Winter, that popular personification of less-than popular weather, struck again this week and may have more in store (see, NPR, January 27, 2026; Ghaffar, January 27, 2026; Rucker…

Many farmers will be considering the Supplemental and Enhanced Coverage Options (SCO and ECO) this year, as subsidy levels for these federal crop insurance products have been increased from 65% to 80% In many counties, the Risk Management Agency (RMA) increased the expected 2026 yields significantly above 2025 levels. Still, we find many of the expected yields for Illinois counties are below what one should expect given the crop’s recent historical experience, particularly for soybeans.

Supply chain disruptions, market concentration, global trade shocks, and housing shortages push issues related to affordability and the cost of living to the forefront. However, these pressures are not experienced uniformly; substantial regional cost of living differences shape how households navigate their daily expenses. These disparities can influence overall well being and exacerbate economic inequality, particularly in high cost metropolitan areas.

Release of the CBO Baseline is an annual ritual required by federal budget policy, pursuant to which the Congressional Budget Office projects spending on certain programs ten years into the unknowable future. CBO released its February 2026 baseline ahead of schedule, providing a new look at agricultural policy after enactment of major changes in the Reconciliation Farm Bill. This article continues a review of concerns with base acres in farm subsidy programs, adding perspectives from the CBO baseline.

Projections in the latest Illinois Crop Budgets suggest negative returns on cash rented farmland for the 2026 crop year (see farmdoc daily article from January 13, 2026).  This article compares…

Overall, farmland tenure in Illinois varies systematically from north to south, with northern Illinois characterized by a higher reliance on cash rent, central Illinois by greater use of crop share leases, and southern Illinois by a higher proportion of owned land.  Average higher-return operations consistently control land in ways that reduce fixed ownership exposure and increase risk sharing through crop share arrangements.

House Agriculture Chair G.T. Thompson has tentatively scheduled a farm bill markup for the week of Feb. 23, according to three people familiar with the plans.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. agreed to pay $40 million to settle a two-year federal investigation into the crop giant’s accounting practices that eroded faith in the company’s transparency. Separately, Tyson Foods has…

President Donald Trump called on Congress Tuesday to resolve differences over year-round sales of E15 fuel and to finalize an agreement that would be a boon for struggling corn farmers.

Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden (last week) accused Nutrien and Mosaic of working to ‘collude’ to limit U.S. fertilizer supply and control prices, suggesting that the administration could take future…

Republican U.S. lawmakers plan to create a task force to study potential year-round sales of higher-ethanol E15 gasoline blends in the U.S., after an attempt to pass such legislation in…