5 questions about Trump’s tariff plans

Duties on Mexico and Canada could take effect this weekend. Here’s what to know.

By Philip Neuffer • Jan. 31, 2025

Meat giant JBS breaks into the egg business

A merger with South American producer Mantiqueira Brasil comes amid soaring U.S. egg prices.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 30, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Agriculture Dive

Declining farm income and other production challenges have pushed farmers to rethink their operations and adopt new technology in a bid to diversify potential revenue streams. 

By Agriculture Dive staff

Cargill, Foster Farms to close turkey plants as demand wanes

The closures, which will lead to layoffs of more than 1,600 people, come as bird flu ravages farms and consumer tastes change.

By Nathan Owens • Jan. 30, 2025

Zeldin is confirmed as the new EPA administrator. What’s next?

Agriculture groups welcomed the former New York representative’s approach to deregulation and his support for extending year-round access to E15.

By Megan Quinn , Jacob Wallace • Jan. 30, 2025

Smithfield falls short of expectations in muted IPO

The public offering came in at $522 million, although the pork producer had anticipated more than $900 million.

By Nathan Owens • Jan. 29, 2025

US detects rare bird flu strain H5N9 in poultry for first time

The finding at a California duck farm is raising alarms among public health experts that bird flu could further mutate into “unpredictable new viruses.”

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 29, 2025

Trump freeze on federal grants and loans sparks confusion in agriculture

The Office of Management and Budget said aid to farmers won’t be affected, but listed dozens of USDA programs to be reviewed for “Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies.”

By Justin Bachman , Sarah Zimmerman • Updated Jan. 29, 2025

Egg prices could break more records in 2025

The USDA is expecting consumer costs to rise another 20% this year as bird flu devastates commercial flocks.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 28, 2025

USDA slow to update food safety standards for meat and poultry, watchdog finds

The U.S. Government Accountability Office recommended action on dormant pathogen standards and better collaboration within the USDA’s outbreak investigation activities.

By Nathan Owens • Jan. 27, 2025

Trump’s agriculture secretary nominee lays out ‘day one’ priorities for USDA

Brooke Rollins presented her vision to "modernize" the department and sided with the president on controversial issues like immigration and tariffs.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 24, 2025

Covenant pays poultry carrier another multimillion-dollar performance award

The $100 million acquisition of Lew Thompson & Sons Trucking in 2023 included up to $30 million in earnouts.

By Colin Campbell • Jan. 24, 2025

How a rare southern snowstorm could bring risks to farms

Experts warn citrus and livestock farmers in states like Texas, Georgia and Alabama will need to take precautions to protect their operations.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 23, 2025

Why an independent grocer is holding the line on egg prices

Connecticut supermarket chain LaBonne’s Markets sees the ongoing egg shortage as an opportunity to demonstrate to shoppers that it is focused on helping them afford groceries, CEO Bob LaBonne Jr. said.

By Sam Silverstein • Jan. 23, 2025

Agriculture Dive to stop publishing

On Feb. 1, 2025, Agriculture Dive will stop publishing. We hope our daily coverage of the agriculture space was helpful to you.

By Davide Savenije • Jan. 23, 2025

Perdue Farms to shutter Tennessee chicken plant

The company is set to close the Monterey facility at the end of March, eliminating 433 jobs.

By Nathan Owens • Jan. 22, 2025

Cargill reaches $32M settlement in turkey price-fixing lawsuit

Tyson Foods previously agreed to pay $4.62 million in the case, which accuses meatpackers of colluding to drive up consumer prices.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 21, 2025

Smithfield Foods eyes $10.7B valuation in IPO

The company said it plans to raise up to $939.6 million through its shareholder offering. 

By Nathan Owens • Jan. 21, 2025

Agtech seedlings: Amazon-backed Windfall Bio hits commercial milestone for methane-eating microbes

Also in this week's farm technology news: Syngenta to speed up biostimulant development with AI, and Pilgrim's Pride expands its renewable gas efforts at a South Carolina plant.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 17, 2025

Hormel Foods CEO to retire

The departure of James Snee, who took over the top post in 2016, is the third leader from a major food company to announce they are leaving since December.

By Christopher Doering • Jan. 17, 2025

USDA withdraws rule defining unfair practices in meat markets

The regulation would have paved the way for increased enforcement against anticompetitive practices in the meatpacking industry.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 16, 2025

US poultry, swine workers face increased health risks, studies show

The USDA-backed research comes as meat producers push to increase factory line speeds in processing facilities, which critics say compounds the likelihood of injury.

By Nathan Owens • Jan. 15, 2025

Chipotle invests to reduce methane emissions from cows

The restaurant chain's venture fund is also backing efforts to produce plant-based meat from duckweed.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 15, 2025

JBS will pay $4M to counter illegal child labor practices

A DOL official praised the remedial steps proposed by the world’s largest meat processor as “creative and forward-thinking.”

By Emilie Shumway • Jan. 15, 2025

Seafood company not on the hook for overtime in COVID lockdown case, court rules

The case highlights the complexities involved with determining compensability under the Fair Labor Standards Act, particularly when workers are kept on campus.

By Ryan Golden • Jan. 14, 2025

Higher egg prices boost Cal Maine earnings

Bird flu outbreaks have created supply shocks at the grocery store, with some retailers limiting consumer purchases.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 10, 2025