Honey bees play a critical role in agricultural production, however commercial beekeepers face substantial costs and uncertainty. A representative operation cannot cover total costs and requires government payments to cover cash costs. This highlights the economic impact colony losses and health maintenance have on beekeeping operations. Continuing issues with colony health suggest uncertainty in the economic sustainability of the industry in the long-term.

Most long-term leases held by foreign persons are for wind and solar projects, covering 6.3 million acres, or about 0.7 percent of U.S. land in farms. In most counties the share is under 1 percent, and nearly all of these acres are associated with investors from Canada and Western Europe. Because the landowner retains title and AFIDA reports acreage as a whole parcel, lease acres are best viewed separately from ownership when assessing foreign holdings of U.S. agricultural land. 

Final marketing year average (MYA) prices were recently released by the USDA for nearly all eligible commodities, and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) has finalized the payments for most commodities from the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss (PLC) programs for the 2025 crop year. Overall, payment rates were substantial and widespread across most of the US for corn, soybeans and wheat, averaging $62, $29 and $47 per base acre, respectively.

Survey results in this article show that although many rural households now have access to broadband service, the existing infrastructure often falls short of meeting evolving household and business needs. Agriculture has distinct broadband needs that extend beyond residential service requirements, and both must be addressed as rural communities continue to develop. Reliable, high-quality broadband is increasingly important to the competitiveness of production agriculture.

Agricultural loan balances at U.S. commercial banks increased in the second quarter of 2026, with gains in both farm real estate and non-real estate loans. At agricultural banks, farm loan…

Agricultural conservation policies include assistance for nutrient management. To the extent that this assistance is intended to encourage farmers to reduce application rates for nutrients, such as nitrogen, the policy presents another variation on the conservation-risk challenges examined in this series. This article examines a case study to illustrate the potential costs and risks from reduced nitrogen application alongside the financial assistance available through EQIP.