USDA begins rural reorganization before public comment closes

In May, new Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced a reorganization of the USDA that would eliminate the Rural Development Mission Area, dealing a huge blow to rural communities across the country.

Trump’s agricultural trade policy with China: trade-offs or trade disputes?

With the U.S. confirmation of the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) having taken place little more than a month ago, it may seem premature to write about the Trump administration’s agricultural trade policy. However, it appears that at least parts of this trade policy are occurring in trade-offs with China, outside traditional USTR and USDA channels.