The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced the launch of an innovative new tool, the Log Truck Route Planner, to help forest owners, mill operators, and log truckers in the Pacific Northwest allocate timber and schedule log trucks. The system can assist users in coordinating routing between logging sites and sawmills which can significantly increase the returns to log truck owners/operators, create efficiencies in the operation of sawmills, and ultimately increase the market for U.S. timber products.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting comments on a proposed amendment under the federal marketing order for California almonds.

The proposed amendment would establish borrowing authority to allow the Almond Board of California to borrow funds from financial institutions through a seasonal line of credit. The board recommended this action to better manage approved expenditures within its established internal control policies and help maintain cash flow to support operations, making operations more efficient.  

The quarterly Brazil Soybean Transportation analyzes the major changes and events in the total cost of shipping soybeans from Brazil to major export markets.

The National Organic Standards Board (Board) will meet to discuss the following topics: substances petitioned for addition to, or deletion from, the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List); substances due to sunset from the National List in 2028; and recommendations on organic regulations.

The 2025 quarterly Brazil Soybean Transportation analyzes the major changes and events in the total cost of shipping soybeans from Brazil to major export markets.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is modifying the maturity requirements for the Beta avocado variety under the federal marketing order for avocados grown in South Florida.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting comments on a proposed rule to modify the handling requirements for sweet cherries grown in designated counties in Washington.  

Washington, D.C., March 17, 2026 – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) took action to delay the effective date of the Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems final rule from July 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to purchase Fresh Tomato products for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. Purchases will be made under the authority of Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 (Section 32).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a referendum among eligible tart cherry growers and processors March 30 through April 20, 2026, to determine their level of support for continuing their federal marketing order.

The order requires USDA to conduct a continuance referendum every six years in March. To be eligible to vote, growers or processors within the production area must have produced or processed tart cherries during the period of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.