U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced that the Farm Service Agency’s Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) will generate approximately $13.8 billion in gross payments to eligible agricultural producers for the 2025 crop year; the largest annual payout by far since these key safety net programs were established in the 2014 Farm Bill.
More than 70,000 FFA members, advisors and supporters are expected to head to Indianapolis this month for the 99th National FFA Convention & Expo. This year’s event runs from Oct. 21-24 with activities happening at the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Indiana State Fairgrounds, local hotels, and several other locations around the state.
Meyocks has appointed Deborah Toomey as senior market research strategist. In this role, Toomey is responsible for deepening the agency’s research and marketing analytics capabilities, translating insights to help clients make more informed marketing decisions. In addition, Toomey will join Beth Ann Boyd, vice president of digital delivery, in leading Meyocks Research + Insights, the agency’s marketing research arm.
Matt Frostic, of Applegate, Mich., began his term as president of the National Corn Growers Association, a farmer-led trade association with offices in St. Louis and Washington.
Earned-first creative agency, Racepoint Global, announced that veteran agriculture expert Eric Hodson is joining the company as a Senior Agriculture Advisor.
Corn Refiners Association President and CEO John Bode has been named the recipient of a 2026 Trailblazer Award from the U.S.-Mexico Foundation.
Cotton Grower, the voice of U.S. cotton and a publication of Meister Media Worldwide (MMW), the leading agriculture media, events and intelligence company serving global specialty agriculture, announced the relaunch of CottonGrower.com alongside an expanded digital advertising portfolio. The redesigned site features faster load times, a fully mobile-responsive layout, improved navigation and AI-powered search, and marks the first phase of a broader digital expansion the company plans to roll out through 2027.
Meister Media Worldwide (MMW) announced the launch of the Growing Produce Podcast, a new twice-monthly audio show that expands the Growing Produce digital brand into podcasting. Produced by the editorial teams of American Fruit Grower, Western Fruit Grower, and American Vegetable Grower, the show unpacks the stories, science and business behind every crop, with the growers, scientists and operators shaping American fruit and vegetable production.
The Real Christmas Tree Board is sharing its 2026 real Christmas tree market outlook based on results from its fifth annual survey of wholesale Christmas tree growers. The 2026 real Christmas tree forecast is merry and bright with another season of stable wholesale prices, ample supply, and steady demand. That’s based on findings from the organization’s survey of 47 wholesale growers, representing about half-to-two-thirds of the United States’ real Christmas tree market. Of the wholesale growers surveyed, 91 percent said they don’t plan to raise their wholesale prices, including those who may lower them for the 2026 season. That figure is up from 84 percent who said the same in 2025.
Thirty years with one organization is an extraordinary milestone, and for Laurie Bonnot, three decades with Brownfield Ag News represents much more than longevity. Her career is defined by relationships, trust, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to helping others succeed.
