USDA announces FBA payment rates for eligible commodities: On December 31, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the payment rates for all eligible commodities under the current Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, including rice. Of the total $12 billion allocated towards the FBA program, $11 billion is designated for one-time payments to traditional row crop producers and the remaining $1 billion will be reserved for uncovered commodities. FBA payments for currently eligible producers are expected to be delivered to producers by February 28, 2026. Timelines for payments for producers that fall under the uncovered commodities category are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs. 

Rice received the highest payment rate among eligible commodities at $132.89 per acre. FBA payments will be based on 2025 planted acres, Economic Research Service (ERS) cost of production, and the World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) Report. Double crop acres, including all initial and subsequently planted crops, are eligible, whereas prevented planting acres are not eligible under FBA. It is also worth noting that FBA eligibility is not dependent on crop insurance linkage. For the full list of commodity payment rates and additional information regarding the program, you can visit the online FBA landing page here or contact your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office. 

USDA announces Dr. Justin Benavidez as Chief Economist: On Tuesday, January 6, USDA officially announced Dr. Justin Benavidez as the new Chief Economist. He succeeds Dr. Seth Meyer who had previously served in that role since 2021 and recently stepped down in December to lead the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri. Benavidez steps in the role having most recently served as Chief Economist for the House Agriculture Committee Majority Staff under Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA). Prior to that, he worked as an agricultural extension economist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, focusing on farm and ranch management, production economics, and policy analysis. He holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University. 

HHS, USDA releases updated set of Dietary Guidelines for Americans: On Wednesday, January 7, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins unveiled the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). Every five years, HHS and USDA jointly publish a new set of DGAs that informs a broad range of federal nutrition policies and programs using recommendations provided by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. The new guidance emphasizes reducing highly processed foods and added sugars while encouraging higher protein intake and reintroducing foods previously discouraged—such as whole milk, butter, and red meat—into recommended diets. Artificial sweeteners are downplayed, and traditional fats like beef tallow receive a nod. The changes, championed by Health Secretary RFK Jr., represent a “reset” toward what officials call “real food” and aim to move away from decades of low-fat, high-carb advice. Another key takeaway from the new DGAs was an updated dietary visual, which replaces the MyPlate framework with an inverted food pyramid. Administration officials state that the revised visual is intended to emphasize whole foods and dietary patterns designed to improve population health while supporting American farmers, ranchers, and food producers.  You can find more information at realfood.gov.