Editor’s Note
Welcome to the second issue of Ag Notes Weekly.
This week, we’re exploring the economic challenges facing farmers, opportunities for rural cooperation, and new research revealing how human activity influences our water supplies.
Across the country, we’ll also look at changing agricultural conditions, new initiatives, and the people and organizations making meaningful contributions to their communities.
From national developments to local efforts, there’s plenty to learn, consider, and celebrate.
Wherever you’re joining us from, we’re glad you’re here.
Thank you for your time.
USDA Announces $8 Billion in Harvest Fuel Relief for Farmers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced $8 billion in one-time assistance for American farmers facing rising production costs and market challenges during the 2026 harvest season.
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The new Harvest Fuel Relief program was announced October 19. It aims to help farmers manage increased expenses, particularly fuel costs, while agricultural markets remain under pressure.
The program will be administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Payments will be calculated using reported planted acreage, estimated production costs, and crop yield and price data.
What should farmers know?
Payment details are still being finalized. USDA expects to announce payment rates for major commodity crops in November. Commodity crops are widely produced agricultural products, such as corn, soybeans, wheat, and cotton, that are commonly traded in large markets. Details for other eligible crops will follow later.
Farmers will not need crop insurance to participate. Eligible producers are encouraged to prepare for the application process by creating a Login.gov account connected to USDA.
Specialty crop growers and fishermen may also submit information about increased fuel costs to help USDA determine appropriate assistance. Specialty crops are a distinct category of agricultural products, generally grown for food or horticultural markets rather than as large-volume staple field crops.
The application period has not yet been announced.
Why does this matter?
Fuel is essential to many farming operations, from running equipment to transporting harvested crops. Higher fuel expenses can place additional pressure on farms already managing changing prices and other operating costs.
The $8 billion announcement represents a significant federal response, although the amount individual farmers will receive—and when those payments will arrive—remains to be determined.
Source: USDA — Harvest Fuel Relief Program announcement, October 19, 2026
USDA Announces $8 Million to Support Rural Cooperatives
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced an $8 million investment to help cooperatives grow, strengthen rural businesses, and create economic opportunities in communities across the country.
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The funding was announced October 19, during National Cooperative Month, through USDA’s Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program. The investment will support 17 organizations working to develop and strengthen cooperatives and other shared-ownership businesses.
A cooperative is a business or organization owned and controlled by its members, who work together to meet shared needs. In agriculture, cooperatives can help farmers purchase supplies, market their products, share equipment, or access services that might be difficult to afford independently.
How will the funding be used?
The grants support organizations that help cooperatives succeed. These organizations provide training, business development assistance, and other resources to help cooperatives start, expand, and improve their operations.
One recipient, the Montana Cooperative Development Center, will receive approximately $525,000 to expand its services, strengthen cooperative leadership, and support locally owned businesses.
The funding is being administered through a partnership between USDA Rural Development and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
Why does this matter?
Cooperatives offer communities a way to build businesses through shared ownership and decision-making. For farmers and rural residents, this can mean improved access to markets, stronger local businesses, and greater opportunities to keep economic activity within their communities.
The $8 million investment is intended to strengthen the organizations that provide this support, rather than provide direct payments to individual farmers.
By helping cooperatives develop and remain sustainable, these grants may contribute to stronger rural economies and more opportunities for the people who live and work there.
Source: USDA Rural Development — $8 Million Investment in Cooperatives, October 19, 2026
NASA Research Reveals How Human Activity Is Changing Water Supplies
New NASA research reveals how farming, irrigation, and water management are influencing water supplies around the world. While some activities are linked to declining water reserves, others are associated with increases, highlighting the importance of how people manage land and water.
The research was highlighted October 20 by NASA’s Earth Observatory. Using more than two decades of satellite observations, scientists examined changes in water stored underground, in soil, lakes, and rivers.
The researchers identified 40 regions where changes in water storage were strongly associated with human activity, including irrigation, reservoir management, and changes in land use. Irrigation is the practice of supplying water to crops through methods such as sprinklers, pipes, or canals rather than relying entirely on rainfall.
What did researchers discover?
Different approaches to farming and water management were associated with different outcomes.
In agricultural regions such as California’s Central Valley, the southern High Plains, and northern India, heavy reliance on groundwater for irrigation has contributed to declining water reserves. These areas depend significantly on pumping underground water to support crop production, particularly during dry conditions.
Groundwater is water stored beneath the Earth’s surface, where it can be accessed through wells and used for farming, drinking, and other needs.
Groundwater irrigation itself is not necessarily harmful. It provides an important source of water for agriculture, particularly in regions where rainfall alone cannot reliably support crop production. The concern arises when water is withdrawn faster than natural processes can replace it, gradually reducing the amount available underground.
However, researchers also observed increases in water storage in regions with different agricultural conditions.
In parts of sub-Saharan Africa, underground water levels rose where rainfed millet cultivation expanded into areas previously covered by native savanna. These increases occurred despite below-average rainfall during the study period.
Rainfed farming is the practice of growing crops primarily with natural rainfall rather than supplying additional water through irrigation systems.
In northern Brazil, increases in water storage were also observed where soybean fields replaced forests and shrublands. Researchers suggested that differences in how certain plants use water, along with Indigenous water-management practices that help direct water underground, may partly explain these changes.
These observations highlight the complexity of how land use affects water supplies. They do not establish that rainfed farming always increases groundwater or that irrigation necessarily reduces it. The outcomes depend on factors such as existing vegetation, water use, local conditions, and management decisions.
These findings do not mean every increase in water storage represents an environmental improvement. Replacing natural ecosystems with farmland can have other environmental consequences, even where underground water levels rise.
Instead, the research shows that different land uses, water sources, and management decisions can influence how water moves through the landscape.
Can farming help protect water resources?
How farmland is managed can make an important difference.
Separate agricultural research has shown that practices such as reducing soil disturbance, growing cover crops, and maintaining healthy soil can improve water infiltration and retention.
Cover crops are plants grown primarily to protect and improve the soil, rather than for harvest. Reducing soil disturbance means limiting activities such as frequent plowing that break apart soil structure.
Water infiltration describes how water enters the soil rather than flowing across its surface. Healthy soil can absorb more rainfall, reduce runoff, and retain moisture that crops can use during dry periods.
These practices do not automatically restore depleted underground water reserves, but they demonstrate ways agricultural management can help conserve water and strengthen the land’s ability to handle changing conditions.
Why does this matter?
Agriculture depends on water, but farming practices can also influence how that water is managed and protected.
NASA’s findings help researchers identify where human activity is contributing to water losses or gains. Additional soil-health research offers practical examples of how people can improve the way farmland handles water.
Together, these findings offer an important perspective: human activity is not limited to placing pressure on natural resources. Thoughtful land and water management can also help protect and improve them.
Understanding these relationships gives farmers, researchers, and communities more information to make decisions that support both agricultural production and long-term environmental health.
Sources:
NASA Earth Observatory — The Human Fingerprint on Earth’s Water Cycle, October 20, 2026
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service — Soil Health for Water Quality and Quantity
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service — Soil Health on Cropland
Around the Regions
Northeast — Pennsylvania Unveils 10-Year Agriculture Plan
Pennsylvania has introduced its first statewide, 10-year strategic plan for agriculture, announced October 16 by Governor Josh Shapiro. The plan focuses on supporting agricultural careers, modernizing farms, expanding market opportunities, and helping farmers access and protect land.
Pennsylvania’s agriculture and food industries contribute more than $153 billion annually to the state’s economy. The new strategy outlines priorities intended to strengthen that economic contribution while addressing challenges facing current and future farmers.
Source: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Southeast — Heavy Rain Brings Drought Relief and Harvest Challenges
Recent heavy rainfall has improved drought conditions across much of the Southeast, including portions of Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas.
The October 13 U.S. Drought Monitor reported widespread improvement following Hurricane Isaias, although some areas also experienced flooding.
For farmers, the rain has brought mixed conditions. Additional moisture can benefit pastures and replenish dry soils, while overly wet fields can delay the harvesting of crops such as cotton and peanuts.
The developments highlight a familiar agricultural challenge: rainfall can provide much-needed relief while creating new difficulties depending on its timing and intensity.
Sources:
Midwest — Minnesota Corn Harvest Trails Seasonal Average
Minnesota’s corn harvest is progressing more slowly than usual, according to USDA crop progress figures for the week ending October 18.
Farmers had harvested approximately 38% of the state’s corn, compared with a five-year average of 53% for the same point in the season.
Harvest timing can be influenced by rainfall, soil conditions, crop maturity, and the number of days suitable for fieldwork. Although falling behind the usual pace does not automatically mean a poor harvest, delays can create additional challenges as colder autumn weather approaches.
Source: USDA Crop Progress data, reported by AgriNews
Southwest — New Mexico Prepares for Livestock Border Reopening
The Columbus, New Mexico, border crossing is scheduled to reopen for cattle imports from Mexico on October 26, as part of a gradual restoration of livestock trade.
Imports had been restricted over concerns about New World screwworm, a parasitic fly whose larvae can cause serious injuries to livestock and other warm-blooded animals.
USDA says the reopening will involve additional inspections and animal-health safeguards. The goal is to support livestock trade while limiting the risk of introducing the pest into U.S. herds.
Source: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
West Coast — California Highlights Farm-to-School Progress
California celebrated the reach of its Farm to School program during a statewide summit on October 16, highlighting efforts to connect students with locally produced food and agricultural education.
Since 2021, the state’s Farm to School Incubator Grant Program has invested $86 million in 375 projects benefiting approximately 4.2 million public school students.
These projects support partnerships between schools and food producers while helping students learn where their food comes from. The program also creates opportunities for local farmers to supply school food systems.
Source: Governor of California
Appalachia — West Virginia Awards Funding for Specialty Crop Projects
Eight West Virginia projects will share more than $360,000 in federal specialty crop funding, announced October 19 by the state’s Department of Agriculture.
The projects include research into new food products made from pawpaws, hands-on herb-growing education for veterans and community members, and agricultural business education for young people.
The grants are intended to strengthen West Virginia’s specialty crop sector through research, education, and marketing, helping producers explore new products, growing methods, and business opportunities.
Source: West Virginia Department of Agriculture
Worth Noticing
New York Farm Recognized for Conservation and Land Stewardship
Ben Wever Farm, near Willsboro, New York, received the 2026 New York AEM-Leopold Conservation Award on October 16, recognizing its commitment to protecting soil, water, and wildlife habitats.
Operated by Shawn and Linda Gillilland, the farm raises livestock while incorporating woodland management, rotational grazing, and other conservation practices. Rotational grazing involves moving livestock between grazing areas, allowing previously grazed land time to recover.
The award recognizes agricultural operations demonstrating responsible care for natural resources while maintaining productive working landscapes.
Source: Sand County Foundation — Ben Wever Farm Receives Conservation Award
Ohio Celebrates Community Gardeners and Urban Agriculture Leaders
Franklin Park Conservatory’s Growing to Green program recognized community gardeners and urban agriculture leaders during its 2026 Harvest Awards, held October 8 in Columbus, Ohio.
Among those honored were April Shelton of Four Seasons City Farm, who received the Bill Dawson Gardener of the Year Award, and Sharif Ibrahim of South Central Community Garden, who received the Paul Redman Youth Gardener of the Year Award.
The celebration also recognized longstanding community gardens and highlighted the contributions of residents working to create growing spaces, educational opportunities, and stronger neighborhood connections.
Source: Franklin Park Conservatory — 2026 Harvest Awards Highlights
Florida Dairy Farmer Named Southeastern Farmer of the Year
Woody Larson of Okeechobee, Florida, was named the 2026 Southeastern Farmer of the Year at the Sunbelt Ag Expo on October 20, recognizing more than five decades of agricultural work and community involvement.
Larson serves as president of Larson Dairy Inc. and operates several cattle ranches. His career began working in his family’s dairy business before expanding into farm ownership and leadership.
Beyond his agricultural operations, Larson has contributed to his community through volunteering, mentoring, and involvement in agricultural organizations.
The annual award recognizes farmers for their accomplishments in agriculture, leadership, and service.
Source: Sunbelt Ag Expo — Woody Larson Named 2026 Southeastern Farmer of the Year
Black Farmers and Urban Gardeners Gather in New Orleans for National Conference
The 14th Annual Black Farmers and Urban Gardeners (BUGs) Conference begins today, October 23, at Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, bringing together growers, educators, organizers, and agricultural advocates from across the country.
Running through October 25, this year’s gathering centers on the theme “Soil as Sanctuary: Cultivating Culture, Community and Change.”
The conference features workshops, farm tours, discussions, and community activities exploring subjects such as soil health, land stewardship, seed saving, and food sovereignty. Food sovereignty refers to the ability of communities to shape and control their own food systems.
The gathering offers opportunities to exchange knowledge, strengthen relationships, and celebrate the people working to shape the future of agriculture and their communities.
Source: Black Urban Growers — 2026 BUGs Conference
In Closing
Thank you for spending a little of your week with Ag Notes Weekly.
Agriculture is shaped by the decisions we make, the knowledge we share, and the communities we build. We’re glad to explore those stories with you.
Until next Friday, be well.