EVENTS THIS MONTH
- Women’s History Month
- Partial Solar Eclipse (visible in parts of North America) - March 29
- National Potato Day - March 31
- Cesar Chavez Day - March 31
- Seward’s Day (Alaska) - March 31
TODAY’S RURAL RUNDOWN FROM RFD-TV NEWS:
N.C. PRODUCERS STILL WAITING FOR HELENE RELIEF
As more time passes and recovery efforts continue after Hurricane Helene, farmers in Western North Carolina are becoming increasingly frustrated with the wait for vital economic aid. While the state of North Carolina has now allocated $1.4 billion in relief funds, Governor Josh Stein recently signed a fourth spending package. According to state officials, the total damage could exceed $60 billion. Meanwhile, a congressional subcommittee hearing on FEMA’s response to the storm has been postponed as lawmakers continue examining the aid distribution delays.
SPRING PLANTING OUTLOOK: UNCERTAIN
As the 2025 spring planting season kicks off, farmers in Nebraska and other regions face a cloud of uncertainty. Many are watching closely, with ongoing discussions around economic assistance, weather-related disaster programs, tax reforms, and trade tariffs.
The $10 billion USDA economic relief is seen as helpful, but some groups argue it’s not enough to address the challenges.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell left interest rates unchanged last week. Economists say it is anyone’s guess where the year will go. However, experts advise farmers to be prepared and avoid betting solely on falling rates. Instead, they should take a balanced approach, splitting debt between floating and fixed rates. This strategy could protect them if rates increase while still benefiting them if rates continue to decline. Market tools like swap options can also help farmers manage their risks more effectively.
“IT’S UN-AMERICAN NOT TO FIGHT FOR [...] PRODUCERS.”
Texas Representative Jodey Arrington continues to advocate for more balanced trade rules, arguing that current trade agreements are unfair. During a House Ways and Means hearing, he compared unbalanced trade to a basketball game in which the rules are skewed in favor of the opponent.
The National Farmers Union (NFU) and Coldiretti, an Italian-based group representing European agricultural interests, have also called on the Trump Administration to de-escalate trade tensions between the U.S. and the European Union. Both groups expressed concerns about the economic toll tariffs put on farmers, with NFU President Rob Larew emphasizing that trade disputes disrupt supply chains and raise costs. These groups are urging leaders to open negotiations to avoid further damaging agricultural communities on both sides of the Atlantic.
SCOTUS TO DECIDE RURAL INTERNET FUNDING’S FATE
The Supreme Court is currently reviewing the constitutionality of the $8 billion Universal Service Fund, a program designed to provide Internet services to rural areas. Some groups argue that the fund’s collectors have no constitutional authority to distribute the funds, which could impact the future of rural broadband efforts.
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH SPOTLIGHT: Taylor Roberts, Roberts Five Farm
March is Women’s History Month, and we’re celebrating the incredible women shaping the future of agriculture! Every day in March, we will showcase feel-good stories and interviews highlighting the passion and persistence of powerful women in agriculture.
Today, we want to share a story about a full-time mom who has become a FarmHer! Taylor Roberts did not grow up in a farm family but wanted to be a tulip farmer. She now runs Roberts Five Farm in Sparta, Tennessee.
The most popular articles from RFD-TV News published this week.
