This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news for farmers, seed-growers, ranchers and their upstream suppliers and downstream buyers. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

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Dates: 2026-02-22 to 2026-02-28

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Congressional Calendar
• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Congressional Calendar

• House Agriculture Committee Markup – H.R. 7567: The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026: The House Agriculture Committee is scheduled to hold a markup session on H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, on March 3, 2026, in Longworth House Office Building, Room 1300.

Federal Government News

Executive Order Prioritizes Domestic Supply of Elemental Phosphorus and Glyphosate-Based Herbicides

President Trump issued Executive Order 14387 on February 18, 2026, directing federal agencies—primarily the Department of Agriculture—to ensure adequate domestic production and supply of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides for both national defense and agriculture. The order delegates Defense Production Act authority to the Agriculture Secretary, allowing prioritization of contracts and allocation of materials to sustain U.S. production. The policy acknowledges that there is only one domestic producer, which cannot meet annual needs, necessitating continued imports. The Secretary is required to avoid regulatory actions that would risk the viability of domestic producers. Orders or regulations issued under this authority are granted statutory immunity. The directive is effective immediately and is exempt from certain regulatory requirements, with costs borne by the Department of Agriculture.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program: $11B in Trade Disruption Payments

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announced a final rule implementing the $11 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, delivering one-time payments to U.S. farmers impacted by trade disruptions and heightened production costs. Payments target crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, cotton, and others, using acreage, production cost, and economic loss formulas. Producers must have reported 2025 crop acreage to FSA by December 19, 2025, with applications due April 17, 2026. Individual payments are capped at $155,000 and subject to an adjusted gross income limit of $900,000. The program is designed to bridge support until revised commodity reference prices from OBBBA take effect post-October 2026. Estimated program costs reach $10.998 billion.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

EPA Finalizes Registration Review Decisions on Pesticide Tolerances

The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule implementing registration review decisions for multiple pesticides, including revocations, modifications, and new exemptions. Notably, all tolerances for maleic hydrazide were revoked, with an exemption granted for its use as a plant growth regulator and herbicide. Expired tolerances for Endosulfan, Methidathion, Pendimethalin, Spiromesifen, Mandipropamid, and Flufenpyr-Ethyl were removed. Pyrazon tolerances expire August 26, 2026, for imports; quinclorac, fenoxaprop-ethyl, and imazapyr tolerances were adjusted. The EPA concluded these actions align with FFDCA and FIFRA safety standards, responding to public comments with no major changes. The rule is effective February 27, 2026.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Mandatory Dairy Manufacturing Cost Surveys

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on mandatory surveys covering dairy manufacturing costs and product yields. The initiative stems from OBBBA authority and aims to create biennial reports for butter, cheddar cheese, dry whey, and nonfat dry milk. AMS requests input on survey categories, expense allocation methods, verification, confidentiality, and impacts on small entities or paperwork burden. Responses are due March 30, 2026. Aggregated data will require at least three plants for publication; AMS intends to mirror prior voluntary surveys and evaluate future program direction based on received comments.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

APHIS Revises and Extends Information Collection for Genetic Engineering Regulations

APHIS, USDA, announced on February 26, 2026, its plan to revise and extend information collection approval for regulation of organisms and products altered or produced through genetic engineering under 7 CFR Part 340. The notice follows changes due to rule vacatur from 2020, reinstating notifications, field test reporting, and petitions while discontinuing confirmation letters and regulatory status reviews. Permits are required for introducing regulated organisms, with recordkeeping, labeling, and appeal requirements for applicants from agricultural companies and academia. Estimated annual burden is 16,907 hours across 554 respondents. Comments are due April 27, 2026.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• US says research funding into new farm practices to surpass $1 billion: USDA reports new farm research funding will exceed $1 billion in 2026.
• EU to Implement Long-Awaited Mercosur Trade Deal: The EU will move ahead with the Mercosur trade agreement, impacting agri-food exports.
• Shell ready for bigger backstop of Brazil sugar-ethanol JV Raizen, sources say: Shell plans enhanced support for Raizen’s sugar-ethanol joint venture as Brazil’s production expands.
• What to know about glyphosate, the herbicide behind a Trump executive order that’s angered MAHA moms: A look at glyphosate’s uses and the reaction to the recent presidential directive.
• RFK Jr. says we need more herbicide production, stunning his followers: RFK Jr. voiced support for expanding U.S. herbicide production, surprising his constituency.

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