USDA wants farmer feedback on pests list

Aug 10, 2020

APHIS is compiling a list of pests and diseases of concern

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is asking Americans to provide input about a list it’s compiling.

The ag department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has developed a list of 59 animal and plant diseases it believes could pose a risk to U.S. ag and natural resources.

“Our goal is to keep the U.S. free of these foreign pests and diseases,” the USDA said in an Aug. 6 release.

The lists include animal illnesses like African swine fever and avian influenza, and plant diseases like bacterial leaf streak. Insects including the Khapra beetle and the wheat seed gall nematode are also listed.

“After reviewing feedback and potentially revising the list, APHIS will ensure it has fully developed comprehensive response plans to address the pests and diseases on the list,” the USDA said in its release. “Additionally, it will continue to work with its State partners on response plans they wish to create.”

Compiling the list and allowing the opportunity for feedback is set out in the 2018 Farm Bill.

Section 12203 of the bill, titled “Agriculture and Food Defense” mandates APHIS must develop the list and develop the proper response plans, and ensure state and federal governments are equipped to respond to any disease or insect outbreaks.

Anyone wishing to provide feedback on the list can send an email to APHISPestDiseaseList@usda.gov.

Farms.com has reached out to industry groups for comment.

Video: 2025 USDA December Crop Report a “Dud” + Trump $12 Billion U.S. Farm Aid

The USDA December crop report was friendly corn, neutral soybeans and bearish wheat. The USDA did surprise and increase the 25/26 U.S. corn export forecast to a new record high at 3.2 billion bushels now up 12% vs. last year vs. prior at +9% vs. the export pace to date up 30% the best in 10 years even higher than 20/21! The USDA left the 25/26 U.S. soybean export pace unchanged at 1.635 billion bushels. Higher global wheat supplies will remain a weight and headwind for wheat into year end and start of 2026.
Mexico is now the #1 buyer of U.S. corn, soybeans (usually China), wheat and pork!
USDA also released its long-term early projections but expect more changes by February of 2026.
Trump announces a $12 billion U.S. farmer aid package to be paid out by February 28, 2026. This helps no one but the ag banks, farm equipment companies, seed and fertilizer companies. It does prevent more farmer bushels from being sold near-term but is not bullish grain prices long-term. The Trump administration should focus on increasing U.S. domestic demand and propping up grain futures so farmers can cover their higher costs, up since COVID of 2020.
The China U.S. soybean purchase tracker now stands at 4.521 mmt or 38% of the 12 mmt promised by China at year end or is it end of February or the growing season? Why the discrepancy vs. the fact sheet. The optics are poor for the Trump administration.
After surging to contract highs U.S. natural gas futures plunged over 30+% in just 5-trading days!
Silver traded to new record highs as the debasement and de dollarization trade continued but technicals remain overbought near-term.
Soybean futures remained in correction mode after the funds went record long futures on Nov. 19 +233,000 contracts but the $10.80 support should hold into year end when the fund profit taking/liquidation comes to an end from the year end, end of month and end of quarter selling.
The U.S. Fed cut interest rates for the 3rd time by 25 basis points to a range of 3.50 – 3.75% and they will only cut one more time in 2026 and once in 20267/ but when Powell is gone next April the replacement is willing to cut more aggressively and we could see U.S. interest rates fall to 2.0% very bullish for ag and stocks as it could reignite inflation into 2027.
After 2 months of being drier than normal in Brazil the rains have finally arrived for the 1st half of December, and a record crop is still in the cards but if this pattern continues and verifies it could start to delay the harvest. Argentina after being too wet has turned dry but they are too small, compared top Brazil in the grand picture.
The Canadian dollar surged to $0.73 after better-than-expected employment data with 180,000 new jobs in the past 3-months and 3rd quarter GDP at +2.6% but this could be short-lived.
The latest CFTC report as of 11-19-2025 reported a record long fund position in soybeans at +233,000 contracts when 2026 March soybean futures peaked on 11-19-25 at $11.724/bu.