Aug. 6, 2026:
In response to ongoing challenges across the agricultural sector, the United States Department of Agriculture is holding listening sessions at locations around the country, including at one event coming up in South Dakota.
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says the department is working on a series of data modernization, payment flexibility and enhanced crop insurance options to benefit farmers. She says USDA leadership wants to hear directly from producers as the modernization plan continues to take shape.
Rollins says one of those conversations will happen during Dakotafest, being held at Mitchell Aug. 18-20, 2026.
Rollins said these listening sessions are an important step in putting Farmers First, restoring producer confidence in data from USDA being the gold standard, and increasing survey response rates.
Rollins made the announcement about the listening sessions this week (Aug. 5, 2026) at Farmfest near Redwood Falls, Minnesota.
Again, the locations where listening sessions will be held include:
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Indiana State Fair
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Wisconsin State Fair
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Penn State Ag Progress Days
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Illinois State Fair
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Dakotafest in Mitchell, SD
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Missouri State Fair
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Iowa State Fair
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Nebraska State Fair
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Farm Progress Show
Aug. 4, 2026:
At Farmfest in Minnesota this week (Aug. 4, 2026), U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced several steps that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking to support America’s farmers in response to ongoing challenges across the agricultural sector. These actions include a series of data modernization, payment flexibility, and enhanced crop insurance options to benefit farmers.
“When I travel across farm country, I hear the same message over and over: producers want a USDA that works for them,” said Rollins. “We’re modernizing how USDA serves farmers, providing commonsense flexibility when it’s needed most, and strengthening the risk management tools producers depend on. We will continue listening, acting, and putting Farmers First because that’s exactly what President Trump has directed us to do.”
Data Modernization:
Last month, Secretary Rollins announced that USDA is working on a Data Modernization Plan across multiple agencies that will be released later this year. The Research, Education, and Economics Mission Area, under the leadership of Under Secretary Scott Hutchins, will coordinate the effort across USDA.
Today, as the next step in this process, Secretary Rollins announced a series of listening sessions that USDA leadership will host across the country to hear directly from producers as this plan continues to take shape. These listening sessions are an important step in putting Farmers First, restoring producer confidence in USDA data as the gold standard, and increasing survey response rates. These listening sessions build off the Request for Information (RFI) published earlier this year where USDA sought public comment on data collection, analysis, and reporting. Locations where listening sessions will be held include:
- Indiana State Fair
- Wisconsin State Fair
- Penn State Ag Progress Days
- Illinois State Fair
- Dakotafest
- Missouri State Fair
- Iowa State Fair
- Nebraska State Fair
- Farm Progress Show
For additional information and details about a specific listening session, please email DataModernization@usda.gov.
Payment Flexibilities
While at Minnesota Farmfest, Secretary Rollins also announced the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) is authorizing Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) to provide producers with up to 60 additional days to pay crop insurance premiums, administrative fees, and amounts due under Written Payment Agreements with scheduled premium billing dates between July 1, 2026, and September 30, 2026.
During this extended period, AIPs may waive interest charges. Interest will begin accruing for unpaid premium and administrative fees only after the end of the additional 60-day period or upon reaching the policy’s termination date, whichever occurs first.
To further support these efforts, RMA will defer collection of unpaid producer premiums and administrative fees from AIPs and waive associated interest beginning with the August monthly accounting cycle.
Prevented Planting Coverage
Additionally, RMA is reinstating the option for insured producers to purchase an additional 5% prevented planting coverage beginning with crops associated with the August 31, 2026, filing date for the 2027 and succeeding crop years. This added coverage enhances producers’ ability to manage risk in situations where extreme weather or other conditions prevent normal planting.
These actions underscore RMA’s commitment to supporting farmers and ranchers by providing needed flexibility and strengthening coverage options during a challenging period for American agriculture. AIPs will notify affected policyholders directly regarding these relief measures.
Producers should contact their local crop insurance agent or visit the RMA website for guidance on how these updates may affect coverage options.
RMA supports American agriculture by providing world-class risk management tools through Federal crop insurance and education programs, offering coverage for more than 130 crops and continuously improving policies based on producer feedback.
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