The Dirt

Let’ s be honest— agriculture news isn’ t just headlines... it’ s personal.

Prices swing, policies shift, big announcements rarely include instructions and sometimes the people making decisions seem miles away from those living with them.

Here at Farmers Hot Line, we believe you deserve real information, delivered the way rural America actually talks:

• Clear facts

• Zero fluff

• Honest tone

• And yes... enough humor and sarcasm to survive it Because sometimes we’ re over it too, and if we can laugh while we learn, we’ ll take that win.

Welcome to THE DIRT, where we cover what matters to agriculture with truth, wit and a little side-eye when needed.

One note before we dig in: The Dirt is a monthly snapshot, not a live news feed. Agriculture doesn’ t sit still, and neither do we.

For breaking updates, deeper dives and real-time discussion as stories evolve, you’ ll find us all month long on the Farmers Hot Line Facebook page.

USDA Bridge Assistance Finally Gets Details

After months of“ it is coming,” the U. S. Department of Agriculture( USDA) released payment rates and timelines for the 12 billion dollar Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. This is a one time payment, not a safety net overhaul, designed to help offset 2025 losses while everyone waits on longer-term fixes.

Payments are based on 2025 planted acres, with funds expected by February 28, 2026, assuming paperwork is in order.

Per acre rates vary by crop, but the message is the same.

This is a bridge, not a bailout. Helpful? Yes. Enough? That depends on who you ask and what you grow.

Farmland Ownership Is Now a National Security Issue

USDA is officially tightening oversight on who owns United States farmland, treating it as more than just a real estate question.

Under updated enforcement of foreign investment reporting rules, the government is signaling that:

• Farmland transparency matters

• Ownership loopholes are under review

• Federal programs will prioritize American producers

No one is knocking on doors tomorrow. But the direction is clear. Land is not just dirt anymore. It is strategic.

Screwworm Keeps the Border Shut

Mexico continues fighting New World screwworm, a parasitic fly whose larvae literally eat living tissue.

USDA has closed cattle imports to prevent the pest from

crossing into the United States, and Texas is watching closely as cases move north.

There is no confirmed spread in Texas herds, but officials are testing aggressively and urging vigilance. This is not a food safety issue. It is an animal welfare and economic issue. Tiny pests can break big systems. This headline proves it.

Farmers Are Being Asked to Do More With Less Again

Ag lenders continue to warn that profitability will be tight in 2026, especially with input costs still high and policy relief arriving in pieces instead of plans.

Their advice has not changed much:

• Plan early

• Delay big purchases

• Watch cash flow

• Stay close to lenders Translation. Same pressure. New calendar.

Honorable Mentions

( What we didn’ t have room for on the porch railing)

• Farm Bill still stalled. Lots of noise. Little motion.

• Foreign land reporting under renewed scrutiny

• Feeder cattle markets watching border policy closely

• Input costs steady but stubborn

• Verizon Wireless Outage- $ 20 credit for impacted customers

THE DIRT BOTTOM LINE

Agriculture is not boring. It is dramatic, complicated and sometimes feels like it is written by a screenwriter who has never stepped on a farm.

So each month, we sift the policy mud, market mess and industry chaos, delivering news you can use with humor you can handle.

20 | 800-247-2000 | 515-955-1600 | February 2026