Farm Support Services NAICS 1151, 1152

May 30, 2025 - Heat and Drought Forecast

• Climate models indicate that drought could develop, continue or intensify across parts of the Plains and West this summer, Farm Journal reports citing USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. Moreover, much of the US can expect a hotter than average summer, with the entire country likely to experience above normal temperatures, according to NOAA’s latest Summer Outlook released in mid-May for June, July, and August 2025. Farm Journal notes that May’s active weather pattern, which brought record heat to the Plains and South and spawned tornados, is likely to continue. Rippey notes that the National Weather Service (NWS) forecast shows a marked difference between the East and Western US, with the East expected to see moisture, and the West expected to be dry. By late-August the NWS Climate Prediction Center expects drought coverage to extend to major crop producing areas including the Dakotas and the western corn belt.
• Migrant workers appear to be braving the threat of deportation by continuing to show up for work, The Wall Street Journal reports. WSJ noted that while data covering immigrants lacking permanent legal status is fragmentary, what’s available shows no broad pullback from the labor force, including on farms. A spokeswoman for the American Farm Bureau Federation said that while some farmers report employees afraid to come to work, “We are not aware of widespread interruptions in farm operations due to employees’ absenteeism.” To allay concerns about a shortage of agricultural workers President Trump in April said he was looking into allowing undocumented farm and hospitality workers to voluntarily leave the country for a short time before reentering the country legally, Bloomberg reported. Nearly half (45%) of all agricultural workers in the US – 950,000 of an estimated 2.2 million farmworkers – are "unauthorized" migrants working illegally on farms and ranches.

• The USDA plans to invest up to $100 million in projects that will help combat bird flu in poultry and directly support America’s farmers and ranchers, according to the press release from the agency. Funding is available, through a competitive process, to for-profit organizations, including vaccine and therapy makers, as well as states, universities, and other eligible entities, according to the agency. The USDA is prioritizing projects focused on the development of novel vaccines to protect poultry from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and treat infected flocks while promoting biosecurity. USDA will test the efficacy of therapeutic interventions to prevent bird flu and treat infected flocks. In consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services, USDA will also explore prevention strategies to promote biosecurity in agriculture and in humans, to ensure limited impact on American farmers, according to the press release.
• The federal government has come to the rescue of the ailing US farm sector with an unprecedented infusion of cash, Farm Journal reports. The nation’s farms can expect to see a significant increase in net farm income in 2025, primarily driven by a staggering 345% increase in government payments, despite a decline in overall farm revenues. According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, net farm income is forecast to reach $180.1 billion, up $41 billion from 2024, while net cash farm income is projected to hit $193.7 billion, a $34.5 billion increase. Farm Journal notes that while the increase in government payments has bolstered working capital and improved financial health indicators, concerns persist regarding the long-term sustainability of farm support programs. With farm receipts declining and tariff uncertainties looming, lawmakers may face pressure to reform the farm safety net.