US Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Sector NAICS 11

Feb 16, 2026 - Trump Moves to Reopen Atlantic Fishery

• President Trump has moved to reopen the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing, The New York Times reports. Trump’s action grants renewed access to a 4,900‑square‑mile Atlantic zone long closed to commercial harvest, potentially boosting catch opportunities for lobster, squid, and other offshore fisheries. Industry groups praised the move, arguing that US fishermen operate under strict sustainability rules and that the reopening supports coastal economies and food security. However, the policy introduces regulatory uncertainty: environmental groups are expected to challenge the action under the Antiquities Act, and a recent court ruling blocking similar changes in the Pacific Islands monument suggests legal risks ahead, per NYT. The monument contains sensitive deep‑sea habitats and endangered species, raising concerns that future restrictions could return. While the reopening offers short‑term economic upside it comes with long‑term uncertainty around conservation policy, litigation, and federal oversight.
• In February, a bipartisan group of former USDA officials and past leaders of major farm associations warned Congress that current economic pressures and Trump administration policies could trigger a “widespread collapse” of US agriculture, New York Times reports. In their letter, they cite rising input costs, disrupted export and domestic markets, labor shortages, and cuts to agricultural research and staffing as key threats undermining farm viability. They argue that tariffs and trade uncertainty have reduced global competitiveness for US crops, while the lack of a new farm bill leaves producers without policy stability or safety‑net improvements. The group is urging Congress to ease tariff burdens, expand international market access, restore research funding, and pass updated farm legislation. Their message underscores growing concern that without swift policy action, financial stress, bankruptcies, and structural decline could accelerate across US farming, weakening rural economies and long-term national food security.

• A new agreement between the US Forest Service and Utah marks a significant expansion of collaborative forest management that could influence forest health nationwide, WoodWorking Network reports. By increasing joint capacity for timber production, wood‑utilization innovation, and large‑scale restoration, the partnership aims to accelerate treatments that reduce hazardous fuels and lower the risk of catastrophic wildfires, one of the most urgent threats to US forests. The agreement strengthens the Good Neighbor Authority, enabling states, counties, and tribes to carry out projects on federal lands. It also aligns with federal efforts to expand domestic timber supply, supporting both forest resilience and wood‑based industries. Similar agreements in Montana and Idaho suggest a broader regional model emerging. Overall, the initiative enhances the pace and scale of forest restoration, improves ecosystem health, and supports long‑term sustainability of US forests while bolstering rural economies connected to them.
• Economists at the University of Illinois warn that today’s low commodity prices and high input costs have made the long‑standing strategy of expanding through high‑rent acres financially unworkable for US row‑crop farmers, AgWeb reports. With corn projected around $4 and soybeans near $10.50, break‑evens now exceed market prices, and rising cash rents, often $225–$275 per acre across the Midwest, are driving negative margins on rented ground. U of I budgets show 2026 returns of –$17/acre overall and –$32/acre on rented acres, leaving little room for younger farmers to grow through traditional expansion. Farms with owned land may temporarily subsidize losses, but economists urge all producers to reassess rental decisions and avoid bidding above average rents. For the next generation, sustainable growth will likely come from off‑farm income and diversified on‑farm enterprises such as specialty grains, organic production, or direct‑to‑consumer sales, rather than acreage expansion, per AgWeb.