USDA Delays Farm Trade Deficit Report Amid Record Forecast

The Trump administration delayed and altered the USDA's quarterly Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade report due to concerns over its projection of a record $49.5 billion trade deficit in farm goods for fiscal year 2025, which contradicted President Trump's claims that his tariffs and economic policies would reduce trade imbalances. The report's publication was postponed and the accompanying written analysis was removed, prompting accusations of political interference in a government report traditionally trusted by policymakers, farm groups, and traders. USDA officials cited an internal review of all non-statutory reports as the reason for the delay, but did not specify when or if the analysis would be released. Experts emphasized the importance of objectivity in these reports and warned that losing public trust would be detrimental. The trade deficit increase reflects ongoing complexities in U.S. agricultural trade, including tariffs and consumer preferences, and follows a history of such reports being used for policy promotion and political critique. The data remained unchanged, but the administration's discomfort with the unfavorable depiction of the deficit led to the unusual handling of the report's release.