WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans announced Tuesday they will hold a vote on their own health care proposal later this week to counter a Democratic bill that would extend enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans for three more years.

<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act.pdf">Click here to read</a> the bill

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act.pdf" target="_blank">32-page GOP bill</a>&nbsp;would not address the expiring ACA marketplace tax credits but would send payments to certain Americans through Health Savings Accounts to cover some of the cost of health care.&nbsp;

Neither measure has the 60 votes needed to advance under that chamber’s rules. That would leave the ACA marketplace subsidies to expire at the end of the year and dramatically spike the cost of health insurance for the millions of people enrolled in those plans.&nbsp;

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Democrats’ bill to simply extend the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits to offset the costs Americans pay for that insurance was unacceptable.&nbsp;

“The way that the program is structured, the money goes straight to the insurance companies,” Thune said. “And the way that we think this ought to work is you ought to come up with a way in which you can deliver the benefit to the patients and not to the insurance companies.”

Thune said the Democratic bill lacks an income cap for ACA marketplace tax credits and allows $0 premiums for health insurance plans — guaranteeing the measure will fail.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, called the GOP proposal a “nonstarter” that would lead to “junk insurance.” He said the only way to avoid a dramatic increase in health insurance costs next year is to extend the enhanced ACA tax credits.&nbsp;

“Their phony proposal is dead on arrival,” Schumer said. “The bill not only fails to extend the tax credits, it increases costs, adds tons of new abortion restrictions for women, expands junk fees and permanently funds cost-sharing reductions.”

Senate Republicans have debated for weeks whether to hold a vote on a GOP plan to show the party has something to offer toward reducing health care costs. Thune promised Democrats a vote on a health care bill of their choosing in exchange for votes to end the government shutdown.&nbsp;

Schumer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/health-subsidies-would-continue-3-years-under-dem-bill-be-voted-us-senate" target="_blank">announced last week</a>&nbsp;that Democrats would hold the vote on a three-year extension of the enhanced ACA tax credits as they exist now.&nbsp;

Several GOP senators, including Maine’s Susan Collins and Ohio’s Bernie Moreno, have released plans that would include an extension of the expiring tax credits while beginning to transition away from those subsidies.&nbsp;

But Republican leaders ultimately decided to hold a vote on a proposal released earlier this week by Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho.&nbsp;

The Cassidy-Crapo legislation would have the Department of Health and Human Services deposit money into Health Savings Accounts for people enrolled in bronze or catastrophic health insurance plans purchased on the ACA marketplace in 2026 or 2027, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act_one-pager.pdf" target="_blank">a summary</a>&nbsp;of the bill.&nbsp;

Health Savings Accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts that consumers can use to pay for medical expenses that are not otherwise reimbursed. They are not health insurance products.

ACA marketplace enrollees who select a bronze or catastrophic plan and make up to 700% of the federal poverty level would receive $1,000 annually if they are between the ages of 18 and 49 and $1,500 per year if they are between the ages of 50 and 64.&nbsp;

That would set a threshold of $109,550 in annual income for one person, or $225,050 for a family of four, according to the 2025&nbsp;<a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dd73d4f00d8a819d10b2fdb70d254f7b/detailed-guidelines-2025.pdf" target="_blank">federal poverty guidelines</a>. The numbers are somewhat higher for residents of Alaska and Hawaii.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The funding could not go toward abortion access or gender transitions, according to the Republican bill summary.&nbsp;

Cassidy and Crapo outlined how their proposal would work during afternoon floor speeches, where they also aired their grievances with how the Affordable Care Act has affected Americans’ health care costs.&nbsp;

Crapo rebuked Democrats for establishing the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits during the coronavirus pandemic and scheduling them to sunset at the end of this year.&nbsp;

“The pattern has become clear: Democrats respond to rising premiums by throwing taxpayer dollars at the problem,” Crapo said. “Their supposedly short-term fixes only drive premiums higher and make the problem harder to solve. Leaving us with apparently no choice other than to do the same thing again and again and again.”

The GOP plan, he said, was modeled off President Donald Trump’s request to send funding directly to Americans to spend on their health care.&nbsp;

“Families can use that money to cover costs not handled by their insurance policy without having to wait for insurance companies to approve their treatment decisions,” Crapo said. “Because families want the best value for their money, they will seek out the most appropriate treatment. Over time this will result in lower health care costs as providers compete for patients.”

Cassidy said the bill would not subsidize health insurance premiums but would help some Americans pay for doctor exams, dentist visits, glasses and prescriptions.&nbsp;

Once eligible ACA marketplace enrollees receive that funding in their Health Savings Accounts, he said, they will shop around for better prices, including on x-rays, which are often used to determine if someone has broken a bone.&nbsp;

“She’s going to say, ‘Wait a second, the x-ray is $150 here and $500 there. I’m going to where it’s cheaper, not more expensive,’” Cassidy said, giving an example. “And I can tell you when that begins to happen, the people who are more expensive begin to lower their price.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765375617920.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By Jennifer Shutt</p><p>WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans announced Tuesday they will hold a vote on their own health care proposal later this week to counter a Democratic bill that would extend enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans for three more years.</p><p><a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act.pdf">Click here to read</a> the bill</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act.pdf" target="_blank">32-page GOP bill</a>&nbsp;would not address the expiring ACA marketplace tax credits but would send payments to certain Americans through Health Savings Accounts to cover some of the cost of health care.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765375587504.png" alt=" Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., answers questions from reporters after chairing a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Sept. 17 (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)." />
                        <figcaption> Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., answers questions from reporters after chairing a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Sept. 17 (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom).</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Neither measure has the 60 votes needed to advance under that chamber’s rules. That would leave the ACA marketplace subsidies to expire at the end of the year and dramatically spike the cost of health insurance for the millions of people enrolled in those plans.&nbsp;</p><p>Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Democrats’ bill to simply extend the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits to offset the costs Americans pay for that insurance was unacceptable.&nbsp;</p><p>“The way that the program is structured, the money goes straight to the insurance companies,” Thune said. “And the way that we think this ought to work is you ought to come up with a way in which you can deliver the benefit to the patients and not to the insurance companies.”</p><p>Thune said the Democratic bill lacks an income cap for ACA marketplace tax credits and allows $0 premiums for health insurance plans — guaranteeing the measure will fail.</p><p>Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, called the GOP proposal a “nonstarter” that would lead to “junk insurance.” He said the only way to avoid a dramatic increase in health insurance costs next year is to extend the enhanced ACA tax credits.&nbsp;</p><p>“Their phony proposal is dead on arrival,” Schumer said. “The bill not only fails to extend the tax credits, it increases costs, adds tons of new abortion restrictions for women, expands junk fees and permanently funds cost-sharing reductions.”</p><h2>Multiple plans</h2><p>Senate Republicans have debated for weeks whether to hold a vote on a GOP plan to show the party has something to offer toward reducing health care costs. Thune promised Democrats a vote on a health care bill of their choosing in exchange for votes to end the government shutdown.&nbsp;</p><p>Schumer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/health-subsidies-would-continue-3-years-under-dem-bill-be-voted-us-senate" target="_blank">announced last week</a>&nbsp;that Democrats would hold the vote on a three-year extension of the enhanced ACA tax credits as they exist now.&nbsp;</p><p>Several GOP senators, including Maine’s Susan Collins and Ohio’s Bernie Moreno, have released plans that would include an extension of the expiring tax credits while beginning to transition away from those subsidies.&nbsp;</p><p>But Republican leaders ultimately decided to hold a vote on a proposal released earlier this week by Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho.&nbsp;</p><p>The Cassidy-Crapo legislation would have the Department of Health and Human Services deposit money into Health Savings Accounts for people enrolled in bronze or catastrophic health insurance plans purchased on the ACA marketplace in 2026 or 2027, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act_one-pager.pdf" target="_blank">a summary</a>&nbsp;of the bill.&nbsp;</p><p>Health Savings Accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts that consumers can use to pay for medical expenses that are not otherwise reimbursed. They are not health insurance products.</p><p>ACA marketplace enrollees who select a bronze or catastrophic plan and make up to 700% of the federal poverty level would receive $1,000 annually if they are between the ages of 18 and 49 and $1,500 per year if they are between the ages of 50 and 64.&nbsp;</p><p>That would set a threshold of $109,550 in annual income for one person, or $225,050 for a family of four, according to the 2025&nbsp;<a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dd73d4f00d8a819d10b2fdb70d254f7b/detailed-guidelines-2025.pdf" target="_blank">federal poverty guidelines</a>. The numbers are somewhat higher for residents of Alaska and Hawaii.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The funding could not go toward abortion access or gender transitions, according to the Republican bill summary.&nbsp;</p><h2>Proposal modeled on Trump comments</h2><p>Cassidy and Crapo outlined how their proposal would work during afternoon floor speeches, where they also aired their grievances with how the Affordable Care Act has affected Americans’ health care costs.&nbsp;</p><p>Crapo rebuked Democrats for establishing the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits during the coronavirus pandemic and scheduling them to sunset at the end of this year.&nbsp;</p><p>“The pattern has become clear: Democrats respond to rising premiums by throwing taxpayer dollars at the problem,” Crapo said. “Their supposedly short-term fixes only drive premiums higher and make the problem harder to solve. Leaving us with apparently no choice other than to do the same thing again and again and again.”</p><p>The GOP plan, he said, was modeled off President Donald Trump’s request to send funding directly to Americans to spend on their health care.&nbsp;</p><p>“Families can use that money to cover costs not handled by their insurance policy without having to wait for insurance companies to approve their treatment decisions,” Crapo said. “Because families want the best value for their money, they will seek out the most appropriate treatment. Over time this will result in lower health care costs as providers compete for patients.”</p><p>Cassidy said the bill would not subsidize health insurance premiums but would help some Americans pay for doctor exams, dentist visits, glasses and prescriptions.&nbsp;</p><p>Once eligible ACA marketplace enrollees receive that funding in their Health Savings Accounts, he said, they will shop around for better prices, including on x-rays, which are often used to determine if someone has broken a bone.&nbsp;</p><p>“She’s going to say, ‘Wait a second, the x-ray is $150 here and $500 there. I’m going to where it’s cheaper, not more expensive,’” Cassidy said, giving an example. “And I can tell you when that begins to happen, the people who are more expensive begin to lower their price.”</p>

Read the bill: US Senate GOP  health care plan fails to extend premium subsidies

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765328781902.png" alt="Photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President" />
                        <figcaption>Photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump Delivers Remarks on the Economy <a href="https://t.co/tLnc8ycDNo">https://t.co/tLnc8ycDNo</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1998545515139461327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our nation is STRONG,<br>America is respected again,<br>and the United States is BACK. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/7gM8MlRZ9u">pic.twitter.com/7gM8MlRZ9u</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1998578042801893532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">📍 MOUNT POCONO, PENNSYLVANIA<br><br>RALLY STYLE! <a href="https://t.co/VvCJRArvB3">pic.twitter.com/VvCJRArvB3</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998547587054404045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> in PA: &quot;I&#39;m thrilled to be back in this incredible Commonwealth, with so many proud, hardworking American patriots... Let me begin by wishing each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas!&quot; 🎄❤️ <a href="https://t.co/cfUwmgUmzI">pic.twitter.com/cfUwmgUmzI</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998547681736798287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Since my inauguration, we&#39;ve created nearly 60,000 new Pennsylvania jobs, including 4,000 Pennsylvania manufacturing jobs...more than 40,000 Pennsylvanians have been lifted off food stamps...we&#39;ve secured commitments for nearly $100 billion dollars of investment in… <a href="https://t.co/I19jU8XGyX">pic.twitter.com/I19jU8XGyX</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998550149875081608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We&#39;re right now drilling more oil than we&#39;ve ever done — ever before... It was just reported that four states had $1.99 a gallon.&quot; 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/ltvNEbYkwo">pic.twitter.com/ltvNEbYkwo</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998551735363842073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Under Biden, real wages plummeted by $3,000 a year. Under Trump, the typical factory worker has seen their wages increase by more than $1,300... For construction workers, it’s $1,800 up... For miners, their wages went up $3,300.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/C8CDUDGhCy">pic.twitter.com/C8CDUDGhCy</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998552530130031024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="ro" dir="ltr">Trump Dance in Pennsylvania! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/wPlzM36v87">pic.twitter.com/wPlzM36v87</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1998571525461639242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Highlights of President Trump's rally on the economy, affordability worries

The drama over Warner Bros. Discovery has entered a new stage. On December 5, Netflix clinched a deal in principle to acquire Warner’s film and television studios — including key franchises and streaming assets — in a transaction valued at about $82.7 billion enterprise value, or roughly $72 billion in equity value. The structure: roughly $23.25 in cash per share plus $4.50 in Netflix stock, totaling about $27.75 per share. That bid reflected a strategic leap by Netflix: rather than building out original content alone, it would instantly gain control over Warner’s massive and deeply valuable content library — spanning decades of films, TV shows, and franchises.

But the story didn’t end there. On December 8, Paramount Skydance went hostile. The company launched an all-cash tender offer to buy all outstanding shares of Warner Bros. Discovery for $30 per share — valuing the entire company at about $108.4 billion enterprise value. That proposal would acquire not only the studios and streaming assets targeted by Netflix, but also Warner’s cable networks and legacy operations. Paramount characterized its bid as a cleaner, more certain alternative — delivering $18 billion more in cash value than Netflix’s offer and avoiding the regulatory and structural complications that come with splitting off the cable-network arm.&nbsp;

Paramount’s CEO publicly argued that shareholders deserve the chance to evaluate this superior, all-cash deal — pointing out that the Netflix agreement mixes cash and stock, leaves a highly leveraged stub in Warner’s Global Networks arm, and carries significant execution risk and antitrust uncertainty. By going directly to shareholders, Paramount aims to circumvent the initial board recommendation favoring Netflix and put pressure on Warner to reconsider.&nbsp;

The stakes go far beyond a corporate takeover. For Netflix, acquiring Warner’s libraries — from iconic film franchises to prestige TV — would dramatically broaden its content arsenal, giving it unrivaled leverage in storytelling, streaming distribution, and potential spinoffs into gaming, licensing, and global release windows. Analysts have described Warner’s catalogue as a “crown-jewel” asset — one that could vault Netflix into a near-unchallengeable position in global streaming.

Paramount’s bid, by contrast, represents a reassertion of legacy-media ambition: combining Warner’s cable and studio assets under one roof, potentially reviving a more diversified media juggernaut that spans streaming and traditional TV, theatrical releases, and network programming. For those concerned about the declining theatrical business and shrinking competition, a Paramount-led Warner might feel like a lifeline to a broader media ecosystem.&nbsp;

Yet in spite of the stronger cash offer, nothing is guaranteed. The company backing Paramount — including debt commitments from major banks and financing partners — adds a layer of financial risk. Meanwhile, regulators in the U.S. and abroad will undoubtedly scrutinize either deal, especially the Netflix-Warner combo, for antitrust implications. Questions over concentration in streaming, content licensing, and the impact on theatrical and lesser-known or niche creators all hang in the balance.&nbsp;

For now, Warner Bros. Discovery’s board faces a crossroads. It has acknowledged Paramount’s hostile offer but has not withdrawn its backing of the Netflix transaction — leaving the ultimate decision in the hands of shareholders, regulatory bodies, and, perhaps, wider economic and political forces.

The outcome of this bidding war could redefine Hollywood’s structure for decades: deciding who controls the stories, the content, and the distribution networks that shape global culture.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765294530930.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The drama over Warner Bros. Discovery has entered a new stage. On December 5, Netflix clinched a deal in principle to acquire Warner’s film and television studios — including key franchises and streaming assets — in a transaction valued at about $82.7 billion enterprise value, or roughly $72 billion in equity value. The structure: roughly $23.25 in cash per share plus $4.50 in Netflix stock, totaling about $27.75 per share. That bid reflected a strategic leap by Netflix: rather than building out original content alone, it would instantly gain control over Warner’s massive and deeply valuable content library — spanning decades of films, TV shows, and franchises.</p><p>But the story didn’t end there. On December 8, Paramount Skydance went hostile. The company launched an all-cash tender offer to buy all outstanding shares of Warner Bros. Discovery for $30 per share — valuing the entire company at about $108.4 billion enterprise value. That proposal would acquire not only the studios and streaming assets targeted by Netflix, but also Warner’s cable networks and legacy operations. Paramount characterized its bid as a cleaner, more certain alternative — delivering $18 billion more in cash value than Netflix’s offer and avoiding the regulatory and structural complications that come with splitting off the cable-network arm.&nbsp;</p><p>Paramount’s CEO publicly argued that shareholders deserve the chance to evaluate this superior, all-cash deal — pointing out that the Netflix agreement mixes cash and stock, leaves a highly leveraged stub in Warner’s Global Networks arm, and carries significant execution risk and antitrust uncertainty. By going directly to shareholders, Paramount aims to circumvent the initial board recommendation favoring Netflix and put pressure on Warner to reconsider.&nbsp;</p><p>The stakes go far beyond a corporate takeover. For Netflix, acquiring Warner’s libraries — from iconic film franchises to prestige TV — would dramatically broaden its content arsenal, giving it unrivaled leverage in storytelling, streaming distribution, and potential spinoffs into gaming, licensing, and global release windows. Analysts have described Warner’s catalogue as a “crown-jewel” asset — one that could vault Netflix into a near-unchallengeable position in global streaming.</p><p>Paramount’s bid, by contrast, represents a reassertion of legacy-media ambition: combining Warner’s cable and studio assets under one roof, potentially reviving a more diversified media juggernaut that spans streaming and traditional TV, theatrical releases, and network programming. For those concerned about the declining theatrical business and shrinking competition, a Paramount-led Warner might feel like a lifeline to a broader media ecosystem.&nbsp;</p><p>Yet in spite of the stronger cash offer, nothing is guaranteed. The company backing Paramount — including debt commitments from major banks and financing partners — adds a layer of financial risk. Meanwhile, regulators in the U.S. and abroad will undoubtedly scrutinize either deal, especially the Netflix-Warner combo, for antitrust implications. Questions over concentration in streaming, content licensing, and the impact on theatrical and lesser-known or niche creators all hang in the balance.&nbsp;</p><p>For now, Warner Bros. Discovery’s board faces a crossroads. It has acknowledged Paramount’s hostile offer but has not withdrawn its backing of the Netflix transaction — leaving the ultimate decision in the hands of shareholders, regulatory bodies, and, perhaps, wider economic and political forces.</p><p>The outcome of this bidding war could redefine Hollywood’s structure for decades: deciding who controls the stories, the content, and the distribution networks that shape global culture.</p>

Netflix VS Paramount: The Battle for Warner Bros. Discovery

United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Seth Fontaine, 30, of Hastings, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 3, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of fentanyl. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Fontaine to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Fontaine is released from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.

On May 17, 2023, Fontaine sent a Facebook message to Victim 1 stating “do u got Narcan?” The victim replied, “yea.” Fontain then replied, “Cool, thank you, I got some real fentanyl, wanna smoke some.”&nbsp; The parties met at Victim 1’s residence in Hastings, and smoked fentanyl.&nbsp; Victim 1 became unconscious and was not breathing.&nbsp; First responders were called to the scene and administered Narcan.&nbsp; Victim 1 went to the local hospital and received further medical attention.&nbsp; At the scene, law enforcement located pipes with fentanyl residue on them, burnt tin foil, and a torch still lit.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Task Force, which is comprised of law enforcement from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

<p><i>For Immediate Release</i></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573580132637.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Seth Fontaine, 30, of Hastings, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 3, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of fentanyl. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Fontaine to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Fontaine is released from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.</p><p>On May 17, 2023, Fontaine sent a Facebook message to Victim 1 stating “do u got Narcan?” The victim replied, “yea.” Fontain then replied, “Cool, thank you, I got some real fentanyl, wanna smoke some.”&nbsp; The parties met at Victim 1’s residence in Hastings, and smoked fentanyl.&nbsp; Victim 1 became unconscious and was not breathing.&nbsp; First responders were called to the scene and administered Narcan.&nbsp; Victim 1 went to the local hospital and received further medical attention.&nbsp; At the scene, law enforcement located pipes with fentanyl residue on them, burnt tin foil, and a torch still lit.</p><p>This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Task Force, which is comprised of law enforcement from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.</p>

Hastings Man Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl

ATLANTA — December 5, 2025 — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) today voted 8 to 3 to recommend individual-based decision-making for parents deciding whether to give the hepatitis B vaccine, including the birth dose, to infants born to women who test negative for the virus. For those infants not receiving the birth dose, ACIP suggested in its recommendation that the initial dose be administered no earlier than two months of age.

Individual-based decision-making, known on the CDC immunization schedules as shared clinical decision-making, means that parents and health care providers should consider vaccine benefits, vaccine risks, and infection risks, and that parents consult with their health care provider and decide when or if their child will begin the hepatitis B vaccine series. The committee said parents and health care providers should consider whether there are infection risks such as a household member who has hepatitis B or frequent contact with persons who have emigrated from areas where hepatitis B is common.

ACIP also voted to recommend that when evaluating the need for a subsequent hepatitis B vaccine dose in children, parents should consult with health care providers to decide whether to test antibody levels to hepatitis surface antigen to evaluate adequacy of protection through serology results.

These recommendations on hepatitis B immunization maintain consistency of coverage for all payment mechanisms, including entitlement programs such as the Vaccines for Children Program, Children’s Health Insurance Program, Medicaid, and Medicare, as well as insurance plans through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace. ACIP on September 19, 2025, voted to recommend that all pregnant women be tested for the hepatitis B virus, a test that is covered across all insurance programs.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/kUgXRUpKal4" target="_blank">Today’s votes</a> were preceded <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/LpthhPBFAgI" target="_blank">yesterday</a> by presentations to ACIP on the hepatitis B disease burden, vaccine safety, and comparative nation immunization policies as well as briefings from representatives of the vaccine manufacturers.

A <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/acip/downloads/slides-2025-12-04-05/02-nevison-Hepatitis-B-508.pdf" target="_blank">presentation [PDF, 1.41 MB]</a> from Cynthia Nevison, Ph.D., on the decline of the hepatitis B disease burden since 1985 concluded that the universal birth dose contribution to acute case decline is likely small. It identified sharp declines in post-transfusion hepatitis B transmission due to advanced blood screening, improved dialysis practices, and needle exchange programs. It also acknowledged a 2019 study that found 57.9% of estimated births to women who test positive for the hepatitis B surface antigen were attributable to non–US-born women, mainly from high-endemicity countries. The study reported that 0.5% of pregnancies in the U.S. are to women who test positive for the hepatitis B surface antigen, which is the most significant risk to newborns for being infected with the virus.

ACIP Childhood/Adolescent Schedule Workgroup Chair Vicky Pebsworth, Ph.D., RN, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/acip/downloads/slides-2025-12-04-05/01-Pebsworth-hepatitis-b-508.pdf" target="_blank">presented [PDF, 487 KB]</a> the policy context and historical and international comparison of the immunization schedule for hepatitis B. The United States’ universal recommendation of the hepatitis B vaccine birth dose is an outlier among developed countries with low hepatitis B prevalence.

“The American people have benefited from the committee’s well-informed, rigorous discussion about the appropriateness of a vaccination in the first few hours of life,” said Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and CDC Acting Director Jim O’Neill.

A recommendation from ACIP becomes part of the CDC immunization schedule once it is adopted by the CDC director.

<p><i>Press Release</i></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764869455715.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>ATLANTA — December 5, 2025 — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) today voted 8 to 3 to recommend individual-based decision-making for parents deciding whether to give the hepatitis B vaccine, including the birth dose, to infants born to women who test negative for the virus. For those infants not receiving the birth dose, ACIP suggested in its recommendation that the initial dose be administered no earlier than two months of age.</p><p>Individual-based decision-making, known on the CDC immunization schedules as shared clinical decision-making, means that parents and health care providers should consider vaccine benefits, vaccine risks, and infection risks, and that parents consult with their health care provider and decide when or if their child will begin the hepatitis B vaccine series. The committee said parents and health care providers should consider whether there are infection risks such as a household member who has hepatitis B or frequent contact with persons who have emigrated from areas where hepatitis B is common.</p><p>ACIP also voted to recommend that when evaluating the need for a subsequent hepatitis B vaccine dose in children, parents should consult with health care providers to decide whether to test antibody levels to hepatitis surface antigen to evaluate adequacy of protection through serology results.</p><p>These recommendations on hepatitis B immunization maintain consistency of coverage for all payment mechanisms, including entitlement programs such as the Vaccines for Children Program, Children’s Health Insurance Program, Medicaid, and Medicare, as well as insurance plans through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace. ACIP on September 19, 2025, voted to recommend that all pregnant women be tested for the hepatitis B virus, a test that is covered across all insurance programs.</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/kUgXRUpKal4" target="_blank">Today’s votes</a> were preceded <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/LpthhPBFAgI" target="_blank">yesterday</a> by presentations to ACIP on the hepatitis B disease burden, vaccine safety, and comparative nation immunization policies as well as briefings from representatives of the vaccine manufacturers.</p><p>A <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/acip/downloads/slides-2025-12-04-05/02-nevison-Hepatitis-B-508.pdf" target="_blank">presentation [PDF, 1.41 MB]</a> from Cynthia Nevison, Ph.D., on the decline of the hepatitis B disease burden since 1985 concluded that the universal birth dose contribution to acute case decline is likely small. It identified sharp declines in post-transfusion hepatitis B transmission due to advanced blood screening, improved dialysis practices, and needle exchange programs. It also acknowledged a 2019 study that found 57.9% of estimated births to women who test positive for the hepatitis B surface antigen were attributable to non–US-born women, mainly from high-endemicity countries. The study reported that 0.5% of pregnancies in the U.S. are to women who test positive for the hepatitis B surface antigen, which is the most significant risk to newborns for being infected with the virus.</p><p>ACIP Childhood/Adolescent Schedule Workgroup Chair Vicky Pebsworth, Ph.D., RN, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/acip/downloads/slides-2025-12-04-05/01-Pebsworth-hepatitis-b-508.pdf" target="_blank">presented [PDF, 487 KB]</a> the policy context and historical and international comparison of the immunization schedule for hepatitis B. The United States’ universal recommendation of the hepatitis B vaccine birth dose is an outlier among developed countries with low hepatitis B prevalence.</p><p>“The American people have benefited from the committee’s well-informed, rigorous discussion about the appropriateness of a vaccination in the first few hours of life,” said Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and CDC Acting Director Jim O’Neill.</p><p>A recommendation from ACIP becomes part of the CDC immunization schedule once it is adopted by the CDC director.</p>

ACIP Recommends Individual-Based Decision-Making for Hepatitis B Vaccine for Infants Born to Women Who Test Negative for the Virus

President Donald J. Trump alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins&nbsp; announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make $12 billion available in one time bridge payments to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs still impacting farmers, according to a media release from the USDA.

Of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which provides broad relief to United States row crop farmers who produce Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower. 

FBA will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. The FBA Program applies simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year. This national loss average is based on FSA reported planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production estimates, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices and economic modeling.

Farmers who qualify for the FBA Program can expect payments to be released by February 28, 2026. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5pm ET on December 19, 2025. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month. Crop insurance linkage will not be required for the FBA Program; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new OBBBA risk management tools to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.

The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA Program such as specialty crops and sugar, for example, though details including timelines for those payments are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs.

The $12 billion in farmer bridge payments, including those provided through the FBA Program, are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and will be administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

To submit questions, justification for USDA farmer bridge aid, or to request a meeting on farmer bridge aid, producers can reach out to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:farmerbridge@usda.gov">farmerbridge@usda.gov</a>.

“Four years under the failed Biden Administration continues to leave the American farm economy reeling from record inflation, a depleted farm safety net, and delayed disaster assistance. 

The lack of new trade deals under the last Administration turned a trade surplus under Trump into a $50 billion trade deficit, causing our farmers to lose markets and feel acute pain from lower commodity prices. President Trump will not let our farmers be left behind, so he directed our team to build a bridge program to see quick relief while the President’s dozens of new trade deals and new market access take effect,”&nbsp;said Secretary Brooke Rollins. 

“The plan we are announcing today ensures American farmers can continue to plan for the next crop year. It is imperative we do what it takes to help our farmers, because if we cannot feed ourselves, we will no longer have a country. With this program serving as a bridge to the improvements President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made, it will allow farmers to leverage strengthened price protection risk management tools and the reliability of fair trade deals so they do not have to depend on large ad hoc assistance packages from the government.”

Additional Farmer First Actions Taken by the Trump Administration

In addition to $12 billion in bridge payments announced today, the Trump Administration has been working around the clock since January 20th to put American farmers first after inheriting one of the worst farm economies the country has experienced in decades. The following actions have been taken to date and together show historic investments and bold and unrelenting dedication to helping our nation’s farmers thrive again.

Over $30 Billion in Ad Hoc Assistance Delivered to Farmers Since January 2025

Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/emergency-commodity-assistance-program/dashboard">ECAP</a>)&nbsp;is helping farmers recover from the economic hardships of 2024. This program distributed more than $9.3 billion to over 560,000 farmers for soy, corn, sorghum, and other row crops.

Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/marketing-assistance-specialty-crops-masc">MASC</a>)&nbsp;is helping specialty crop producers recover from rising input costs and other market disruptions stemming from the Biden Administration. This program distributed over 1.8 billion in assistance to over 52,000 producers.

The&nbsp;Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/supplemental-disaster-relief-program-sdrp/dashboard">SDRP</a>)&nbsp;is helping producers recover from severe weather events in 2023 and 2024. This program has distributed nearly $6 billion to over 388,000 farmers with up to an additional $9 billion to be distributed over the next four months.

Over $2.5 billion via&nbsp;block grants&nbsp;delivered to states and sugar beet and cane processors via block grants to cover losses from 2023 and 2024 that were left uncovered by existing USDA programs.

With the signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill in July, President Trump has made crop insurance more workable and affordable for American farmers and ranchers. Crop insurance is an essential risk management tool that allows American farmers and ranchers endure weather and market volatility. The bill increases crop insurance premium support for beginning farmers and ranchers by expanding the definition from five to 10 years of experience, enabling more producers to qualify for assistance over a longer period. These improvements will result in over $400 million in savings every year for America’s farmers on insurance premiums.

For the first time in over a decade the statutory reference prices for the farm safety net programs, ARC and PLC, were raised by 10-21% for major commodities such as corn, soybeans, and wheat. Thanks to OBBBA USDA is also expanding eligibility for these price support programs by adding more than 30 million new base acres to the program making them eligible for future PLC or ARC payments starting in crop year 2026.

OBBBA extended the marketing assistance loan programs through 2031 and updated loan rates for major commodities beginning in the 2026 crop year, providing stronger loan rates for crops like wheat, corn, cotton and soybeans.

The bill included historic investments to the domestic sugar programs and USDA made them available starting October 1, 2025. The loan rate for raw cane sugar has increased to an average 24 cents per pound for the 2025 - 2031 crop years, with refined beet sugar rates increased to an average of 32.77 cents per pound.

OBBBA invested in USDA’s major conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). These funds will result in over $34B in conservation work on agricultural land over the next 10 years.

OBBBA provides $285 million a year for agricultural trade promotion and facilitation. This is in addition to the existing $234M per year of funding for MAP and FMD. These dollars are key to opening and expanding foreign markets.

OBBBA included many important tax provisions for farmers and ranchers. Some of the most impactful provisions for agriculture are the permanency of the 20% qualified business income deduction, full bonus depreciation and the $15 million per individual estate tax exemption, now also indexed for inflation. With the current land values, equipment costs and input prices, even modest-sized farms can easily exceed that threshold, meaning upon the owner’s death, far more family operations would face massive tax bills than previously estimated. A permanent bonus depreciation means that farmers can continue to write off the entire cost of new equipment, land improvements, new barns and other capital upgrades in the year of purchase, rather than depreciating them over many years.

Oversight on Competition &amp; Farmer Input Costs

On September 26, 2025, the USDA and the Department of Justice signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-09-29-doj-usda-mou-farm-inputs.pdf">Memorandum of Understanding</a>&nbsp;(PDF, 1.3 MB) that represents a joint commitment by both agencies to protect American farmers and ranchers from the burdens imposed by high and volatile input costs—such as feed, fertilizer, fuel, seed, equipment, and other essential goods—while ensuring competitive supply chains, lower consumer prices, and the resilience of U.S. agriculture and the food supply.

On December 6, 2025, President Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/addressing-security-risks-from-price-fixing-and-anti-competitive-behavior-in-the-food-supply-chain/" target="_blank">Executive Order</a>&nbsp;to stop price fixing, anti-competitive behavior, and foreign influence that drives up prices and threatens the security of America’s food supply. This EO recognizes that sectors including seed, fertilizer, and farm equipment may be vulnerable to anti-competitive manipulation that result in higher prices for farmers and seeks to take aggressive action in part by the establishment of Task Forces created to investigate price fixing and anti-competitive behavior, especially regarding foreign owned entities.

These actions combined reiterate the Trump Administration’s commitment to scrutinizing competitive conditions in the agricultural marketplace, including antitrust enforcement that promotes free market competition.

Lowering Farm Labor Costs through Deregulatory Actions

Farm labor costs alone increased 47% since 2020 largely due to the high cost of utilizing the H-2A program to secure seasonal labor under the Biden Administration who artificially inflated Adverse Effect Wage Rates set by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) using USDA’s Farm Labor Survey which was never designed to be used for setting government-mandated wage rates and is duplicative of other DOL data sources. As such, USDA discontinued this survey while DOL issued a bold new interim final rule which decreased wage costs for H-2A agricultural employers resulting in initial savings of at least $2 billion. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule, effective October 2, 2025, to streamline the filing process for certain temporary agricultural worker petitions. These actions combined are making farm labor more affordable and more accessible for American agriculture.

USDA is Prioritizing the Purchase of Healthy U.S. Grown Commodities to Feed Those Most in Need through Section 32 Buys

This year alone, USDA has provided nearly $1 billion in Section 32 purchases, all which benefit the charitable feeding network.

On November 24, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/11/24/secretary-rollins-announces-30-million-food-purchase-back-us-producers-and-strengthen-americas-food">announced a $30 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American grown oranges, grapefruit, and mandarins.

On August 6, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/06/secretary-rollins-targets-invasive-species-announces-next-steps-clear-chesapeake-harmful-catfish">announced a $2 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of invasive Chesapeake Bay blue catfish.

On August 1, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/01/secretary-rollins-announces-local-food-purchases-communities-need">announced up to $230 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of Alaska pollock, catfish, apples, beans and cranberries.

On May 23, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/05/23/secretary-rollins-announces-food-purchases-communities-need">announced a $67 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American groundfish, pears, cherries, shrimp and beans.

USDA will continue to buy Section 32 commodity purchases to support American seafood, fruit, vegetable, and tree-nut producers for distribution to U.S. food banks, schools, and other outlets serving low-income individuals. These actions support President Trump’s vision to Make America Healthy Again through U.S. local farmer grown, healthy, and nutritious commodities.

This is the most pro-biofuels Administration in history

President Trump recognizes how important the Renewable Fuel Standard is for American corn and soybean farmers. EPA Administrator Zeldin delivered the boldest Renewable Volume Obligations ever and provided much certainty in the market for our producers while delivering lower prices at the pump for consumers. The RVO gives the markets the incentive to invest in American products for American consumers and to export around the world.

EPA’s decision to allow the summer sale of E-15 constituted 2025 year-round E15 and continues to deliver immediate relief to consumers, give more choices at the pump, and drive demand for corn grown, processed, and used right here in America. America’s national security depends on our energy security, and biofuels are a crucial asset that brings more jobs and helps farmers in rural America.

List of Trade &amp; Market Access Wins to Date

USDA announced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/america-first-trade-promotion-program">applications are now open</a>&nbsp;through January 23, 2026, for the $285 million America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP), a key component of the Trump Administration’s work to expand global market access and create new export opportunities for America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers.

Additionally, President Trump and his administration have worked to pen new trade deals and trade frameworks with more than 15 countries.

Switzerland and Liechtenstein&nbsp;will invest at least $200 billion in the United States, remove tariffs on several agricultural products, allow for market access for American beef, bison, and poultry, and remove non-tariff barriers for poultry and dairy.

El Salvador&nbsp;has removed non-tariff barriers including fumigation requirements and arbitrary geographic indicator restrictions on dairy product names.

Argentina&nbsp;will allow access for U.S. poultry and poultry products, within one year, and simplify red tape for U.S. exporters of beef, beef products, pork, and pork products. Argentina also has agreed to protect U.S. exporters’ use of certain meat and cheese terms, preserving market access and creating the potential for new opportunities in the region.

Ecuador&nbsp;has reduced or eliminated tariffs on American nuts, wheat, and wine; and will reduce major non-tariff barriers for many agricultural products regarding import licensing and facility registration requirements.

Guatemala&nbsp;will address and prevent barriers to U.S. agricultural products in its market; maintain science- and risk-based regulatory frameworks; and efficient authorization processes for agricultural products.

China&nbsp;committed to delaying new export controls on rare earth minerals, resume large purchases of U.S. soybeans, sorghum, and more. To date, China is already purchasing additional soybeans, wheat, and sorghum.

Malaysia&nbsp;will provide significant market access for U.S. products like dairy, horticultural products, poultry, pork, rice, and ethanol; recognize the U.S. food safety systems for U.S. meat, poultry, and dairy products; streamline its halal certification of U.S. food and agricultural products; and open market access for U.S. sorghum.

Cambodia&nbsp;will eliminate 100% of its tariffs on U.S. products, while the U.S. maintains a 19% reciprocal tariff rate for imports from Cambodia. It will also recognize the U.S. scientific guidelines for most U.S. agricultural goods and food.

Thailand&nbsp;will eliminate tariffs on 99% of U.S. goods, including most food and agricultural products and expedite access for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service-certified meat and poultry products, giving American producers unprecedented access to the market.

Vietnam&nbsp;will accept preferential access for U.S. agricultural goods, including specialty cheese and meats, and is already improving access for U.S. peaches and nectarines. Vietnam will pay the United States 20% tariffs on all goods and 40% on any transshipped goods

South Korea&nbsp;will pay 15 percent tariff to the United States.

European Union&nbsp;will purchase $750 billion of American energy and addressing non-tariff barriers for farmers and ranchers - pork and dairy products. Market access for U.S. agricultural goods like tree nuts, sorghum, and more will also be provided as we work to commit to a simpler regulatory agenda.

Philippines&nbsp;is opening their market to the United States and charging us zero tariffs while the Philippines will pay 19 percent tariffs to the United States.

Indonesia&nbsp;will&nbsp;eliminate 90 percent of tariffs on American exports including for all agricultural products.

Japan&nbsp;agreed to $8 billion in American agricultural purchases including corn, soybeans, ethanol, fertilizer, and sustainable aviation fuel. Japan will increase US rice imports by 75%.

United Kingdom&nbsp;will create $5 billion in new agricultural export opportunities. $700 million in ethanol and better market access for American beef.

At the same time, President Trump is securing new, unprecedented market access for American agricultural producers around the world. For example, wine exports to Mexico are up 30 percent in 2025, reaching $18 million; South Korea has purchased $1 billion in corn, more than double from 2024; Bangladesh purchased $172 million in soybeans; Costa Rica streamlined its dairy access for U.S. producers; and India cut its bourbon tariff in half.

Nebraska U.S. Senator pleased with assistance package for farmers

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765228441626.jpeg" alt="President Trump with farmers and ranchers in Oval Office Monday-photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President" />
                        <figcaption>President Trump with farmers and ranchers in Oval Office Monday-photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I&#39;m delighted to announce this afternoon that the United States will be taking a small portion of the hundreds of billions of dollars we receive in tariffs... We&#39;re going to use that money to provide $12B in economic assistance to American farmers.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/upHPD6a9eP">pic.twitter.com/upHPD6a9eP</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998115240983019905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRollins</a>: As <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> said, we are very pleased to announce that today, we are going to be effectuating a $11B bridge payment to our farmers... by the end of this month, every farmer that is able to apply for it will know exactly what that number looks like. <a href="https://t.co/3cKmFw6OQC">https://t.co/3cKmFw6OQC</a> <a href="https://t.co/hUk5XFmVMd">pic.twitter.com/hUk5XFmVMd</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998118157178069161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecScottBessent</a>: &quot;These direct payments will give producers the breathing room they need to market this year’s harvest and plan for next season... thanks to the administration&#39;s pro growth policies, input costs like fuel and fertilizer are easing... Interest rates are coming… <a href="https://t.co/3cKmFw6OQC">https://t.co/3cKmFw6OQC</a> <a href="https://t.co/afbyMM1E89">pic.twitter.com/afbyMM1E89</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998120274764632411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on lowering the cost of farm equipment: &quot;We’re going to take off a lot of the environmental restrictions that they have on machinery... we’re going to take a lot of that nonsense off of the equipment, which is going to reduce [prices].&quot; <a href="https://t.co/bPuKHsgeGA">pic.twitter.com/bPuKHsgeGA</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998119170899136723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces 12 billion in economic assistance to farmers: &quot;We&#39;re going to use that money to provide 12 billion dollars in economic assistance to American farmers&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SR3Yti19GA">pic.twitter.com/SR3Yti19GA</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998125773304066198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces 12 billion in economic assistance to farmers: &quot;We&#39;re going to use that money to provide 12 billion dollars in economic assistance to American farmers&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SR3Yti19GA">pic.twitter.com/SR3Yti19GA</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998125773304066198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“Farmers are an indispensable national asset, part of the backbone of America…I’ve always felt it so strongly. They are so important.” <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/hDv28uOrdM">pic.twitter.com/hDv28uOrdM</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1998122795981541672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Meryl Kennedy, Rice, Corn, and Soybean Farmer from Monroe, LA: &quot;The rice industry thanks you sincerely for what you have done for the California rice market into Japan. It has been monumental for our industry.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/4tqdnu25Io">pic.twitter.com/4tqdnu25Io</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998124143968145796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cordt Holub, Corn and Soybean Farmer from Dysart, Iowa: &quot;I think you brought Christmas to farmers with this bridge payment... What you&#39;re doing here in D.C. is working... I&#39;ll be able to potentially pass on a farm to my children because of you.&quot; ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/3cKmFw6h14">https://t.co/3cKmFw6h14</a> <a href="https://t.co/aW1qXFws2Q">pic.twitter.com/aW1qXFws2Q</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998122935828058237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥President Trump details the $12B aid package for farmers

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/25-332">Click here for a replay</a> of the Supreme Court oral argument

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672235865420.png" alt="Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States" />
                        <figcaption>Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/25-332">Click here for a replay</a> of the Supreme Court oral argument</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chief Justice Roberts asks whether Humphrey’s Executor is outdated saying it is “vanishingly insignificant has nothing to do with what the FTC looks like today.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/YfvDBOdpU0">pic.twitter.com/YfvDBOdpU0</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998111919077478432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Justice Jackson argues in favor of giving Congress increased authority in determining an agency&#39;s operations rather than Executive authority. <a href="https://t.co/wj8hNEsnqY">pic.twitter.com/wj8hNEsnqY</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998128563413721422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Justice Jackson says that it is the “best interest of the American people to have certain kinds of issues handled by experts” and it is undermined when one person has too much power. Agarwal agrees, saying too much power with one person is problematic. <a href="https://t.co/recl3K6SiV">pic.twitter.com/recl3K6SiV</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998128420396372094?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Justice Gorsuch asks if Humphrey’s Executor may have been “poorly reasoned.” <a href="https://t.co/N16jL3thL6">pic.twitter.com/N16jL3thL6</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998112641840009570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chief Justice Roberts and other justices asks about Congress’s role in structuring agencies, whether Congress may transform standard executive agencies into independent commissions with removal protections that limit presidential control. <a href="https://t.co/BBJSKwJbq8">pic.twitter.com/BBJSKwJbq8</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998112019354980609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Justice Kagan questions the independence of agencies that Congress has given authority w/o control by any single individual.<br><br>Justice Gorsuch asks if Congress has delegated too much legislative authority to agencies. <a href="https://t.co/fn4Oqx6gIM">pic.twitter.com/fn4Oqx6gIM</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998111481217376561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Justice Sotomayor asks U.S. Solicitor General for examples of any court cases that have broken a 90 plus year precedent that overturning Humphrey’s Executor, which limits the president&#39;s ability to fire officials in independent agencies, would do. <a href="https://t.co/seX4rP5fxt">pic.twitter.com/seX4rP5fxt</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998110912784302256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎧 Highlights: Supreme Court on expanding presidential powers

Estefanía Pinto Ruiz | States Newsroom-Nebraska Examiner

As farmers face historic headwinds and market hardships, calls to the national Farm Aid hotline and the Iowa Concern hotline — where farmers can get support in times of mental health crisis or need — are increasing.

This fall, the Iowa Concern hotline saw four to five times the number of calls it had in the same months last year, said Tammy Jacobs, the hotline’s manager.

The Farm Aid hotline is also seeing a change in the urgency of calls.

“We’re seeing more established farmers calling in — people who know how to play the game and how to access programs. They’re calling more often now, because even with all that institutional knowledge, they’re still running into issues for the first time that are more complex and difficult to solve,” said Lori Mercer, a Farm Aid hotline operator. “The system that’s in place is simply letting them down. There’s just no further safety net.”&nbsp;

<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37449301/" target="_blank">Research shows farmers die by suicide at least twice as often as people in the general population</a>, so there’s urgency to address the uptick in need.&nbsp;

“It’s a huge issue. I mean, we’ve known at least three families this year whose loved ones died by suicide,” said Emma Yerkey, who’s part of the Ag Chapter of Gray Matters, a monthly meetup for ag producers around the Quad-Cities to talk about their struggles.

Farmers experience a lot of stressors and uncertainty that they can’t control — isolation, weather changes, and financial pressures — along with low access to mental health care in rural areas and stigma that may make them keep their pain to themselves. Market conditions made worse by a trade war and inflation are adding to the stress. Mental health professionals are thinking outside the box to get producers care.&nbsp;

Yerkey’s family farms corn, soybeans, and hay in Geneseo, Illinois, on land they’ve owned since the Civil War. The farm is filled with memories, especially of her dad, Tim Yerkey.&nbsp;

She played baseball with him in their driveway, the family ate meals together in the home, and, one year, her father helped her raise a ribbon-winning calf.&nbsp;

“That was a really good memory that I have with him,” Yerkey said.

But the farm could be stressful, too. Tim Yerkey worked the land with his family, but at times had to take outside jobs to make ends meet. In 2011, he’d been struggling for about a year when spring floods left fields underwater. He’d reached out to friends and visited the emergency room seeking help, only to be told there were no beds, Yerkey said. He died by suicide in June 2011.&nbsp;

“I miss my dad, and I don’t want anybody else — or any other family — to go through that,” Yerkey said.

But many farming families experience similar pain. Between 2003 and 2017, more than 1600 farmers died by suicide, the majority older white men.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Experts say factors that contribute to stress and higher suicide rates among farmers include isolation, easy access to guns, a cultural expectation of toughness, stigma around seeking mental health care, worries about who will take over the farm, and a lack of recognition for their hard work.

Financial losses and stress are also significant risks for depressive symptoms. And right now, times are tough for farmers.&nbsp;

Producers have endured high inflation and growing input costs on farms since at least 2020. The spread of COVID and, more recently, policy decisions like President Donald Trump’s tariffs and increases in immigration enforcement have all increased operating costs. At the same time, prices for major commodities are low — lower than the cost to grow them. Corn prices are about $0.85 below the break even point and soybeans are about $2 below.&nbsp;

This year, many states are expecting a record corn crop, but farmers aren’t celebrating.

“It’s very discouraging for farmers to think that they’ve done all the things right in their fields and have put innovations in place and made good decisions, but yet, even with strong yields, they’re gonna be facing a loss on what they’re producing,” said Aaron Lehman, president of the Iowa Farmers Union.

In 2024, the U.S. exported about 42% of its soybeans, most of it to China. With China not buying in the midst of the trade war, some farmers who usually send their crop abroad have struggled to find new markets. The U.S. in November struck a new deal with China, potentially extending a lifeline to producers still scrambling to move their harvest, but it remains to be seen what China will actually buy.

Some programs that helped connect farmers to domestic markets, like the Local Food Purchase Assistance initiative, have also been cut by the USDA.&nbsp;

“Since the beginning of the year, the farmers have just been thrown into a different level of uncertainty with policy things like losing access to some markets through tariffs, losing access to staff and programming with the government shutdown, and the funding freezes. A big one we’re hearing about is losing access to labor with the ICE raids, etcetera,” said Mercer, with Farm Aid. “I was just speaking to a farmer the other day who was basically watching his crops rot on the vines because his usual labor support was just too afraid to show up this year.”&nbsp;

In addition to all of the financial stress, farmers say they feel the work can be thankless.&nbsp;

“This work is incredibly hard, and nobody understands where their food comes from. Nobody knows that [farmers] work 20 hours a day so that they can have a strawberry,” said Anna Scheyett, a retired professor of social work who studied farmer stress and suicide at the University of Georgia.

Despite the many struggles, some families are finding hope and community in turbulent times. To honor her dad, Yerkey joined the new Ag Chapter of Gray Matters, a Quad-Cities nonprofit that provides mental health resources, education, and safe spaces.

Gray Matters hosts monthly Barn Talks, where participants can share what’s weighing on them, whether it’s stress, depression, anxiety, or other struggles, and receive support from others. The organizers hope to build a sense of community and normalize talking about mental health.&nbsp;

“Feeling comfortable and safe to say that — ‘Hey, I am stressed out, or I am really hurting right now. Maybe I am depressed, maybe I have some anxiety,’ — whatever it might be,” said Heather Gritton, one of the group leaders.

Offering spaces where farmers can meet and take some of that load off their shoulders can help break down the stigma around getting help, said Sara Kohlbeck, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin.&nbsp;

It’s key for those spaces to be easily accessible to farmers.&nbsp;

“Bringing that support to the farmers — or to the rural communities — rather than expecting those folks to come and get those resources for themselves is really important,” Kohlbeck said. “Otherwise, you know, we’ve got folks that are kind of suffering in silence because they just don’t have the time. Sometimes there’s stigma, and there’s kind of that pride issue.”&nbsp;

There are also practical barriers. Telehealth isn’t a viable option for many farmers, as cell and internet reception in rural areas are limited. Driving long distances to see a counselor can also be impractical, especially during the busy harvest season.&nbsp;

Another approach to reaching farmers has been to train people who farmers trust and regularly interact with — such as suppliers, lenders, large animal veterinarians, and spouses — to recognize when someone may be dealing with mental health challenges and teach them how to support them and direct them to resources.&nbsp;

For example, Scheyett has trained agricultural lenders to recognize warning signs of suicide ideation and taught them how to respond. She’s also trained extension agents to take a few minutes at the beginning of agricultural production meetings to talk about stress and offer resources, something she says can make a real difference for farmers.

In one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nacaa.com/file.ashx?id=84add242-bc81-45b1-b2b6-6fc8444e4ee1" target="_blank">study</a>, Scheyett and her co-authors found that farmers who were present at meetings where about 10 minutes were dedicated to talking about stress management walked away with new ideas for managing stress and a higher level of commitment to doing it.&nbsp;

Sometimes, offering practical and logistical solutions to big problems can be a part of mental health services, too.&nbsp;

“If a farmer has not really looked and done a deep dive into their farm financial system, we have a program that’s called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.extension.iastate.edu/farmanalysis/" target="_blank">farm financial associates</a>, and they’ll come out to the farm, do a big evaluation over the farming operation to see where the hard points are and is there a way to switch things around, diversify, in order to help offset some of the farming losses and costs,” Jacobs, with the Iowa Concern hotline, said.

Farmers can reach out to the&nbsp;<a href="https://988lifeline.org/" target="_blank">988 Lifeline</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.farmaid.org/our-work/resources-for-farmers/" target="_blank">1-800-FARM-AID</a>&nbsp;for help. Help is also available in Spanish.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/iowa-concern" target="_blank">Iowa Concern hotline</a>&nbsp;is available 24/7 via chat, email, call, or text at 800-447-1985.

For farmers facing grain storage challenges, Jacobs suggested partnering with other farmers as an alternative to traditional co-op arrangements.

Scheyett suggests everybody can help by thanking farmers the same way we do with the military.

“Every time I see a farmer, I say thank you — thank you for your service, because what you do keeps us healthy, fed, and clothed,” Scheyett said.

It’s all in the hopes of providing care and saving lives.

“Even if you can save one life, I mean, that’s so worth it,” Yerkey said. “I feel very passionate about it.”&nbsp;

<i>This story is a product of the</i><a href="http://www.agwaterdesk.org/" target="_blank"><i>&nbsp;Mississippi River Basin Ag &amp; Water Desk</i></a><i>, an independent reporting network based at the</i><a href="https://journalism.missouri.edu/2023/07/mississippi-river-basin-ag-water-desk-expands-coverage-of-local-environment-and-agriculture-news-with-new-grant/" target="_blank"><i>&nbsp;University of Missouri</i></a><i>&nbsp;in partnership with</i><a href="http://www.reportforamerica.org/" target="_blank"><i>&nbsp;Report for America</i></a><i>, with major funding from the Walton Family Foundation.</i>

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/12/07/as-farmers-face-trade-wars-and-inflation-calls-to-mental-health-hotlines-rise/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Nebraska Examiner, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

<p>Estefanía Pinto Ruiz | States Newsroom-Nebraska Examiner</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/with-calf-1024x678-1.jpg" alt="&nbsp;Emma Yerkey and her dad, Tim Yerkey, with the ribbon-winning calf they raised together. (Photo courtesy of Emma Yerkey)" />
                        <figcaption>&nbsp;Emma Yerkey and her dad, Tim Yerkey, with the ribbon-winning calf they raised together. (Photo courtesy of Emma Yerkey)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>As farmers face historic headwinds and market hardships, calls to the national Farm Aid hotline and the Iowa Concern hotline — where farmers can get support in times of mental health crisis or need — are increasing.</p><p>This fall, the Iowa Concern hotline saw four to five times the number of calls it had in the same months last year, said Tammy Jacobs, the hotline’s manager.</p><p>The Farm Aid hotline is also seeing a change in the urgency of calls.</p><p>“We’re seeing more established farmers calling in — people who know how to play the game and how to access programs. They’re calling more often now, because even with all that institutional knowledge, they’re still running into issues for the first time that are more complex and difficult to solve,” said Lori Mercer, a Farm Aid hotline operator. “The system that’s in place is simply letting them down. There’s just no further safety net.”&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37449301/" target="_blank">Research shows farmers die by suicide at least twice as often as people in the general population</a>, so there’s urgency to address the uptick in need.&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s a huge issue. I mean, we’ve known at least three families this year whose loved ones died by suicide,” said Emma Yerkey, who’s part of the Ag Chapter of Gray Matters, a monthly meetup for ag producers around the Quad-Cities to talk about their struggles.</p><p>Farmers experience a lot of stressors and uncertainty that they can’t control — isolation, weather changes, and financial pressures — along with low access to mental health care in rural areas and stigma that may make them keep their pain to themselves. Market conditions made worse by a trade war and inflation are adding to the stress. Mental health professionals are thinking outside the box to get producers care.&nbsp;</p><h2>Understanding the stress</h2><p>Yerkey’s family farms corn, soybeans, and hay in Geneseo, Illinois, on land they’ve owned since the Civil War. The farm is filled with memories, especially of her dad, Tim Yerkey.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/with-daughters.jpeg" alt="Tim Yerkey with his daughters Emma (baby), Claire (on top step), and Allison Yerkey (on bottom step) at their family farm. (Photo courtesy of Emma Yerkey)" />
                        <figcaption>Tim Yerkey with his daughters Emma (baby), Claire (on top step), and Allison Yerkey (on bottom step) at their family farm. (Photo courtesy of Emma Yerkey)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>She played baseball with him in their driveway, the family ate meals together in the home, and, one year, her father helped her raise a ribbon-winning calf.&nbsp;</p><p>“That was a really good memory that I have with him,” Yerkey said.</p><p>But the farm could be stressful, too. Tim Yerkey worked the land with his family, but at times had to take outside jobs to make ends meet. In 2011, he’d been struggling for about a year when spring floods left fields underwater. He’d reached out to friends and visited the emergency room seeking help, only to be told there were no beds, Yerkey said. He died by suicide in June 2011.&nbsp;</p><p>“I miss my dad, and I don’t want anybody else — or any other family — to go through that,” Yerkey said.</p><p>But many farming families experience similar pain. Between 2003 and 2017, more than 1600 farmers died by suicide, the majority older white men.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Experts say factors that contribute to stress and higher suicide rates among farmers include isolation, easy access to guns, a cultural expectation of toughness, stigma around seeking mental health care, worries about who will take over the farm, and a lack of recognition for their hard work.</p><p>Financial losses and stress are also significant risks for depressive symptoms. And right now, times are tough for farmers.&nbsp;</p><p>Producers have endured high inflation and growing input costs on farms since at least 2020. The spread of COVID and, more recently, policy decisions like President Donald Trump’s tariffs and increases in immigration enforcement have all increased operating costs. At the same time, prices for major commodities are low — lower than the cost to grow them. Corn prices are about $0.85 below the break even point and soybeans are about $2 below.&nbsp;</p><p>This year, many states are expecting a record corn crop, but farmers aren’t celebrating.</p><p>“It’s very discouraging for farmers to think that they’ve done all the things right in their fields and have put innovations in place and made good decisions, but yet, even with strong yields, they’re gonna be facing a loss on what they’re producing,” said Aaron Lehman, president of the Iowa Farmers Union.</p><p>In 2024, the U.S. exported about 42% of its soybeans, most of it to China. With China not buying in the midst of the trade war, some farmers who usually send their crop abroad have struggled to find new markets. The U.S. in November struck a new deal with China, potentially extending a lifeline to producers still scrambling to move their harvest, but it remains to be seen what China will actually buy.</p><p>Some programs that helped connect farmers to domestic markets, like the Local Food Purchase Assistance initiative, have also been cut by the USDA.&nbsp;</p><p>“Since the beginning of the year, the farmers have just been thrown into a different level of uncertainty with policy things like losing access to some markets through tariffs, losing access to staff and programming with the government shutdown, and the funding freezes. A big one we’re hearing about is losing access to labor with the ICE raids, etcetera,” said Mercer, with Farm Aid. “I was just speaking to a farmer the other day who was basically watching his crops rot on the vines because his usual labor support was just too afraid to show up this year.”&nbsp;</p><p>In addition to all of the financial stress, farmers say they feel the work can be thankless.&nbsp;</p><p>“This work is incredibly hard, and nobody understands where their food comes from. Nobody knows that [farmers] work 20 hours a day so that they can have a strawberry,” said Anna Scheyett, a retired professor of social work who studied farmer stress and suicide at the University of Georgia.</p><h2>Meeting farmers where they are</h2><p>Despite the many struggles, some families are finding hope and community in turbulent times. To honor her dad, Yerkey joined the new Ag Chapter of Gray Matters, a Quad-Cities nonprofit that provides mental health resources, education, and safe spaces.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/tim-and-clifford.jpg" alt="Tim Yerkey and his grandfather, Clifford Rahn, who farmed the family land starting in the 1940s. (Photo courtesy of Emma Yerkey)" />
                        <figcaption>Tim Yerkey and his grandfather, Clifford Rahn, who farmed the family land starting in the 1940s. (Photo courtesy of Emma Yerkey)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Gray Matters hosts monthly Barn Talks, where participants can share what’s weighing on them, whether it’s stress, depression, anxiety, or other struggles, and receive support from others. The organizers hope to build a sense of community and normalize talking about mental health.&nbsp;</p><p>“Feeling comfortable and safe to say that — ‘Hey, I am stressed out, or I am really hurting right now. Maybe I am depressed, maybe I have some anxiety,’ — whatever it might be,” said Heather Gritton, one of the group leaders.</p><p>Offering spaces where farmers can meet and take some of that load off their shoulders can help break down the stigma around getting help, said Sara Kohlbeck, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin.&nbsp;</p><p>It’s key for those spaces to be easily accessible to farmers.&nbsp;</p><p>“Bringing that support to the farmers — or to the rural communities — rather than expecting those folks to come and get those resources for themselves is really important,” Kohlbeck said. “Otherwise, you know, we’ve got folks that are kind of suffering in silence because they just don’t have the time. Sometimes there’s stigma, and there’s kind of that pride issue.”&nbsp;</p><p>There are also practical barriers. Telehealth isn’t a viable option for many farmers, as cell and internet reception in rural areas are limited. Driving long distances to see a counselor can also be impractical, especially during the busy harvest season.&nbsp;</p><p>Another approach to reaching farmers has been to train people who farmers trust and regularly interact with — such as suppliers, lenders, large animal veterinarians, and spouses — to recognize when someone may be dealing with mental health challenges and teach them how to support them and direct them to resources.&nbsp;</p><p>For example, Scheyett has trained agricultural lenders to recognize warning signs of suicide ideation and taught them how to respond. She’s also trained extension agents to take a few minutes at the beginning of agricultural production meetings to talk about stress and offer resources, something she says can make a real difference for farmers.</p><p>In one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nacaa.com/file.ashx?id=84add242-bc81-45b1-b2b6-6fc8444e4ee1" target="_blank">study</a>, Scheyett and her co-authors found that farmers who were present at meetings where about 10 minutes were dedicated to talking about stress management walked away with new ideas for managing stress and a higher level of commitment to doing it.&nbsp;</p><p>Sometimes, offering practical and logistical solutions to big problems can be a part of mental health services, too.&nbsp;</p><p>“If a farmer has not really looked and done a deep dive into their farm financial system, we have a program that’s called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.extension.iastate.edu/farmanalysis/" target="_blank">farm financial associates</a>, and they’ll come out to the farm, do a big evaluation over the farming operation to see where the hard points are and is there a way to switch things around, diversify, in order to help offset some of the farming losses and costs,” Jacobs, with the Iowa Concern hotline, said.</p><p>Where to call</p><p>Farmers can reach out to the&nbsp;<a href="https://988lifeline.org/" target="_blank">988 Lifeline</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.farmaid.org/our-work/resources-for-farmers/" target="_blank">1-800-FARM-AID</a>&nbsp;for help. Help is also available in Spanish.</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/iowa-concern" target="_blank">Iowa Concern hotline</a>&nbsp;is available 24/7 via chat, email, call, or text at 800-447-1985.</p><p>For farmers facing grain storage challenges, Jacobs suggested partnering with other farmers as an alternative to traditional co-op arrangements.</p><p>Scheyett suggests everybody can help by thanking farmers the same way we do with the military.</p><p>“Every time I see a farmer, I say thank you — thank you for your service, because what you do keeps us healthy, fed, and clothed,” Scheyett said.</p><p>It’s all in the hopes of providing care and saving lives.</p><p>“Even if you can save one life, I mean, that’s so worth it,” Yerkey said. “I feel very passionate about it.”&nbsp;</p><p><i>This story is a product of the</i><a href="http://www.agwaterdesk.org/" target="_blank"><i>&nbsp;Mississippi River Basin Ag &amp; Water Desk</i></a><i>, an independent reporting network based at the</i><a href="https://journalism.missouri.edu/2023/07/mississippi-river-basin-ag-water-desk-expands-coverage-of-local-environment-and-agriculture-news-with-new-grant/" target="_blank"><i>&nbsp;University of Missouri</i></a><i>&nbsp;in partnership with</i><a href="http://www.reportforamerica.org/" target="_blank"><i>&nbsp;Report for America</i></a><i>, with major funding from the Walton Family Foundation.</i></p><p>This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/12/07/as-farmers-face-trade-wars-and-inflation-calls-to-mental-health-hotlines-rise/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Nebraska Examiner, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.</p>

As farmers face trade wars and inflation, calls to mental health hotlines rise

State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha seeks action from legislative leaders

LINCOLN — A Nebraska lawmaker two times was denied entry to the controversial state-run federal immigration detention facility that federal officials dubbed the “Cornhusker Clink” —&nbsp; and now is calling on the Legislature’s Executive Board to step in.

State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha said Monday that she made the four-hour trip to McCook in mid-November to check out the conditions of the place where migrant detainees of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are held pending deportation.

She argues that the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services violated state law by not allowing her into the converted Work Ethic Camp, and cites a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=83-186" target="_blank">state statute</a>&nbsp;that says Nebraska legislators are entitled to visit any state correctional facility “at any time.”

When Gov. Jim Pillen and Corrections Director Rob Jeffreys announced the agreement with the federal government, Cavanaugh said, they stated that the department would manage the property and it would continue to be considered a state facility.

“The denial of physical entry to a sitting senator is not only unprecedented —&nbsp;it is the latest escalation in a broader pattern of obstruction that undermines the Legislature’s statutory and constitutional oversight obligations,” Cavanaugh said.

The Omaha senator said she routinely conducts unannounced visits to state-run 24-hour facilities “because direct oversight is not optional — it is a core responsibility of my job.”

She said she specifically wanted to visit the McCook ICE detention center, because it involved “people being held in Nebraska without criminal charges and, in many cases, without clear legal recourse.” The immigration court and deportation process is separate from state courts, and immigrants held by ICE often face civil versus criminal charges.

“When the state deprives someone of their liberty, the conditions of that confinement must be subject to full public and legislative scrutiny,” she told the Nebraska Examiner. “There is no scrutiny. There is no carve-out in Nebraska law for secrecy just because ICE is involved.”

Neither the Corrections Department nor the Governor’s Office had immediate comment.&nbsp;

Cavanaugh documented her efforts to gain entry to the former WEC in a letter to State Sen. Ben Hansen, chair of the Legislature’s&nbsp;<a href="https://news.legislature.ne.gov/exe/" target="_blank">Executive Board</a>, and Sen. Myron Dorn, chair of the Legislative Oversight Committee.&nbsp;

She also chronicled five prior legislative attempts to obtain information about the project, describing a pattern of “limited transparency and restricted information.”

Email between Cavanaugh and Jeffreys and a person she described as a warden at the McCook facility offers details of the rejected visits on Nov. 12-13.

Cavanaugh arrived at the facility around 4:20 p.m. Nov. 12, and apparently spoke to Jeffreys via the warden’s cell phone around 4:30 p.m., who told her she had failed to provide notice of her visit.&nbsp;

Said Jeffreys: “You were instructed that no person could arrive unannounced and be given immediate entry to a Nebraska correctional facility or a federal detention center.”

Cavanaugh, in an email around 10 p.m. that night of Nov. 12, emailed the warden and Jeffreys that she would be returning to the facility the next morning.

“Though&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=83-186" target="_blank">statute 83-186 (attached)</a>&nbsp;does not require me to provide notice, I am giving you this notice per my conversation with Director Jeffreys on Warden Sommer’s cell phone at approximately 4:30 p.m. today, when Director Jeffreys informed me that I had failed to provide notice of my visit.”

Jeffreys later wrote to Cavanaugh to “clarify the legal position” of the department as to why she was not allowed to enter.&nbsp;

“It is the fundamental nature of corrections, safety protocols and operations, and consistent with Nebraska law, that unannounced visitors of any type cannot be accommodated.”

He said her communication alerting them that she’d be there again Nov. 13 was “short notice” and “again a problem.”

Of Cavanaugh’s legal justification for her visit, Jeffreys said in email that his team “worked to analyze your request, get legal advice and collaborate with our federal partners.”

“We have come to the determination that you will not be allowed to enter the WEC until you have complied with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement protocols related to detention center visits and provided sufficient notice to allow for the safe conduct of a visit.”

He also said that statute 83-186 “does not displace protocols for the security and safety of corrections facilities.” He said his team read that statute “in harmony with the statutory scheme of which it is a part.”

Cavanaugh, in the letter to Hansen and Dorn, said she reviewed the state’s contract with ICE and believes it provides that any “provision of this agreement contrary to applicable statutes … is null and void and shall not necessarily affect the balance of the agreement.”

“This means that the right of access provided in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=83-186" target="_blank">83-186</a>&nbsp;invalidates any interpretation that members of the Legislature may be prohibited from accessing the facility.”

Cavanaugh said the documented history demonstrates that legislative leaders “have repeatedly sought access to accurate, timely information” on the project and its implications.&nbsp;

She said the&nbsp;<a href="https://news.legislature.ne.gov/exe/" target="_blank">Executive Board</a>&nbsp;oversees all legislative services and employees and hears matters of “general import to the Legislature and its operations as a whole.”&nbsp;She said Jeffreys actions were a “direct disregard” of the Legislature and its constitutional authority.

“I urge you … to act to defend the authority of the legislative branch. Such action is necessary to ensure we can effectively represent our constituents and the people of Nebraska.”

<h2>State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha seeks action from legislative leaders</h2><p>By Cindy Gonzalez | Nebraska Examiner</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3755-1536x1152.jpg" alt="&nbsp;The state’s Work Ethic Camp in McCook, Neb., has become a detention center for migrants facing deportation proceedings. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>&nbsp;The state’s Work Ethic Camp in McCook, Neb., has become a detention center for migrants facing deportation proceedings. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>LINCOLN — A Nebraska lawmaker two times was denied entry to the controversial state-run federal immigration detention facility that federal officials dubbed the “Cornhusker Clink” —&nbsp; and now is calling on the Legislature’s Executive Board to step in.</p><p>State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha said Monday that she made the four-hour trip to McCook in mid-November to check out the conditions of the place where migrant detainees of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are held pending deportation.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/cav-m_ZJW_072224-01-300x200.jpg" alt="State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha as she lead a listening session for Lincoln residents on property taxes. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha as she lead a listening session for Lincoln residents on property taxes. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>She argues that the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services violated state law by not allowing her into the converted Work Ethic Camp, and cites a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=83-186" target="_blank">state statute</a>&nbsp;that says Nebraska legislators are entitled to visit any state correctional facility “at any time.”</p><p>When Gov. Jim Pillen and Corrections Director Rob Jeffreys announced the agreement with the federal government, Cavanaugh said, they stated that the department would manage the property and it would continue to be considered a state facility.</p><p>“The denial of physical entry to a sitting senator is not only unprecedented —&nbsp;it is the latest escalation in a broader pattern of obstruction that undermines the Legislature’s statutory and constitutional oversight obligations,” Cavanaugh said.</p><p>The Omaha senator said she routinely conducts unannounced visits to state-run 24-hour facilities “because direct oversight is not optional — it is a core responsibility of my job.”</p><p>She said she specifically wanted to visit the McCook ICE detention center, because it involved “people being held in Nebraska without criminal charges and, in many cases, without clear legal recourse.” The immigration court and deportation process is separate from state courts, and immigrants held by ICE often face civil versus criminal charges.</p><p>“When the state deprives someone of their liberty, the conditions of that confinement must be subject to full public and legislative scrutiny,” she told the Nebraska Examiner. “There is no scrutiny. There is no carve-out in Nebraska law for secrecy just because ICE is involved.”</p><p>Neither the Corrections Department nor the Governor’s Office had immediate comment.&nbsp;</p><p>Cavanaugh documented her efforts to gain entry to the former WEC in a letter to State Sen. Ben Hansen, chair of the Legislature’s&nbsp;<a href="https://news.legislature.ne.gov/exe/" target="_blank">Executive Board</a>, and Sen. Myron Dorn, chair of the Legislative Oversight Committee.&nbsp;</p><p>She also chronicled five prior legislative attempts to obtain information about the project, describing a pattern of “limited transparency and restricted information.”</p><p>Email between Cavanaugh and Jeffreys and a person she described as a warden at the McCook facility offers details of the rejected visits on Nov. 12-13.</p><p>According to the email exchange:&nbsp;</p><p>Cavanaugh arrived at the facility around 4:20 p.m. Nov. 12, and apparently spoke to Jeffreys via the warden’s cell phone around 4:30 p.m., who told her she had failed to provide notice of her visit.&nbsp;</p><p>Said Jeffreys: “You were instructed that no person could arrive unannounced and be given immediate entry to a Nebraska correctional facility or a federal detention center.”</p><p>Cavanaugh, in an email around 10 p.m. that night of Nov. 12, emailed the warden and Jeffreys that she would be returning to the facility the next morning.</p><p>“Though&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=83-186" target="_blank">statute 83-186 (attached)</a>&nbsp;does not require me to provide notice, I am giving you this notice per my conversation with Director Jeffreys on Warden Sommer’s cell phone at approximately 4:30 p.m. today, when Director Jeffreys informed me that I had failed to provide notice of my visit.”</p><p>Jeffreys later wrote to Cavanaugh to “clarify the legal position” of the department as to why she was not allowed to enter.&nbsp;</p><p>“It is the fundamental nature of corrections, safety protocols and operations, and consistent with Nebraska law, that unannounced visitors of any type cannot be accommodated.”</p><p>He said her communication alerting them that she’d be there again Nov. 13 was “short notice” and “again a problem.”</p><p>Of Cavanaugh’s legal justification for her visit, Jeffreys said in email that his team “worked to analyze your request, get legal advice and collaborate with our federal partners.”</p><p>“We have come to the determination that you will not be allowed to enter the WEC until you have complied with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement protocols related to detention center visits and provided sufficient notice to allow for the safe conduct of a visit.”</p><p>He also said that statute 83-186 “does not displace protocols for the security and safety of corrections facilities.” He said his team read that statute “in harmony with the statutory scheme of which it is a part.”</p><p>Cavanaugh, in the letter to Hansen and Dorn, said she reviewed the state’s contract with ICE and believes it provides that any “provision of this agreement contrary to applicable statutes … is null and void and shall not necessarily affect the balance of the agreement.”</p><p>“This means that the right of access provided in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=83-186" target="_blank">83-186</a>&nbsp;invalidates any interpretation that members of the Legislature may be prohibited from accessing the facility.”</p><p>Cavanaugh said the documented history demonstrates that legislative leaders “have repeatedly sought access to accurate, timely information” on the project and its implications.&nbsp;</p><p>She said the&nbsp;<a href="https://news.legislature.ne.gov/exe/" target="_blank">Executive Board</a>&nbsp;oversees all legislative services and employees and hears matters of “general import to the Legislature and its operations as a whole.”&nbsp;She said Jeffreys actions were a “direct disregard” of the Legislature and its constitutional authority.</p><p>“I urge you … to act to defend the authority of the legislative branch. Such action is necessary to ensure we can effectively represent our constituents and the people of Nebraska.”</p>

Nebraska lawmaker was twice denied entry to McCook ICE jail, calls it law violation

‘I think this is a full-out five-alarm fire as to the state of higher education in Nebraska,’ says Regent Elizabeth O’Connor

LINCOLN —&nbsp;The University of Nebraska Board of Regents voted Friday to eliminate four academic programs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, three of them unanimously.