By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/juanvassallo/">Juan Vassallo</a>-

Soybeans sit in storage, farm bankruptcies are rising, and total farm debt continues to climb. By nearly every measure, American farmers are struggling.

Experts say financial pressures are expected to continue mounting.

Due to rising costs, low crop prices and the effects of the trade war, economists project that growers could see roughly $44 billion in net cash income losses from their 2025–26 crops.

At a September&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chicagofed.org/events/2025/midwest-agriculture-conference" target="_blank">conference</a>&nbsp;on agriculture and trade uncertainty hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank, Shawn Arita, professor at North Dakota State University and former senior economist with the USDA, presented projections showing losses across nine major crops.

With production costs far outpacing revenue, Arita and his team at the NDSU Agricultural Risk Policy Center estimate losses of about $20 billion for corn, $10 billion for soybeans and $8.5 billion for wheat — with peanuts, cotton, barley, oats, grain sorghum and rice adding another $6 billion combined.

Since 2023, U.S. farmers have struggled with high input costs and weak commodity prices, a squeeze economists attribute partly to the Russia-Ukraine war.

But this squeeze is made worse by the loss of key export markets — particularly China.

“The tariffs are creating challenges, but it’s not fair to say they are the main culprit,” Arita said. “Certainly, they are exacerbating the issue.”

Arita also noted that the crop sector tends to follow trade cycles more closely than inflation trends. “[China is] not going to start buying soybeans until they get something out of these negotiations,” he said during his presentation.

Still, the main problem remains high costs across the board — tractors, machinery, fertilizers and other inputs, many of which are imported. Although it’s too early to determine whether President Trump’s tariffs will have an effect on these prices, Arita said it’s “simple economics”: higher taxes on these products inevitably lead to higher production costs.

While some farmers are expected to receive financial assistance through the Big Beautiful Bill, that support isn’t set to arrive until October 2026.

This&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/10/28/us-farmers-face-44-billion-in-losses-as-costs-rise-and-markets-shrink/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/" target="_blank">Investigate Midwest</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762051424365.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
                        <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/juanvassallo/">Juan Vassallo</a>-</p><p>Soybeans sit in storage, farm bankruptcies are rising, and total farm debt continues to climb. By nearly every measure, American farmers are struggling.</p><p>Experts say financial pressures are expected to continue mounting.</p><p>Due to rising costs, low crop prices and the effects of the trade war, economists project that growers could see roughly $44 billion in net cash income losses from their 2025–26 crops.</p><p>At a September&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chicagofed.org/events/2025/midwest-agriculture-conference" target="_blank">conference</a>&nbsp;on agriculture and trade uncertainty hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank, Shawn Arita, professor at North Dakota State University and former senior economist with the USDA, presented projections showing losses across nine major crops.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762051269695.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>With production costs far outpacing revenue, Arita and his team at the NDSU Agricultural Risk Policy Center estimate losses of about $20 billion for corn, $10 billion for soybeans and $8.5 billion for wheat — with peanuts, cotton, barley, oats, grain sorghum and rice adding another $6 billion combined.</p><p>Since 2023, U.S. farmers have struggled with high input costs and weak commodity prices, a squeeze economists attribute partly to the Russia-Ukraine war.</p><p>But this squeeze is made worse by the loss of key export markets — particularly China.</p><p>“The tariffs are creating challenges, but it’s not fair to say they are the main culprit,” Arita said. “Certainly, they are exacerbating the issue.”</p><p>Arita also noted that the crop sector tends to follow trade cycles more closely than inflation trends. “[China is] not going to start buying soybeans until they get something out of these negotiations,” he said during his presentation.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762051344746.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Still, the main problem remains high costs across the board — tractors, machinery, fertilizers and other inputs, many of which are imported. Although it’s too early to determine whether President Trump’s tariffs will have an effect on these prices, Arita said it’s “simple economics”: higher taxes on these products inevitably lead to higher production costs.</p><p>While some farmers are expected to receive financial assistance through the Big Beautiful Bill, that support isn’t set to arrive until October 2026.</p><p>This&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/10/28/us-farmers-face-44-billion-in-losses-as-costs-rise-and-markets-shrink/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/" target="_blank">Investigate Midwest</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.</p>

US farmers face $44 billion in losses as costs rise and markets shrink

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761957209962.png" alt="President Trump spoke to reporters upon arrival Palm Beach, Florida on Friday -image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>President Trump spoke to reporters upon arrival Palm Beach, Florida on Friday -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/GaXZbasg6U">pic.twitter.com/GaXZbasg6U</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1984383011937534409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Trump: It will be my honor to fund SNAP if ....

Sen. Dan McKeon faces Class II misdemeanor allegation by woman attending gathering

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ebamer/">Erin Bamer</a><br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — State Sen. Dan McKeon of Amherst was cited this week for misdemeanor “public indecency” stemming from an incident at lawmakers’ end-of-session party this spring, according to the Nebraska State Patrol.

Patrol investigators cited him after investigating an allegation by a woman attending a sine die party often attended by staff, family and friends of legislators, Patrol Public Relations Director Cody Thomas confirmed first to the Examiner.

The Patrol received a report in early September about an alleged incident in the evening hours of May 29 at Lincoln Country Club. That is the same time and location that lawmakers attended the first of two post-legislative session sine die parties.

“An adult female reported that Dan McKeon had made inappropriate contact with her buttocks with his hand, over the top of her clothing,” Thomas said in response to a reporter’s questions about the incident.

Thomas said the State Patrol issued McKeon a citation for public indecency — a Class II misdemeanor — Thursday. The allegation was forwarded to Lancaster County Attorney Pat Condon’s office, which had no immediate comment.

McKeon, reached in person just before an Agriculture Committee hearing on Friday, told the Examiner: “I’m not going to respond.”

“Just like anything else, you just shut your mouth,” McKeon said.

Kathleen Neary, the attorney representing the woman making the allegations, said her client is grateful to the Nebraska State Patrol for conducting a swift and thorough investigation.

Additionally, Neary said her client plans to file an administrative charge with the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission (NEOC). The NEOC filing is an administrative prerequisite to filing a lawsuit against the state under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

While Neary is hopeful that the matter could be resolved without a lawsuit, she noted that, if necessary, she will sue and ask the jury for a verdict that vindicates and compensates her client for the harms that she has suffered.

McKeon is a registered Republican who was elected to the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature in 2024, replacing former State Sen. Fred Meyer of St. Paul. McKeon’s biographical page on the Nebraska Legislature’s website highlights that he has been married for 30 years and has four children.

During his first session in office, McKeon passed two bills to ease agricultural regulations and has another bill pending that aims to protect veterans from&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/05/05/legislation-would-protect-nebraska-veterans-benefits-from-predatory-claim-sharks/">“predatory claim sharks.”</a>

The Examiner is not naming the woman making the allegation, because it is the policy of States Newsroom and the Examiner not to identify people who say they have been abused unless they wish to talk publicly.

People around the Capitol have been talking for months about an alleged incident involving someone who works for the Legislature.

Democrat State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha said he is “anxiously awaiting” the results of the State Patrol’s investigation. He confirmed that lawmakers have been aware of the incident behind the scenes for some time and said it’s been a “concern” among him and other senators.

“This type of behavior is really egregious,” Fredrickson said.

On Oct. 20, State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha — a progressive nonpartisan — posted on social media in response to a comment criticizing her that the Legislature doesn’t “have an ‘ethics committee,’ and if we did, my colleague who grabbed a staffers ass at an event a few months ago would have resigned already.”

Hunt, in a separate post on Friday, called elected office “a public trust” and said it should not be “a shield for misconduct.” She called on McKeon to resign and said the Legislature should also be held accountable for “sweeping” the incident “under the rug.”

“My colleague Senator McKeon — or ‘Dirty Dan,’ as he calls himself — should have resigned from this office, which I never observed him to represent with dignity or professionalism, long ago,” Hunt said in a Facebook post.

“Dirty Dan” is likely a reference to “Dirty Dan’s Barn Bash,” a Sept. 27 fundraiser McKeon touted in the midst of the State Patrol investigation.

As of mid-afternoon Friday, no resignation letters from a member of the Legislature had been received by the legislative or executive offices that would expect them.

Gov. Jim Pillen, through a spokesperson, had no immediate comment.

Republican Speaker John Arch, through a staffer, referred questions to Republican State Sen. Ben Hansen of the Legislature’s Executive Board, which investigates allegations of wrongdoing against members.

Hansen neither confirmed nor denied whether the Executive Board was separately investigating the incident. He said he could not disclose details because of a strict confidentiality standard, but added, “The Legislature handles all incidents of workplace harassment with the utmost respect and importance.”

Republican State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner, vice chair of the Executive Board, confirmed that members of the committee are looking into the situation separately from the criminal investigation, but she said the group hasn’t yet reached a conclusion.

McKeon is expected in Lancaster County Court Dec. 10, authorities said.

McKeon faced court proceedings earlier this year on an unrelated civil case. The senator was named in a lawsuit filed in April by Kaup Produce Inc. The company sued McKeon for breach of contract, alleging McKeon did not pay for more than $18,000 worth of seed and other agricultural products the company provided him.

The case was closed on July 7, according to Nebraska’s judicial website. The case summary says the case “was disposed as uncontested default,” indicating that an agreement had been reached between the parties.

Nebraska Examiner Reporters Zach Wendling and Juan Salinas II contributed to this report.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761963289167.png" alt=" State Sen. Dan McKeon of Amherst. Oct. 24, 2025. (Photo by Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption> State Sen. Dan McKeon of Amherst. Oct. 24, 2025. (Photo by Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>Sen. Dan McKeon faces Class II misdemeanor allegation by woman attending gathering</h2><p>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ebamer/">Erin Bamer</a><br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a></p><p>LINCOLN — State Sen. Dan McKeon of Amherst was cited this week for misdemeanor “public indecency” stemming from an incident at lawmakers’ end-of-session party this spring, according to the Nebraska State Patrol.</p><p>Patrol investigators cited him after investigating an allegation by a woman attending a sine die party often attended by staff, family and friends of legislators, Patrol Public Relations Director Cody Thomas confirmed first to the Examiner.</p><p>The Patrol received a report in early September about an alleged incident in the evening hours of May 29 at Lincoln Country Club. That is the same time and location that lawmakers attended the first of two post-legislative session sine die parties.</p><p>“An adult female reported that Dan McKeon had made inappropriate contact with her buttocks with his hand, over the top of her clothing,” Thomas said in response to a reporter’s questions about the incident.</p><p>Thomas said the State Patrol issued McKeon a citation for public indecency — a Class II misdemeanor — Thursday. The allegation was forwarded to Lancaster County Attorney Pat Condon’s office, which had no immediate comment.</p><p>McKeon, reached in person just before an Agriculture Committee hearing on Friday, told the Examiner: “I’m not going to respond.”</p><p>“Just like anything else, you just shut your mouth,” McKeon said.</p><p>Kathleen Neary, the attorney representing the woman making the allegations, said her client is grateful to the Nebraska State Patrol for conducting a swift and thorough investigation.</p><p>Additionally, Neary said her client plans to file an administrative charge with the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission (NEOC). The NEOC filing is an administrative prerequisite to filing a lawsuit against the state under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.</p><p>While Neary is hopeful that the matter could be resolved without a lawsuit, she noted that, if necessary, she will sue and ask the jury for a verdict that vindicates and compensates her client for the harms that she has suffered.</p><p>McKeon is a registered Republican who was elected to the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature in 2024, replacing former State Sen. Fred Meyer of St. Paul. McKeon’s biographical page on the Nebraska Legislature’s website highlights that he has been married for 30 years and has four children.</p><p>During his first session in office, McKeon passed two bills to ease agricultural regulations and has another bill pending that aims to protect veterans from&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/05/05/legislation-would-protect-nebraska-veterans-benefits-from-predatory-claim-sharks/">“predatory claim sharks.”</a></p><p>The Examiner is not naming the woman making the allegation, because it is the policy of States Newsroom and the Examiner not to identify people who say they have been abused unless they wish to talk publicly.</p><p>People around the Capitol have been talking for months about an alleged incident involving someone who works for the Legislature.</p><p>Democrat State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha said he is “anxiously awaiting” the results of the State Patrol’s investigation. He confirmed that lawmakers have been aware of the incident behind the scenes for some time and said it’s been a “concern” among him and other senators.</p><p>“This type of behavior is really egregious,” Fredrickson said.</p><p>On Oct. 20, State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha — a progressive nonpartisan — posted on social media in response to a comment criticizing her that the Legislature doesn’t “have an ‘ethics committee,’ and if we did, my colleague who grabbed a staffers ass at an event a few months ago would have resigned already.”</p><p>Hunt, in a separate post on Friday, called elected office “a public trust” and said it should not be “a shield for misconduct.” She called on McKeon to resign and said the Legislature should also be held accountable for “sweeping” the incident “under the rug.”</p><p>“My colleague Senator McKeon — or ‘Dirty Dan,’ as he calls himself — should have resigned from this office, which I never observed him to represent with dignity or professionalism, long ago,” Hunt said in a Facebook post.</p><p>“Dirty Dan” is likely a reference to “Dirty Dan’s Barn Bash,” a Sept. 27 fundraiser McKeon touted in the midst of the State Patrol investigation.</p><p>As of mid-afternoon Friday, no resignation letters from a member of the Legislature had been received by the legislative or executive offices that would expect them.</p><p>Gov. Jim Pillen, through a spokesperson, had no immediate comment.</p><p>Republican Speaker John Arch, through a staffer, referred questions to Republican State Sen. Ben Hansen of the Legislature’s Executive Board, which investigates allegations of wrongdoing against members.</p><p>Hansen neither confirmed nor denied whether the Executive Board was separately investigating the incident. He said he could not disclose details because of a strict confidentiality standard, but added, “The Legislature handles all incidents of workplace harassment with the utmost respect and importance.”</p><p>Republican State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner, vice chair of the Executive Board, confirmed that members of the committee are looking into the situation separately from the criminal investigation, but she said the group hasn’t yet reached a conclusion.</p><p>McKeon is expected in Lancaster County Court Dec. 10, authorities said.</p><p>McKeon faced court proceedings earlier this year on an unrelated civil case. The senator was named in a lawsuit filed in April by Kaup Produce Inc. The company sued McKeon for breach of contract, alleging McKeon did not pay for more than $18,000 worth of seed and other agricultural products the company provided him.</p><p>The case was closed on July 7, according to Nebraska’s judicial website. The case summary says the case “was disposed as uncontested default,” indicating that an agreement had been reached between the parties.</p><p>Nebraska Examiner Reporters Zach Wendling and Juan Salinas II contributed to this report.</p>

Nebraska state senator cited for ‘public indecency’ during session-ending party

By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>

WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Boston ruled Friday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s plan to pause a food assistance program for 42 million people was illegal — but gave the Trump administration until Monday to respond to her finding before she decides on a motion to force the benefits be paid despite the ongoing government shutdown.

At nearly the same time Friday, a Rhode Island federal judge in a similar case brought by cities and nonprofit groups ordered USDA to continue payments and granted a request for a temporary restraining order.

In Massachusetts, in a Friday afternoon&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71783393/26/commonwealth-of-massachusetts-v-united-states-department-of-agriculture/" target="_blank">order</a>, District Court of Massachusetts Judge Indira Talwani said she would continue to take “under advisement” a coalition of Democratic states’ request to force the release of funds from a contingency account holding about $6 billion.

Her ruling came a day before&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-double-whammy-snap-food-benefits-ending-and-federal-workers-go-unpaid" target="_blank">a cutoff of&nbsp;</a>Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits to low-income households.

Because Congress is locked in a stalemate over a stopgap spending bill and did not appropriate money for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, administration officials say the program cannot provide federal funds beginning Saturday. In states, SNAP benefits are loaded onto cards on varying dates, but the cutoff would be effective for November benefits.

Talwani, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, called the administration’s conclusion it can’t provide SNAP funding “erroneous,” and said the reserve fund was sufficient for SNAP benefits to flow to states and the vendors that add money to debit-like cards issued to the program’s beneficiaries that are used to purchase groceries.&nbsp;

The law creating the program mandated that benefits continue, she said.

“Defendants are statutorily mandated to use the previously appropriated SNAP contingency reserve when necessary and also have discretion to use other previously appropriated funds,” Talwani wrote.

Talwani ordered the administration to say by Monday whether it would provide at least partial benefits for November.

The 25 states that sued were Massachusetts, California, Arizona, Minnesota, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington state, Wisconsin Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. The District of Columbia also sued.&nbsp;

In Rhode Island, where the judge granted a temporary restraining order, the advocacy group Democracy Forward, which was among those bringing the suit, praised the move.

“A federal court today granted a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump-Vance administration’s unlawful effort to halt the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing government shutdown,” the group said. &nbsp;“The decision ensures that millions of children, seniors, veterans, and families will continue to receive essential food assistance while the case proceeds.”

The judge in that case, John James McConnell Jr., said the administration’s actions violated a key federal administrative law against arbitrary and capricious executive action and federal spending laws “by disregarding Congress’s direction that SNAP must continue operating,” Democracy Forward said.

<p>By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a></p><p>WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Boston ruled Friday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s plan to pause a food assistance program for 42 million people was illegal — but gave the Trump administration until Monday to respond to her finding before she decides on a motion to force the benefits be paid despite the ongoing government shutdown.</p><p>At nearly the same time Friday, a Rhode Island federal judge in a similar case brought by cities and nonprofit groups ordered USDA to continue payments and granted a request for a temporary restraining order.</p><p>In Massachusetts, in a Friday afternoon&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71783393/26/commonwealth-of-massachusetts-v-united-states-department-of-agriculture/" target="_blank">order</a>, District Court of Massachusetts Judge Indira Talwani said she would continue to take “under advisement” a coalition of Democratic states’ request to force the release of funds from a contingency account holding about $6 billion.</p><p>Her ruling came a day before&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-double-whammy-snap-food-benefits-ending-and-federal-workers-go-unpaid" target="_blank">a cutoff of&nbsp;</a>Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits to low-income households.</p><p>Because Congress is locked in a stalemate over a stopgap spending bill and did not appropriate money for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, administration officials say the program cannot provide federal funds beginning Saturday. In states, SNAP benefits are loaded onto cards on varying dates, but the cutoff would be effective for November benefits.</p><p>Talwani, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, called the administration’s conclusion it can’t provide SNAP funding “erroneous,” and said the reserve fund was sufficient for SNAP benefits to flow to states and the vendors that add money to debit-like cards issued to the program’s beneficiaries that are used to purchase groceries.&nbsp;</p><p>The law creating the program mandated that benefits continue, she said.</p><p>“Defendants are statutorily mandated to use the previously appropriated SNAP contingency reserve when necessary and also have discretion to use other previously appropriated funds,” Talwani wrote.</p><p>Talwani ordered the administration to say by Monday whether it would provide at least partial benefits for November.</p><p>The 25 states that sued were Massachusetts, California, Arizona, Minnesota, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington state, Wisconsin Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. The District of Columbia also sued.&nbsp;</p><p>In Rhode Island, where the judge granted a temporary restraining order, the advocacy group Democracy Forward, which was among those bringing the suit, praised the move.</p><p>“A federal court today granted a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump-Vance administration’s unlawful effort to halt the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing government shutdown,” the group said. &nbsp;“The decision ensures that millions of children, seniors, veterans, and families will continue to receive essential food assistance while the case proceeds.”</p><p>The judge in that case, John James McConnell Jr., said the administration’s actions violated a key federal administrative law against arbitrary and capricious executive action and federal spending laws “by disregarding Congress’s direction that SNAP must continue operating,” Democracy Forward said.</p><p>McConnell also was appointed by Obama.</p>

Trump admin. blocked from cutting off SNAP benefits as two judges issue orders

DHHS says Gov. Jim Pillen can issue partisan statements with state resources; message blames Democrats for federal shutdown as SNAP shutoff looms

&nbsp; By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a>

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/30/nebraska-dhhs-website-blames-dems-for-federal-government-shutdown-as-snap-shutoff-looms/">Nebraska Examiner&nbsp;</a>

LINCOLN — The&nbsp;Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services website posted a banner this week blaming U.S. Senate Democrats for the federal government shutdown and urging them to “stop using Nebraska’s most vulnerable people for political leverage.”&nbsp;

On the banner, the state points to Democrats for disrupting the state-federal partnership on public grocery benefits, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, which it says will run out of funds by the end of the month.&nbsp;

The original message followed a similar approach to the Trump administration, some GOP-led states and some Democratic-led states during the messaging battle over who’s to blame for the federal shutdown.&nbsp;

Nebraska DHHS updated the banner on its website Thursday after reporters and others asked questions, tweaking the announcement from a blanket statement by DHHS into the same message shared as a direct quote from Gov. Jim Pillen.&nbsp;

A DHHS spokesperson said the post was added at the Governor’s Office’s request and was updated to “eliminate any confusion” about where the statement came from.&nbsp;State law prohibits&nbsp;public resources from being used for&nbsp;political purposes, as critics of the banner note. On Thursday afternoon, Pillen’s office confirmed that it approved the posting.&nbsp;

DHHS officials and the Governor’s Office said the Republican governor has the authority to issue partisan statements on state websites.&nbsp;

State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, a Democrat, said the tweak to the website is an admission that he overstepped state law by authorizing the statement and is now trying to “thread the needle” with a quote from him.

“Nebraskans are rightly concerned about the disruption of SNAP benefits … and instead of finding solutions, what the governor decided to do was to create yet another distraction,” Conrad said.&nbsp;

Common Cause of Nebraska officials said it was unlikely that Pillen violated state law. The national version of the same group is among legal observers who have argued&nbsp;the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/14/nx-s1-5574162/kristi-noem-tsa-video-hatch-act-ethics-violation" target="_blank">likely violated</a>&nbsp;the Hatch Act by using government websites and agencies to blame Democrats for the shutdown. That federal law limits political activities of federal employees and federal agencies to ensure government programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion.&nbsp;

Criticisms grew after the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Housing and Urban Development posted messages blaming the “Radical Left” in Congress for the shutdown, in website banners similar to the initial Nebraska DHHS post. The Trump administration also inserted language in some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/05/nx-s1-5563182/shutdown-lawsuit-education-department-partisan-messages" target="_blank">automated email responses</a>&nbsp;from federal agencies blaming Democrats.

The political messaging also reached American airports in a video by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for the shutdown, a video&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-airports-arent-playing-video-from-dhss-noem-blaming-dems-for-government-shutdown/">Nebraska’s two largest airports</a>&nbsp;have said they aren’t airing.

In Democrat-led Massachusetts, a state&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mass.gov/" target="_blank">government website</a>&nbsp;has an alert saying, “President Trump is freezing SNAP benefits,” while New York’s&nbsp;<a href="https://otda.ny.gov/#expanded" target="_blank">Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance</a>&nbsp;urges New Yorkers to call their representatives in Congress.&nbsp;

Earlier this week, Nebraska DHHS announced that SNAP benefits for roughly 150,000 low-income recipients across Nebraska would be paused due to the&nbsp;shutdown. The agency also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ketv.com/article/nebraska-dhhs-will-not-fund-snap-benefits-if-federal-aid-stops-in-november/69184134#:~:text=Tens%20of%20thousands%20of%20Nebraskans,says%20that%20would%20be%20illegal" target="_blank">told Omaha ABC affiliate KETV</a>&nbsp;that it would&nbsp;not take over SNAP funding by itself, because “absorbing the expense of this federal program is not sustainable.”&nbsp;

Twenty-five states&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/30/trump-administration-snap-food-aid-lawsuit-shutdown-00630133" target="_blank">have sued the Trump administration</a>&nbsp;over its decision that the USDA cannot use&nbsp;emergency funds to cover SNAP benefits in November. Several other states, such as Virginia and Rhode Island, have declared a state of emergency to reallocate state funds to cover shortfalls in the SNAP program, bolster food pantries or do both.

Texas Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/10/30/texas-snap-food-assistance-greg-abbott/" target="_blank">have urged</a>&nbsp;Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://directory.texastribune.org/greg-abbott/" target="_blank">Greg Abbott</a>&nbsp;to use his executive authority to provide emergency state funding. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2025-10-30/governor-reynolds-announces-support-food-banks-and-pantries-delay-snap-benefits-expected" target="_blank">announced some state funding</a>&nbsp;for Iowa’s food banks and pantries and activated the Iowa National Guard for&nbsp;food distribution.&nbsp;

Pillen joined other governors in saying their states can’t cover the missing federal food aid, Pillen’s office said it has no plans to declare an emergency. Nebraska is currently dealing with a budget shortfall.&nbsp;

Also on Thursday, a lawsuit was filed against Steve Corsi, the CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, alleging that he violated state law by posting the message slamming the Democrats.

The posting, the article said, was also “false and misleading,” according to the lawsuit filed by Lincoln attorney Vince Powers, a former head of the Nebraska Democratic Party, on behalf of a Lincoln woman, Kay Siebler.

Omaha&nbsp;Mayor John Ewing Jr., a Democrat, the Food Bank for the Heartland, Community Alliance, and other Omaha city leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/omaha-mayor-food-bank-call-for-donations-amid-snap-pause/#:~:text=Omaha%20Mayor%20John%20Ewing%20partnered%20with%20the,in%20Nebraska%20amid%20the%20ongoing%20government%20shutdown." target="_blank">have asked for food and monetary donations</a>&nbsp;ahead of SNAP benefits being shut off.

<i>Nebraska Examiner Reporter Paul Hammel contributed to this report.</i>

<h2>DHHS says Gov. Jim Pillen can issue partisan statements with state resources; message blames Democrats for federal shutdown as SNAP shutoff looms</h2><p>&nbsp; By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a></p><p><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/30/nebraska-dhhs-website-blames-dems-for-federal-government-shutdown-as-snap-shutoff-looms/">Nebraska Examiner&nbsp;</a></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761872082287.jpeg" alt="A sign in front of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services' Lincoln Public Assistance Office on Oct. 30, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>A sign in front of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services' Lincoln Public Assistance Office on Oct. 30, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>LINCOLN — The&nbsp;Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services website posted a banner this week blaming U.S. Senate Democrats for the federal government shutdown and urging them to “stop using Nebraska’s most vulnerable people for political leverage.”&nbsp;</p><p>On the banner, the state points to Democrats for disrupting the state-federal partnership on public grocery benefits, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, which it says will run out of funds by the end of the month.&nbsp;</p><p>The original message followed a similar approach to the Trump administration, some GOP-led states and some Democratic-led states during the messaging battle over who’s to blame for the federal shutdown.&nbsp;</p><p>Nebraska DHHS updated the banner on its website Thursday after reporters and others asked questions, tweaking the announcement from a blanket statement by DHHS into the same message shared as a direct quote from Gov. Jim Pillen.&nbsp;</p><p>A DHHS spokesperson said the post was added at the Governor’s Office’s request and was updated to “eliminate any confusion” about where the statement came from.&nbsp;State law prohibits&nbsp;public resources from being used for&nbsp;political purposes, as critics of the banner note. On Thursday afternoon, Pillen’s office confirmed that it approved the posting.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_7197-255x300.jpg" alt="The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services website, <b>before </b>the update, displayed a banner this week blaming U.S. Senate Democrats for the federal government shutdown. (Courtesy of Nebraska DHHS)" />
                        <figcaption>The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services website, <b>before </b>the update, displayed a banner this week blaming U.S. Senate Democrats for the federal government shutdown. (Courtesy of Nebraska DHHS)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>DHHS officials and the Governor’s Office said the Republican governor has the authority to issue partisan statements on state websites.&nbsp;</p><p>State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, a Democrat, said the tweak to the website is an admission that he overstepped state law by authorizing the statement and is now trying to “thread the needle” with a quote from him.</p><p>“Nebraskans are rightly concerned about the disruption of SNAP benefits … and instead of finding solutions, what the governor decided to do was to create yet another distraction,” Conrad said.&nbsp;</p><p>Common Cause of Nebraska officials said it was unlikely that Pillen violated state law. The national version of the same group is among legal observers who have argued&nbsp;the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/14/nx-s1-5574162/kristi-noem-tsa-video-hatch-act-ethics-violation" target="_blank">likely violated</a>&nbsp;the Hatch Act by using government websites and agencies to blame Democrats for the shutdown. That federal law limits political activities of federal employees and federal agencies to ensure government programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion.&nbsp;</p><p>Criticisms grew after the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Housing and Urban Development posted messages blaming the “Radical Left” in Congress for the shutdown, in website banners similar to the initial Nebraska DHHS post. The Trump administration also inserted language in some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/05/nx-s1-5563182/shutdown-lawsuit-education-department-partisan-messages" target="_blank">automated email responses</a>&nbsp;from federal agencies blaming Democrats.</p><p>The political messaging also reached American airports in a video by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for the shutdown, a video&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-airports-arent-playing-video-from-dhss-noem-blaming-dems-for-government-shutdown/">Nebraska’s two largest airports</a>&nbsp;have said they aren’t airing.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_7211-256x300.jpg" alt="The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services website <b>after </b>the update displaying a banner this week blaming U.S. Senate Democrats for the federal government shutdown (Courtesy of Nebraska DHHS)" />
                        <figcaption>The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services website <b>after </b>the update displaying a banner this week blaming U.S. Senate Democrats for the federal government shutdown (Courtesy of Nebraska DHHS)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>In Democrat-led Massachusetts, a state&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mass.gov/" target="_blank">government website</a>&nbsp;has an alert saying, “President Trump is freezing SNAP benefits,” while New York’s&nbsp;<a href="https://otda.ny.gov/#expanded" target="_blank">Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance</a>&nbsp;urges New Yorkers to call their representatives in Congress.&nbsp;</p><p>Earlier this week, Nebraska DHHS announced that SNAP benefits for roughly 150,000 low-income recipients across Nebraska would be paused due to the&nbsp;shutdown. The agency also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ketv.com/article/nebraska-dhhs-will-not-fund-snap-benefits-if-federal-aid-stops-in-november/69184134#:~:text=Tens%20of%20thousands%20of%20Nebraskans,says%20that%20would%20be%20illegal" target="_blank">told Omaha ABC affiliate KETV</a>&nbsp;that it would&nbsp;not take over SNAP funding by itself, because “absorbing the expense of this federal program is not sustainable.”&nbsp;</p><p>Twenty-five states&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/30/trump-administration-snap-food-aid-lawsuit-shutdown-00630133" target="_blank">have sued the Trump administration</a>&nbsp;over its decision that the USDA cannot use&nbsp;emergency funds to cover SNAP benefits in November. Several other states, such as Virginia and Rhode Island, have declared a state of emergency to reallocate state funds to cover shortfalls in the SNAP program, bolster food pantries or do both.</p><p>Texas Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/10/30/texas-snap-food-assistance-greg-abbott/" target="_blank">have urged</a>&nbsp;Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://directory.texastribune.org/greg-abbott/" target="_blank">Greg Abbott</a>&nbsp;to use his executive authority to provide emergency state funding. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2025-10-30/governor-reynolds-announces-support-food-banks-and-pantries-delay-snap-benefits-expected" target="_blank">announced some state funding</a>&nbsp;for Iowa’s food banks and pantries and activated the Iowa National Guard for&nbsp;food distribution.&nbsp;</p><p>Pillen joined other governors in saying their states can’t cover the missing federal food aid, Pillen’s office said it has no plans to declare an emergency. Nebraska is currently dealing with a budget shortfall.&nbsp;</p><p>Also on Thursday, a lawsuit was filed against Steve Corsi, the CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, alleging that he violated state law by posting the message slamming the Democrats.</p><p>The posting, the article said, was also “false and misleading,” according to the lawsuit filed by Lincoln attorney Vince Powers, a former head of the Nebraska Democratic Party, on behalf of a Lincoln woman, Kay Siebler.</p><p>Omaha&nbsp;Mayor John Ewing Jr., a Democrat, the Food Bank for the Heartland, Community Alliance, and other Omaha city leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/omaha-mayor-food-bank-call-for-donations-amid-snap-pause/#:~:text=Omaha%20Mayor%20John%20Ewing%20partnered%20with%20the,in%20Nebraska%20amid%20the%20ongoing%20government%20shutdown." target="_blank">have asked for food and monetary donations</a>&nbsp;ahead of SNAP benefits being shut off.</p><p><i>Nebraska Examiner Reporter Paul Hammel contributed to this report.</i></p>

Nebraska DHHS post questioned for political message on public agency website

LINCOLN – Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) Vice Chair Kevin Stocker, District 5, has been appointed to the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ (NARUC) Committee on Gas.

In announcing the appointment, NARUC President Tricia Pridemore said service on the committee advances the mission of effective public regulation. NARUC is a nonprofit organization whose members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers nationwide.

“I’m honored to represent Nebraska on the NARUC Committee on Gas,” Commissioner Stocker said. “Natural gas is vital in ensuring affordable, reliable energy for our state and nation.”

Through panel discussions and educational sessions, the committee promotes awareness and understanding of issues affecting the transportation, distribution and sale of natural gas.

Committee members work closely with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the U.S. departments of Energy and Transportation.

“I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues across the country to share Nebraska’s perspective and help advance policies that strengthen our energy infrastructure and serve the public interest,” Commissioner Stocker said.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761855158897.jpeg" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>LINCOLN – Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) Vice Chair Kevin Stocker, District 5, has been appointed to the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ (NARUC) Committee on Gas.</p><p>In announcing the appointment, NARUC President Tricia Pridemore said service on the committee advances the mission of effective public regulation. NARUC is a nonprofit organization whose members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers nationwide.</p><p>“I’m honored to represent Nebraska on the NARUC Committee on Gas,” Commissioner Stocker said. “Natural gas is vital in ensuring affordable, reliable energy for our state and nation.”</p><p>Through panel discussions and educational sessions, the committee promotes awareness and understanding of issues affecting the transportation, distribution and sale of natural gas.</p><p>Committee members work closely with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the U.S. departments of Energy and Transportation.</p><p>“I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues across the country to share Nebraska’s perspective and help advance policies that strengthen our energy infrastructure and serve the public interest,” Commissioner Stocker said.</p>

Commissioner Stocker Appointed to NARUC Natural Gas Committee

WASHINGTON –&nbsp;Naqwan Antonio Lucas, 18, of the District of Columbia, has been charged in a 16-count indictment for the June 30 murder of 21-year-old&nbsp; Eric Tarpinian-Jachym and charged in a second indictment for the July 4 murder of 17-year-old Zoey Kelley, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Eric&nbsp;Tarpinian-Jachym was a congressional intern in the office of Kansas 4th District Representative Ron Estes.

Lucas, aka “Qwan,” appeared before Judge Dana Dayson Thursday afternoon in D.C. Superior Court for his arraignment on both indictments. Lucas pleaded not guilty and Judge Dayson held Lucas until a status hearing with his co-defendants scheduled for November 7.

“These were predictable homicides based upon the behavior of these individuals and the records that everyone knew about, yet the D.C. Council is interested in protecting not the victims but the criminals under the guise of protecting the innocence of youth,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “It’s time for them to start protecting the citizens of the District.”

Lucas was arrested Wednesday night in Montgomery Village, Maryland, by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, MPD, and U.S. Marshals.

On June 30, Tarpinian, a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, was an innocent bystander when three armed suspects exited a stolen vehicle and began firing shots at two young men near the intersection of 7th and M Street NW. Tarpinian, of Granby, Massachusetts, was shot four times and died the next day. Five other people also were assaulted or injured.

Kelvin Thomas, Jr., 17, and Naqwan Lucas’ brother Jailen Lucas, 17, were arrested September 5 and charged as adults on counts of first-degree murder while armed in connection with Tarpinian’s slaying.

On July 4, MPD officers were flagged down about 5:20 p.m.&nbsp;on the 1700 block of Benning Road NE. The officers followed two witnesses into an apartment and found Zoey Kelly, 17, dead of a gunshot wound to the head inside of a storage container wrapped in bedding in the bedroom closet.

Last week, the MPD and FBI announced a $75,000 reward for information leading to Lucas’ arrest.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761862535029.png" alt="Image DC Police" />
                        <figcaption>Image DC Police</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON –&nbsp;Naqwan Antonio Lucas, 18, of the District of Columbia, has been charged in a 16-count indictment for the June 30 murder of 21-year-old&nbsp; Eric Tarpinian-Jachym and charged in a second indictment for the July 4 murder of 17-year-old Zoey Kelley, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Eric&nbsp;Tarpinian-Jachym was a congressional intern in the office of Kansas 4th District Representative Ron Estes.</p><p>Lucas, aka “Qwan,” appeared before Judge Dana Dayson Thursday afternoon in D.C. Superior Court for his arraignment on both indictments. Lucas pleaded not guilty and Judge Dayson held Lucas until a status hearing with his co-defendants scheduled for November 7.</p><p>“These were predictable homicides based upon the behavior of these individuals and the records that everyone knew about, yet the D.C. Council is interested in protecting not the victims but the criminals under the guise of protecting the innocence of youth,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “It’s time for them to start protecting the citizens of the District.”</p><p>Lucas was arrested Wednesday night in Montgomery Village, Maryland, by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, MPD, and U.S. Marshals.</p><p>On June 30, Tarpinian, a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, was an innocent bystander when three armed suspects exited a stolen vehicle and began firing shots at two young men near the intersection of 7th and M Street NW. Tarpinian, of Granby, Massachusetts, was shot four times and died the next day. Five other people also were assaulted or injured.</p><p>Kelvin Thomas, Jr., 17, and Naqwan Lucas’ brother Jailen Lucas, 17, were arrested September 5 and charged as adults on counts of first-degree murder while armed in connection with Tarpinian’s slaying.</p><p>On July 4, MPD officers were flagged down about 5:20 p.m.&nbsp;on the 1700 block of Benning Road NE. The officers followed two witnesses into an apartment and found Zoey Kelly, 17, dead of a gunshot wound to the head inside of a storage container wrapped in bedding in the bedroom closet.</p><p>Last week, the MPD and FBI announced a $75,000 reward for information leading to Lucas’ arrest.</p>

3rd suspect charged in DC slaying of intern for Kan. congressman

President Trump arrived home from his trip to Asia in time to join FIrst Lady Melania Trump and hand out candy to children during a Halloween event at the White House on Thursday evening.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761872548675.png" alt="image from White House video" />
                        <figcaption>image from White House video</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>President Trump arrived home from his trip to Asia in time to join FIrst Lady Melania Trump and hand out candy to children during a Halloween event at the White House on Thursday evening.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Halloween at the White House 2025 🍁🍂🎃 <a href="https://t.co/8ouTBcLuVk">pic.twitter.com/8ouTBcLuVk</a></p>&mdash; Office of the First Lady (@FirstLadyOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/FirstLadyOffice/status/1984258805233025096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 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">President Trump and the First Lady Participate in Halloween at The White House <a href="https://t.co/AnezkesE8L">https://t.co/AnezkesE8L</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1984014953540362675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 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> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> host Halloween trick-or-treating at the White House 🎃 <a href="https://t.co/7S1CFTtSt3">pic.twitter.com/7S1CFTtSt3</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1984015930272485702?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 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">President Trump, former McDonald&#39;s worker himself, greets new Drive-Thru employees at the White House <a href="https://t.co/99KwxiH7wM">pic.twitter.com/99KwxiH7wM</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1984024039850197436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 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="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> strikes again! 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/mjzufQiAut">https://t.co/mjzufQiAut</a> <a href="https://t.co/98J3vfTMfg">pic.twitter.com/98J3vfTMfg</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1984026442494279730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 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/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> brings her son trick-or-treating at the White House with <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> 🧡🖤💛 <a href="https://t.co/tzW4PL3Syt">pic.twitter.com/tzW4PL3Syt</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1984017034141950458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 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> hugs trick-or-treaters at the White House ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/QdY8EsicA4">pic.twitter.com/QdY8EsicA4</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1984022682506293310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 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="en" dir="ltr">Kids&#39; Halloween costumes at White House with President Trump and First Lady <a href="https://t.co/qOToLC5x5z">pic.twitter.com/qOToLC5x5z</a></p>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1984063387467387053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥President, First Lady host trick-or-treaters at the White House

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/" target="_blank">U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)</a>&nbsp;has provided details about three separate recalls for prazosin hydrochloride, a medication used to treat patients with hypertension, due to safety concerns. These are all Class II recalls. According to the FDA, this means taking the drug could lead to “temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences” or a small possibility of “serious adverse health consequences.”&nbsp;

Prazosin hydrochloride is sold by Pfizer under the brand name Minipress. The drug included in these recalls, however, is a generic version sold by New Jersey-based Teva Pharmaceuticals USA.

Teva Pharmaceuticals is recalling more than 580,000 bottles of the drug. The voluntary recalls were put in place due to high levels of N-nitroso Prazosin impurity C, a potential carcinogen. Test results confirmed that the levels exceeded what the FDA allows according to its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/spotlight-cder-science/determining-recommended-acceptable-intake-limits-n-nitrosamine-impurities-pharmaceuticals" target="_blank">Carcinogenic Potency Categorization Approach</a>.

These recalls were first initiated on Oct. 7. The FDA classified them as Class II incidents on Oct. 24.

In addition to being used as a hypertension treatment, prazosin hydrochloride has been associated with key benefits when prescribed to treat PTSD-related nightmares.

<p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/" target="_blank">U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)</a>&nbsp;has provided details about three separate recalls for prazosin hydrochloride, a medication used to treat patients with hypertension, due to safety concerns. These are all Class II recalls. According to the FDA, this means taking the drug could lead to “temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences” or a small possibility of “serious adverse health consequences.”&nbsp;</p><p>Prazosin hydrochloride is sold by Pfizer under the brand name Minipress. The drug included in these recalls, however, is a generic version sold by New Jersey-based Teva Pharmaceuticals USA.</p><p>Teva Pharmaceuticals is recalling more than 580,000 bottles of the drug. The voluntary recalls were put in place due to high levels of N-nitroso Prazosin impurity C, a potential carcinogen. Test results confirmed that the levels exceeded what the FDA allows according to its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/spotlight-cder-science/determining-recommended-acceptable-intake-limits-n-nitrosamine-impurities-pharmaceuticals" target="_blank">Carcinogenic Potency Categorization Approach</a>.</p><p>These recalls were first initiated on Oct. 7. The FDA classified them as Class II incidents on Oct. 24.</p><p>In addition to being used as a hypertension treatment, prazosin hydrochloride has been associated with key benefits when prescribed to treat PTSD-related nightmares.</p>

FDA announces nationwide recall of tainted blood pressure medicine

LINCOLN – As temperatures begin to plunge, the Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) is reminding natural gas customers of its Cold Weather Rule that provides additional protection from service disconnection Nov. 1 through March 31.

During this period, the state’s jurisdictional natural gas utilities – Black Hills Energy and NorthWestern Energy – cannot shut off service to customers without allowing an additional 30 days to pay beyond the normal bill due date. Customers anticipating difficulty paying their natural gas bill should contact the provider to make payment arrangements.

“We want to ensure every household stays safe and warm through the winter months,” said PSC Chair Tim Schram, District 3. “If you’re facing challenges paying your utility bill, reach out to your provider before disconnection becomes a risk.”

The PSC adopted the Cold Weather Rule more than 20 years ago, when it assumed regulatory oversight of Nebraska’s jurisdictional natural gas utilities. It is important to note that municipally owned natural gas utilities are not subject to PSC regulation and are not required to comply with the Cold Weather Rule.

The PSC encourages any customers facing hardship to contact their utility providers early to discuss payment plans or assistance options.

“The Cold Weather Rule isn’t just about preventing shutoffs – it’s about communication,” said Nichole Mulcahy, director of the PSC Natural Gas Department. “When customers stay in touch with their utility company and make a plan, they can avoid unnecessary service disruptions this season.”

Customers can also contact energy assistance programs such as Salvation Army HeatShare and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Additional resources are available on the PSC Natural Gas Department’s consumer webpage or by contacting psc.naturalgas@nebraska.gov.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682270056502.jpeg" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>LINCOLN – As temperatures begin to plunge, the Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) is reminding natural gas customers of its Cold Weather Rule that provides additional protection from service disconnection Nov. 1 through March 31.</p><p>During this period, the state’s jurisdictional natural gas utilities – Black Hills Energy and NorthWestern Energy – cannot shut off service to customers without allowing an additional 30 days to pay beyond the normal bill due date. Customers anticipating difficulty paying their natural gas bill should contact the provider to make payment arrangements.</p><p>“We want to ensure every household stays safe and warm through the winter months,” said PSC Chair Tim Schram, District 3. “If you’re facing challenges paying your utility bill, reach out to your provider before disconnection becomes a risk.”</p><p>The PSC adopted the Cold Weather Rule more than 20 years ago, when it assumed regulatory oversight of Nebraska’s jurisdictional natural gas utilities. It is important to note that municipally owned natural gas utilities are not subject to PSC regulation and are not required to comply with the Cold Weather Rule.</p><p>The PSC encourages any customers facing hardship to contact their utility providers early to discuss payment plans or assistance options.</p><p>“The Cold Weather Rule isn’t just about preventing shutoffs – it’s about communication,” said Nichole Mulcahy, director of the PSC Natural Gas Department. “When customers stay in touch with their utility company and make a plan, they can avoid unnecessary service disruptions this season.”</p><p>Customers can also contact energy assistance programs such as Salvation Army HeatShare and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).</p><p>Additional resources are available on the PSC Natural Gas Department’s consumer webpage or by contacting psc.naturalgas@nebraska.gov.</p>

PSC Fires Up Winter Protections With Cold Weather Rule Starting Nov. 1

Nebraska Lottery Reminds Players to Set Limits

Lincoln, NE – October 30, 2025 – The Mega Millions jackpot has been growing for over three months. Because of the high jackpot, the Nebraska Lottery reminds customers to set spending and time limits.

A string of drawings without a jackpot winner has grown the estimated Mega Millions jackpot to its highest level since December 2024. There have been 35 consecutive drawings since July 1 without a jackpot winner. This run has grown the estimated jackpot for the Friday, October 31 drawing to $754 million or $352.8 million with the cash option selected. This is the 9th largest jackpot in the history of the game, and the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever offered for a Halloween drawing.

The jackpot run has produced two big winners in Nebraska so far. A $30,000 winning ticket for the August 12 drawing was sold at Mega Saver, 12005 Pacific Street in Omaha. And a $5,000 winning ticket for the October 7 drawing was sold at Casey's #3816, 3725 N 147th Street in Omaha.

The largest Mega Millions jackpot on record occurred in August 2023 when one ticket was sold in Florida for a $1.602 billion jackpot.

Because of the high jackpot, the Nebraska Lottery encourages customers to set limits and play within their means. “It’s important for Nebraska Lottery players to remember that no matter how large the Mega Millions jackpot is, the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 290 million,” said Lottery Director Brian Rockey. “Your odds of winning remain the same, regardless of how many tickets are purchased or how many people play.” Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.qkacV-2FUEFnhDrHGFtQlhVCGW7ZFoOjGhEOuDYk17Wg-2BgeY7UPBPUQdMljN8fRzJJlTY0_zp2viNv8WmCDmvKbS8g-2FumCH-2BSIkHTUhcISA1gweg93LIwGEu7Eu0ohNOhpJ1nCtJT3xXLcGnwndj0t64QaXbVDk0wvL65KD1iN4vYB7rKAhKu1l-2FBLlTpj0KgRYXUJnejQCoCAOwKgEJdl9fiyXfpoUx4l6-2FBWSOndQAwmS8p2HkTn5sSma231TCRZu-2FjDFGqEa8RxBUBv5-2BBsgZQMVeWhcLMT5wEfyIyw8KfoBd0j8zJwR3HDugOha-2BpMSn8IAe88B-2BrqrkrmAGAM-2F1TrCEv-2Bd81zLnolKsHElZdmiBGzEMO-2F0Z-2BcvMGUE8RXoswyv-2BydgQkXWoS2pB-2BAi8klTF77tBBr-2Fiftlta7Fqa9vO-2BJMrB-2BHGq1qD15k-2BuA8tjBA" target="_blank">nelottery.com/knowyourlimit</a>&nbsp;for more information on setting limits on your lottery play.

If you or someone you know has a problem with gambling, free help is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.qkacV-2FUEFnhDrHGFtQlhVNHPTLOEvuBuA89teB3GDv5klcXlRRej62RghdJLZz1reThS_zp2viNv8WmCDmvKbS8g-2FumCH-2BSIkHTUhcISA1gweg93LIwGEu7Eu0ohNOhpJ1nCtJT3xXLcGnwndj0t64QaXbVDk0wvL65KD1iN4vYB7rKAhKu1l-2FBLlTpj0KgRYXUJnejQCoCAOwKgEJdl9fiyXfpoUx4l6-2FBWSOndQAwmS8p2HkTn5sSma231TCRZu-2FjDFGqEa8RxBUBv5-2BBsgZQMVeWhcLMT5wEfyIyw8KfoBd0h71EMQ1pTURHRM3Z-2F64Uk7GlczGUXpdSzKQ0KrxAJX4ldgzimIP5NEnRXJ2464o9XRkYw64tRmPqJp-2Ba7T3iUrmIXKMz2K-2BF7q4IftGpQ5nX9aTbMGQDlPPtChRtU0PgLvt0Z55KkxpBxuOR2UFG0c" target="_blank">problemgambling.nebraska.gov</a>.

The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. $1.051 billion has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620755777014.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p><i>For Immediate Release</i></p><h2>Nebraska Lottery Reminds Players to Set Limits</h2><p>Lincoln, NE – October 30, 2025 – The Mega Millions jackpot has been growing for over three months. Because of the high jackpot, the Nebraska Lottery reminds customers to set spending and time limits.</p><p>A string of drawings without a jackpot winner has grown the estimated Mega Millions jackpot to its highest level since December 2024. There have been 35 consecutive drawings since July 1 without a jackpot winner. This run has grown the estimated jackpot for the Friday, October 31 drawing to $754 million or $352.8 million with the cash option selected. This is the 9th largest jackpot in the history of the game, and the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever offered for a Halloween drawing.</p><p>The jackpot run has produced two big winners in Nebraska so far. A $30,000 winning ticket for the August 12 drawing was sold at Mega Saver, 12005 Pacific Street in Omaha. And a $5,000 winning ticket for the October 7 drawing was sold at Casey's #3816, 3725 N 147th Street in Omaha.</p><p>The largest Mega Millions jackpot on record occurred in August 2023 when one ticket was sold in Florida for a $1.602 billion jackpot.</p><h2>Know Your Limit</h2><p>Because of the high jackpot, the Nebraska Lottery encourages customers to set limits and play within their means. “It’s important for Nebraska Lottery players to remember that no matter how large the Mega Millions jackpot is, the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 290 million,” said Lottery Director Brian Rockey. “Your odds of winning remain the same, regardless of how many tickets are purchased or how many people play.” Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.qkacV-2FUEFnhDrHGFtQlhVCGW7ZFoOjGhEOuDYk17Wg-2BgeY7UPBPUQdMljN8fRzJJlTY0_zp2viNv8WmCDmvKbS8g-2FumCH-2BSIkHTUhcISA1gweg93LIwGEu7Eu0ohNOhpJ1nCtJT3xXLcGnwndj0t64QaXbVDk0wvL65KD1iN4vYB7rKAhKu1l-2FBLlTpj0KgRYXUJnejQCoCAOwKgEJdl9fiyXfpoUx4l6-2FBWSOndQAwmS8p2HkTn5sSma231TCRZu-2FjDFGqEa8RxBUBv5-2BBsgZQMVeWhcLMT5wEfyIyw8KfoBd0j8zJwR3HDugOha-2BpMSn8IAe88B-2BrqrkrmAGAM-2F1TrCEv-2Bd81zLnolKsHElZdmiBGzEMO-2F0Z-2BcvMGUE8RXoswyv-2BydgQkXWoS2pB-2BAi8klTF77tBBr-2Fiftlta7Fqa9vO-2BJMrB-2BHGq1qD15k-2BuA8tjBA" target="_blank">nelottery.com/knowyourlimit</a>&nbsp;for more information on setting limits on your lottery play.</p><p>If you or someone you know has a problem with gambling, free help is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.qkacV-2FUEFnhDrHGFtQlhVNHPTLOEvuBuA89teB3GDv5klcXlRRej62RghdJLZz1reThS_zp2viNv8WmCDmvKbS8g-2FumCH-2BSIkHTUhcISA1gweg93LIwGEu7Eu0ohNOhpJ1nCtJT3xXLcGnwndj0t64QaXbVDk0wvL65KD1iN4vYB7rKAhKu1l-2FBLlTpj0KgRYXUJnejQCoCAOwKgEJdl9fiyXfpoUx4l6-2FBWSOndQAwmS8p2HkTn5sSma231TCRZu-2FjDFGqEa8RxBUBv5-2BBsgZQMVeWhcLMT5wEfyIyw8KfoBd0h71EMQ1pTURHRM3Z-2F64Uk7GlczGUXpdSzKQ0KrxAJX4ldgzimIP5NEnRXJ2464o9XRkYw64tRmPqJp-2Ba7T3iUrmIXKMz2K-2BF7q4IftGpQ5nX9aTbMGQDlPPtChRtU0PgLvt0Z55KkxpBxuOR2UFG0c" target="_blank">problemgambling.nebraska.gov</a>.</p><p>The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. $1.051 billion has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.</p>

Halloween Mega Millions® Jackpot $754 Million; Know Your Limit

<a href="https://ago.nebraska.gov/news/nebraska-continues-legal-fight-against-colorado-over-water-rights">Office of Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers</a>

LINCOLN--Attorney General Hilgers announced today that Nebraska has continued its legal actions to enforce the South Platte River Compact and clear the way for construction of the Perkins County Canal. Nebraska is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reject Colorado’s request to table the states’ dispute over the South Platte River Compact.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nebraska and Colorado signed the South Platte River Compact in 1923. The Compact was approved by both states’ legislatures, ratified by Congress in 1926, and has the force of federal law. This summer, Nebraska sued Colorado to enforce Nebraska’s irrigation rights and clear the way to construct the Perkins County Canal, both of which the Compact guarantees. In response, Colorado told the Court that Nebraska’s case was premature.

Nebraska filed its initial motion seeking the Supreme Court’s intervention on July 16, 2025. Colorado responded on October 15, 2025, claiming that Nebraska and Colorado have no present dispute over the Canal because Nebraska has not built it yet. As a result, the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office has continued its legal actions in order to ensure that the Compact is fulfilled, and the Perkins County Canal is built in a timely manner.

Of course, Colorado wants more time,” said Attorney General Hilgers. “Time only benefits them as they violate our rights under the Compact. Nebraska cannot afford more time—we are losing our water right now, and Colorado is obstructing Nebraska from accessing our non-irrigation season supplies via the Canal. Our reply outlines why Colorado’s response is wrong. We have requested the Court reject Colorado’s tactics and allow Nebraska to proceed swiftly to the merits and enforce our Compact rights in order to remedy the breaches that are occurring today.”

It is anticipated that the Court will review the parties’ briefs and act on Nebraska’s request for review in the coming months.

<p><a href="https://ago.nebraska.gov/news/nebraska-continues-legal-fight-against-colorado-over-water-rights">Office of Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers</a></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761837193613.png" alt="Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers" />
                        <figcaption>Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><i>News Release</i></p><p>LINCOLN--Attorney General Hilgers announced today that Nebraska has continued its legal actions to enforce the South Platte River Compact and clear the way for construction of the Perkins County Canal. Nebraska is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reject Colorado’s request to table the states’ dispute over the South Platte River Compact.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Nebraska and Colorado signed the South Platte River Compact in 1923. The Compact was approved by both states’ legislatures, ratified by Congress in 1926, and has the force of federal law. This summer, Nebraska sued Colorado to enforce Nebraska’s irrigation rights and clear the way to construct the Perkins County Canal, both of which the Compact guarantees. In response, Colorado told the Court that Nebraska’s case was premature.</p><p>Nebraska filed its initial motion seeking the Supreme Court’s intervention on July 16, 2025. Colorado responded on October 15, 2025, claiming that Nebraska and Colorado have no present dispute over the Canal because Nebraska has not built it yet. As a result, the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office has continued its legal actions in order to ensure that the Compact is fulfilled, and the Perkins County Canal is built in a timely manner.</p><p>Of course, Colorado wants more time,” said Attorney General Hilgers. “Time only benefits them as they violate our rights under the Compact. Nebraska cannot afford more time—we are losing our water right now, and Colorado is obstructing Nebraska from accessing our non-irrigation season supplies via the Canal. Our reply outlines why Colorado’s response is wrong. We have requested the Court reject Colorado’s tactics and allow Nebraska to proceed swiftly to the merits and enforce our Compact rights in order to remedy the breaches that are occurring today.”</p><p>It is anticipated that the Court will review the parties’ briefs and act on Nebraska’s request for review in the coming months.</p>

Nebraska Continues Legal Fight Against Colorado Over Water Rights; Nebraska AG Responds

OCTOBER 30, 2025 (SCOTTSBLUFF, NEB.) — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested two people after a brief pursuit and search in Sheridan County.

Tuesday evening at approximately 5:50 p.m. MT, a trooper saw a southbound Buick sedan traveling with no license plates and no lights activated on Highway 87 in Sheridan County. The trooper attempted a traffic stop. The driver initially stopped. As the trooper approached the vehicle, the driver accelerated and fled northbound.

A short time later, another trooper successfully deployed stop sticks, which brought the vehicle to a stop near mile marker 73. Two passengers complied with the trooper’s commands and remained with the vehicle. The driver and another passenger fled on foot. 

The passenger was located a short time later and was taken into custody. The passenger, Tyrone Caldwell, 22, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, was in possession of a hatchet. He was arrested for obstructing a peace officer and possession of a concealed weapon. 

The driver was located approximately one mile north of where the vehicle had stopped and was taken into custody. Michael Jack, 37, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, obstructing a peace officer, driving under the influence of alcohol, failure to obey a lawful order, no operator’s license, possession of an open alcohol container, and traffic violations. 

Jack and Caldwell were lodged in Sheridan County Jail. The two passengers who remained with the vehicle did not have charges and were released.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1565129733856.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p><i>For Immediate Release</i></p><p>OCTOBER 30, 2025 (SCOTTSBLUFF, NEB.) — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested two people after a brief pursuit and search in Sheridan County.</p><p>Tuesday evening at approximately 5:50 p.m. MT, a trooper saw a southbound Buick sedan traveling with no license plates and no lights activated on Highway 87 in Sheridan County. The trooper attempted a traffic stop. The driver initially stopped. As the trooper approached the vehicle, the driver accelerated and fled northbound.</p><p>A short time later, another trooper successfully deployed stop sticks, which brought the vehicle to a stop near mile marker 73. Two passengers complied with the trooper’s commands and remained with the vehicle. The driver and another passenger fled on foot. </p><p>The passenger was located a short time later and was taken into custody. The passenger, Tyrone Caldwell, 22, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, was in possession of a hatchet. He was arrested for obstructing a peace officer and possession of a concealed weapon. </p><p>The driver was located approximately one mile north of where the vehicle had stopped and was taken into custody. Michael Jack, 37, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, obstructing a peace officer, driving under the influence of alcohol, failure to obey a lawful order, no operator’s license, possession of an open alcohol container, and traffic violations. </p><p>Jack and Caldwell were lodged in Sheridan County Jail. The two passengers who remained with the vehicle did not have charges and were released.</p>

Two Arrested After Fleeing Traffic Stop in Panhandle

NU spokesperson says report raises important questions but ‘does not adequately reflect the complexity of university finances’

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/zachwendling/">Zach Wendling</a><br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;A new external analysis indicates the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the NU system are “financially healthy,” leaving some UNL faculty “scratching our heads” as to why administrators are again seeking to trim 1.8% from the budget.

UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/13/unl-proposes-27-5-million-devastating-cuts-six-program-areas-slated-for-elimination/">proposed</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://budgetprocess.unl.edu/proposed-budget-reductions/" target="_blank">$27.5 million in budget cuts</a>&nbsp;in mid-September. The total includes $21 million to eliminate a structural budget deficit that Bennett said had “compounded over time,” plus $6.5 million to “help safeguard against repetitive budget reduction cycles.”&nbsp;

Over the past five years, UNL has already weathered more than $75 million in combined cuts.

“We can’t take the budget justification on face value,” said Sarah Zuckerman, president of the UNL’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, which sought the analysis.

However, an NU spokesperson responding to the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/University-of-Nebraska-Lincoln-Financial-Analysis-October-2025-Bonnie-Fox-Garrity-Final.pdf">financial analysis report</a>&nbsp;said while it raises important questions, “it does not adequately reflect the complexity of university finances.”

Zuckerman is one of many faculty continuing to push back on the necessity of the cuts, questioning the data used to identify a host of programs proposed for elimination or merger. Among the proposed eliminations are six academic areas, including the Department of Educational Administration where Zuckerman is an associate professor.

Every campus in NU’s system is paring back budgets, and regents are set to vote on chancellor recommendations at a Dec. 5 meeting. A UNL committee of faculty, staff and students had until last week to respond to Bennett’s recommendations and offer alternatives.

UNL has declined to release the committee report before Bennett finalizes his proposal, expected by early next month.

On Wednesday, Bonnie Fox Garrity, a financial analyst for the national AAUP and a business professor at D’Youville University in Buffalo, New York, shared her October analysis of UNL and the NU system requested by Zuckerman’s AAUP chapter. She’s done similar reports for other campuses, too.

Among Garrity’s findings are that of UNL’s proposed $27.5 million in cuts, trims to “instruction” account for 69% of the proposed reductions, yet the area is 20.2% of UNL’s total expenses.

The report found that there are fewer instructional employees at UNL since 2019, a decrease of 7.8% to mid-2024, and these employees’ salaries had risen by 4.5%. The increases were not adjusted for inflation. Meanwhile, the number of non-instructional employees at UNL — which includes top administrators —&nbsp;had grown by 7.6%. Salaries for that group of employees grew by 31.7%.

Over the past decade, Garrity said UNL’s total expenditures grew 39.1%, which accounts for a 97% increase in athletics, which is financially independent. There also was a 53.1% increase in administrative spending and 30.3% increase in instructional spending.

“Our approach is that the financial expenditure should be focused on the core mission of the institution, on the students, on the educational experience,” Garrity said.

Garrity, at a news conference Wednesday announcing the report, said she doesn’t see a “financial crisis” justifying the cuts.

“Even in the announcement of the cuts it was clear that a portion of the cuts were something like a proactive move,” Garrity said. “It is my thought that the cuts could be avoided.”

Zuckerman said she came to UNL nine years ago happy to be at a “real university” with resources and support. However, she said “year after year” those resources “disappeared,” with budget reductions in eight of her nine years.

The AAUP asked for a similar financial analysis in 2021, Zuckerman said, which also indicated UNL was in strong financial health. She and other faculty worry UNL’s actions will hurt the trajectory of UNL, diminish its educational offerings and hurt student opportunities.

“That analysis left us scratching our heads as to why there had been so many cuts,” Zuckerman said.

A UNL spokesperson directed the Nebraska Examiner to a spokesperson for the NU system, Cara Pesek, who said NU values the “essential” role of faculty and appreciates the engagement of Zuckerman’s AAUP and others around “shared governance.”

Pesek noted NU and its NU Foundation are financially strong in part because of “careful fiscal stewardship.” There are also many restricted or designated university funds that Pesek said can’t be used for academic salaries or instruction.

In the end, there is another challenge NU has faced for a decade: Lagging state support to the tune of over $200 million that hasn’t kept up with inflation. NU’s main “state-aided budget” consists of tax dollars and tuition. Pesek said this is “creating structural pressures that require careful ongoing management.”&nbsp;

The NU Board of Regents froze tuition rates during the COVID-19 pandemic but increased tuition in each of the past three academic years, including 5% before this fall semester began.

“These campus-led efforts are part of a long-term plan to achieve and maintain fiscal balance, protect the university’s core academic mission and ensure that Nebraska’s only public university remains strong for generations to come,” Pesek said in a statement. “We deeply value the role of shared governance in achieving these goals.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761826662987.png" alt="Bonnie Fox Garrity, a financial analyst with the national American Association of University Professors and a business professor with D’Youville University in Buffalo, New York, leads a news conference presenting a financial analysis she did in October 2025 into the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s budget. Oct. 29, 2025. (Courtesy of UNL AAUP chapter)" />
                        <figcaption>Bonnie Fox Garrity, a financial analyst with the national American Association of University Professors and a business professor with D’Youville University in Buffalo, New York, leads a news conference presenting a financial analysis she did in October 2025 into the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s budget. Oct. 29, 2025. (Courtesy of UNL AAUP chapter)</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>NU spokesperson says report raises important questions but ‘does not adequately reflect the complexity of university finances’</h2><p>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/zachwendling/">Zach Wendling</a><br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a></p><p>LINCOLN —&nbsp;A new external analysis indicates the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the NU system are “financially healthy,” leaving some UNL faculty “scratching our heads” as to why administrators are again seeking to trim 1.8% from the budget.</p><p>UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/13/unl-proposes-27-5-million-devastating-cuts-six-program-areas-slated-for-elimination/">proposed</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://budgetprocess.unl.edu/proposed-budget-reductions/" target="_blank">$27.5 million in budget cuts</a>&nbsp;in mid-September. The total includes $21 million to eliminate a structural budget deficit that Bennett said had “compounded over time,” plus $6.5 million to “help safeguard against repetitive budget reduction cycles.”&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761826712319.png" alt="Faculty protest plans at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to trim $27.5 million from the campus budget, which includes the proposed elimination of six academic programs. Oct. 9, 2025. (Photo by Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>Faculty protest plans at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to trim $27.5 million from the campus budget, which includes the proposed elimination of six academic programs. Oct. 9, 2025. (Photo by Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Over the past five years, UNL has already weathered more than $75 million in combined cuts.</p><p>“We can’t take the budget justification on face value,” said Sarah Zuckerman, president of the UNL’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, which sought the analysis.</p><p>However, an NU spokesperson responding to the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/University-of-Nebraska-Lincoln-Financial-Analysis-October-2025-Bonnie-Fox-Garrity-Final.pdf">financial analysis report</a>&nbsp;said while it raises important questions, “it does not adequately reflect the complexity of university finances.”</p><p>Zuckerman is one of many faculty continuing to push back on the necessity of the cuts, questioning the data used to identify a host of programs proposed for elimination or merger. Among the proposed eliminations are six academic areas, including the Department of Educational Administration where Zuckerman is an associate professor.</p><p>Every campus in NU’s system is paring back budgets, and regents are set to vote on chancellor recommendations at a Dec. 5 meeting. A UNL committee of faculty, staff and students had until last week to respond to Bennett’s recommendations and offer alternatives.</p><p>UNL has declined to release the committee report before Bennett finalizes his proposal, expected by early next month.</p><h2>Instruction 20.2% expenses, 69% cuts</h2><p>On Wednesday, Bonnie Fox Garrity, a financial analyst for the national AAUP and a business professor at D’Youville University in Buffalo, New York, shared her October analysis of UNL and the NU system requested by Zuckerman’s AAUP chapter. She’s done similar reports for other campuses, too.</p><p>Among Garrity’s findings are that of UNL’s proposed $27.5 million in cuts, trims to “instruction” account for 69% of the proposed reductions, yet the area is 20.2% of UNL’s total expenses.</p><p>The report found that there are fewer instructional employees at UNL since 2019, a decrease of 7.8% to mid-2024, and these employees’ salaries had risen by 4.5%. The increases were not adjusted for inflation. Meanwhile, the number of non-instructional employees at UNL — which includes top administrators —&nbsp;had grown by 7.6%. Salaries for that group of employees grew by 31.7%.</p><p>Over the past decade, Garrity said UNL’s total expenditures grew 39.1%, which accounts for a 97% increase in athletics, which is financially independent. There also was a 53.1% increase in administrative spending and 30.3% increase in instructional spending.</p><p>“Our approach is that the financial expenditure should be focused on the core mission of the institution, on the students, on the educational experience,” Garrity said.</p><p>Garrity, at a news conference Wednesday announcing the report, said she doesn’t see a “financial crisis” justifying the cuts.</p><p>“Even in the announcement of the cuts it was clear that a portion of the cuts were something like a proactive move,” Garrity said. “It is my thought that the cuts could be avoided.”</p><h2>‘Scratching our heads’</h2><p>Zuckerman said she came to UNL nine years ago happy to be at a “real university” with resources and support. However, she said “year after year” those resources “disappeared,” with budget reductions in eight of her nine years.</p><p>The AAUP asked for a similar financial analysis in 2021, Zuckerman said, which also indicated UNL was in strong financial health. She and other faculty worry UNL’s actions will hurt the trajectory of UNL, diminish its educational offerings and hurt student opportunities.</p><p>“That analysis left us scratching our heads as to why there had been so many cuts,” Zuckerman said.</p><h2>Value of ‘shared governance’</h2><p>A UNL spokesperson directed the Nebraska Examiner to a spokesperson for the NU system, Cara Pesek, who said NU values the “essential” role of faculty and appreciates the engagement of Zuckerman’s AAUP and others around “shared governance.”</p><p>Pesek noted NU and its NU Foundation are financially strong in part because of “careful fiscal stewardship.” There are also many restricted or designated university funds that Pesek said can’t be used for academic salaries or instruction.</p><p>In the end, there is another challenge NU has faced for a decade: Lagging state support to the tune of over $200 million that hasn’t kept up with inflation. NU’s main “state-aided budget” consists of tax dollars and tuition. Pesek said this is “creating structural pressures that require careful ongoing management.”&nbsp;</p><p>The NU Board of Regents froze tuition rates during the COVID-19 pandemic but increased tuition in each of the past three academic years, including 5% before this fall semester began.</p><p>“These campus-led efforts are part of a long-term plan to achieve and maintain fiscal balance, protect the university’s core academic mission and ensure that Nebraska’s only public university remains strong for generations to come,” Pesek said in a statement. “We deeply value the role of shared governance in achieving these goals.”</p>

Faculty question need for $27.5 million in cuts after report finds UNL ‘financially healthy’

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761790245424.png" alt="Image from White House video" />
                        <figcaption>Image from White House video</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump on trade truce with China. <a href="https://t.co/MN2IMj0OWD">pic.twitter.com/MN2IMj0OWD</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1983892551850737782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 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="en" dir="ltr">LETS GOOO!!! Soybeans! Sorghum! 🇺🇸🚜 BIG news out of President Trump’s historic meeting with President Xi!<br><br>More details coming soon. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT!!! <a href="https://t.co/5hHpKbX70F">pic.twitter.com/5hHpKbX70F</a></p>&mdash; Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins/status/1983836244263235996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 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> has arrived for his big meeting with President Xi in South Korea <a href="https://t.co/eIeCaGwjBz">pic.twitter.com/eIeCaGwjBz</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1983711359172034608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">President Xi’s motorcade arrives <a href="https://t.co/AFnI2qI9zE">pic.twitter.com/AFnI2qI9zE</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1983715683444613541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 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">&quot;We&#39;re going to have a very successful meeting, I have no doubt.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> greets Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. <a href="https://t.co/Wdr5HgzNhx">pic.twitter.com/Wdr5HgzNhx</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1983718490759688266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 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">President Trump and President Xi shake hands <a href="https://t.co/rGCGFDbWK5">pic.twitter.com/rGCGFDbWK5</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1983752956521365684?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 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> meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time since 2019: &quot;It&#39;s a great honor... I think we&#39;re going to have a fantastic relationship for a long period of time — and it&#39;s an honor to have you with us.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ueW2gvMcCy">pic.twitter.com/ueW2gvMcCy</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1983720399910367276?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 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> shakes hands with China&#39;s President Xi after their historic meeting in South Korea. <a href="https://t.co/O3DOxWIJ7d">pic.twitter.com/O3DOxWIJ7d</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1983745894693601644?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥President Trump: Good news for Farmers after meeting with President Xi

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/cami-koons/">Cami Koons</a>

U.S. soybean farmers and lawmakers said the Chinese purchase of several shiploads of U.S. soybeans indicated a positive step in trade negotiations between the two counties.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-buys-three-us-soybean-cargoes-ahead-trump-xi-meeting-sources-say-2025-10-29/" target="_blank">Reuters</a>&nbsp;reported Wednesday that COFCO, a Chinese state-owned food processing company, purchased about 180,000 metric tons of soybeans from the U.S.&nbsp;

The reported purchase, which Reuters attributed to “two trade sources” is the first purchase China has made since harvest season began on the latest U.S. soybean crop.

The country has also bought soybeans from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-expands-argentina-soybean-buying-20-cargoes-traders-say-2025-09-24/" target="_blank">Argentina</a>&nbsp;and continues to purchase from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brazil-soybeans-china-exports-40a785024e483ea9cd555fb3c7323e14" target="_blank">Brazil</a>, leaving soybean farmers and farm industry groups&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/02/iowa-soybean-president-urges-trade-deal-with-china-calls-trump-policies-a-bitter-pill-for-farmers/" target="_blank">concerned</a>&nbsp;they have lost a key international market.&nbsp;

The purchase comes toward the end of harvest season for many farmers, and also a day before President Donald Trump is slated to work out a trade deal with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The trade deal is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-china-trade-deal-asia-tour-continues-japan-sanae-takaichi/" target="_blank">expected</a>&nbsp;to include agreements on soybeans and other agricultural exports.&nbsp;

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins posted on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecRollins/status/1983511209333690631" target="_blank">social media</a>&nbsp;Wednesday about the purchase and said it showed “strong dealmaking” on the part of the president and “a positive step forward for our farmers.”&nbsp;

“This purchase, coming directly ahead of the Trump-Xi talks, shows that America means business and that we will restore balance, give U.S. producers the opportunities they’ve earned, and send a message that when America leads in agriculture, the world listens,” Rollins wrote.&nbsp;

Rollins also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/shows/kudlow#" target="_blank">mentioned</a>&nbsp;the purchase while speaking on a Fox Business segment Wednesday.

The estimated 180,000-metric-ton purchase is a small percentage of the nearly 27 million metric tons of soybeans the U.S. exported to China in 2024, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/regions/china" target="_blank">data</a>.&nbsp;

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley has also&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/briefs/grassley-hopes-for-a-solution-for-farmers-following-loss-of-chinese-market/" target="_blank">called for</a>&nbsp;a trade deal with China that will benefit farmers. Grassley said in a statement Wednesday he hopes for a “successful” meeting between Trump and Xi.

“China thinks it can move the needle at the last minute, but these small purchases are not nearly enough to address the serious threats facing the ag economy,” Grassley said. “While this may be a positive sign, it’s critical that the Chinese market more fully reopens to American soybean growers soon.”

Congressional delegates from Iowa and Wisconsin urged, in a letter this week, the president to&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/27/iowa-delegates-urge-administration-to-prioritize-trade-deal-for-soybean-farmers/" target="_blank">prioritize a soybean deal</a>&nbsp;in his talks with the Chinese leader.&nbsp;

U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, who led the letter, said Wednesday the purchase from China was a “an important first step and a clear signal of momentum” for Trump’s negotiations.&nbsp;

“I’ve led the charge for our farmers and rural communities: end China’s trade war, restore market access, and expand ag exports,” Nunn said in a statement. “President Trump has proven time and again he has the tools to deliver. I look forward to reviewing the deal.”

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Republican from Kansas, wrote on social media that the purchase was a “<a href="https://x.com/rogermarshallmd/status/1983530082800148666?s=12" target="_blank">big win</a>” for farmers.&nbsp;

Nebraska Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer also&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/senatorfischer/status/1983545407389966844?s=46&amp;t=59TO4z1VG6CVW59Gr61ouQ" target="_blank">posted</a>&nbsp;on social media and said the deal showed “agricultural trade could ease tensions between Washington and Beijing, while also leveling the playing field and directly assisting hardworking American ag producers.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761787157829.png" alt="China reportedly purchased several shiploads of U.S. soybeans ahead of a meeting between the countries’ leaders. (Photo courtesy of USDA)" />
                        <figcaption>China reportedly purchased several shiploads of U.S. soybeans ahead of a meeting between the countries’ leaders. (Photo courtesy of USDA)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/cami-koons/">Cami Koons</a></p><p>U.S. soybean farmers and lawmakers said the Chinese purchase of several shiploads of U.S. soybeans indicated a positive step in trade negotiations between the two counties.&nbsp;</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A big win for our farmers and a sign that fair trade is possible when you have leaders like President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRollins</a> fighting for America’s farmers 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/7My9NIFA0j">https://t.co/7My9NIFA0j</a></p>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1983530082800148666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-buys-three-us-soybean-cargoes-ahead-trump-xi-meeting-sources-say-2025-10-29/" target="_blank">Reuters</a>&nbsp;reported Wednesday that COFCO, a Chinese state-owned food processing company, purchased about 180,000 metric tons of soybeans from the U.S.&nbsp;</p><p>The reported purchase, which Reuters attributed to “two trade sources” is the first purchase China has made since harvest season began on the latest U.S. soybean crop.</p><p>The country has also bought soybeans from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-expands-argentina-soybean-buying-20-cargoes-traders-say-2025-09-24/" target="_blank">Argentina</a>&nbsp;and continues to purchase from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brazil-soybeans-china-exports-40a785024e483ea9cd555fb3c7323e14" target="_blank">Brazil</a>, leaving soybean farmers and farm industry groups&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/02/iowa-soybean-president-urges-trade-deal-with-china-calls-trump-policies-a-bitter-pill-for-farmers/" target="_blank">concerned</a>&nbsp;they have lost a key international market.&nbsp;</p><p>The purchase comes toward the end of harvest season for many farmers, and also a day before President Donald Trump is slated to work out a trade deal with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The trade deal is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-china-trade-deal-asia-tour-continues-japan-sanae-takaichi/" target="_blank">expected</a>&nbsp;to include agreements on soybeans and other agricultural exports.&nbsp;</p><p>U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins posted on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecRollins/status/1983511209333690631" target="_blank">social media</a>&nbsp;Wednesday about the purchase and said it showed “strong dealmaking” on the part of the president and “a positive step forward for our farmers.”&nbsp;</p><p>“This purchase, coming directly ahead of the Trump-Xi talks, shows that America means business and that we will restore balance, give U.S. producers the opportunities they’ve earned, and send a message that when America leads in agriculture, the world listens,” Rollins wrote.&nbsp;</p><p>Rollins also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/shows/kudlow#" target="_blank">mentioned</a>&nbsp;the purchase while speaking on a Fox Business segment Wednesday.</p><p>The estimated 180,000-metric-ton purchase is a small percentage of the nearly 27 million metric tons of soybeans the U.S. exported to China in 2024, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/regions/china" target="_blank">data</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley has also&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/briefs/grassley-hopes-for-a-solution-for-farmers-following-loss-of-chinese-market/" target="_blank">called for</a>&nbsp;a trade deal with China that will benefit farmers. Grassley said in a statement Wednesday he hopes for a “successful” meeting between Trump and Xi.</p><p>“China thinks it can move the needle at the last minute, but these small purchases are not nearly enough to address the serious threats facing the ag economy,” Grassley said. “While this may be a positive sign, it’s critical that the Chinese market more fully reopens to American soybean growers soon.”</p><p>Congressional delegates from Iowa and Wisconsin urged, in a letter this week, the president to&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/27/iowa-delegates-urge-administration-to-prioritize-trade-deal-for-soybean-farmers/" target="_blank">prioritize a soybean deal</a>&nbsp;in his talks with the Chinese leader.&nbsp;</p><p>U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, who led the letter, said Wednesday the purchase from China was a “an important first step and a clear signal of momentum” for Trump’s negotiations.&nbsp;</p><p>“I’ve led the charge for our farmers and rural communities: end China’s trade war, restore market access, and expand ag exports,” Nunn said in a statement. “President Trump has proven time and again he has the tools to deliver. I look forward to reviewing the deal.”</p><p>U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Republican from Kansas, wrote on social media that the purchase was a “<a href="https://x.com/rogermarshallmd/status/1983530082800148666?s=12" target="_blank">big win</a>” for farmers.&nbsp;</p><p>Nebraska Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer also&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/senatorfischer/status/1983545407389966844?s=46&amp;t=59TO4z1VG6CVW59Gr61ouQ" target="_blank">posted</a>&nbsp;on social media and said the deal showed “agricultural trade could ease tensions between Washington and Beijing, while also leveling the playing field and directly assisting hardworking American ag producers.”</p><p>The American Soybean Association did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://x.com/ohiosoybean/status/1983549232272306640?s=12" target="_blank">Ohio Soybean Association</a>&nbsp;President Rusty Goebel said on the social media platform X that farmers were “encouraged” by the “positive trade news” and said the association looks forward to additional deals and purchases.&nbsp;</p><p>A representative from the Iowa Soybean Association declined to comment and said news of the purchase had not been “adequately substantiated.”&nbsp;</p><p>COFCO, the Chinese company that reportedly purchased the soybeans, did not respond to a request for comment or confirmation.</p><p>This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/29/reports-china-buys-several-shiploads-of-u-s-soybeans-ahead-of-trump-trade-meeting/" 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>