Food follows production beyond the farm gate into processing, packing, distribution and retail. Coverage includes processor margins, cold chain and logistics costs, private label and supply agreements, food safety compliance, and the demand shifts that change what buyers will contract for next year. For growers selling into these channels.
The National School Lunch Program moves billions of dollars of food a year through USDA Foods, state distributions, and district-level bids, and each door has different rules.
February 2026 exports dropped 13 percent year over year, per USMEF data, as the smallest cattle herd in decades met firm global demand and record-high U.S. prices.
Some front-of-package words are defined and enforced by federal rule; others are essentially marketing. Knowing which is which protects both shoppers and farm brands.
After years of hype and a hard slide in sales, plant-based meat has settled into a smaller, more specific category, and the ingredients business is adjusting with it.