(Washington, D.C., August 4, 2026) – Today, at Minnesota Farmfest, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced several steps that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking to support America’s farmers in response to ongoing challenges across the agricultural sector. These actions include a series of data modernization, payment flexibility, and enhanced crop insurance options to benefit farmers. I am pleased to announce three critical initiatives to support farmers and U.S. agriculture broadly,” said Secretary Rollins. “We’re modernizing how USDA serves farmers, providing commonsense flexibility when it’s needed most, and strengthening the risk management tools producers depend on. Data Modernization: Last month, Secretary Rollins announced that USDA is working on a Data Modernization Plan across multiple agencies that will be released later this year.