CFTC and USDA Sign MOU to Strengthen U.S. Agricultural Market Oversight

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at safeguarding the integrity of U.S. agricultural markets. The agreement, announced on November 4, 2026, is intended to strengthen coordination between the agencies and support farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers. Under the MOU, the CFTC and USDA will harmonize policies and practices, improve information sharing and increase access to risk management tools. The agencies will also use the agreement to help monitor and identify structural risks and potential systemic risks affecting agricultural markets. CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig said the partnership would strengthen protections for farmers, ranchers and producers while expanding opportunities to manage risk through more efficient data sharing. He said agricultural markets play a longstanding role in helping market participants hedge risk, manage uncertainty and plan for the future. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said faster and more transparent data sharing would help farmers and ranchers respond to changing market conditions. The agreement builds on the USDA’s data modernization efforts and is intended to help the agencies identify risks jointly and improve their responses to market events. The announcement did not provide a specific implementation timetable or outline additional measures beyond the cooperation framework established by the MOU.