AFBF President Zippy Duvall's Testimony Before Senate Agriculture Committee

Verbal Testimony as Prepared for Zippy Duvall

President, American Farm Bureau Federation

to the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry

“Increasing Domestic Consumption of U.S.-Grown Agricultural Products”

March 10, 2026

Chairman Boozman, Ranking Member Klobuchar, and Members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you on this important topic.

My name is Zippy Duvall. I am a third-generation farmer from Georgia. My family and I raise beef cattle, poultry and hay.

I am honored to serve as president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, representing more than five-million member families who grow every crop produced in the U.S.

Our members are the economic backbone of rural America, but they continue to face historic headwinds in the farm economy.

When adjusted for inflation, USDA projects farm income this year to be nearly $50 billion below the levels just a few years ago.

One of our young farmer leaders from Oklahoma pointed out to me recently that his prices have fallen to the lowest levels of his lifetime while input costs have increased at the fastest pace in history. The conflict in Iran is expected to make costs for fuel and fertilizer soar even further.

Congress and the president have delivered critical support, and we’re grateful for the investments in risk management, trade promotion, conservation and addressing animal diseases.

Bridge payments provided a lifeline to help farmers make it to this season.

But farmers do not want to rely on government aid. And aid should not be needed year after year.

That’s not normal volatility, it’s structural imbalance.

And that’s why this hearing is so important.

We must strengthen domestic demand for American agricultural products.

We must reinforce our production capacity of critical ag supplies and restore domestic processing capacity.

We must ensure our safety nets are strong and expand fair and enforceable market access abroad.

More than 20% of total ag products are exported in a typical year.

When that export engine slows, farm-level prices drop quickly.

Export markets must be strengthened through fair and enforceable trade agreements.

Global competitors have expanded acreage, improved yields, and invested heavily in ports and rail systems.

That competition is not going to back down. We must be competitive in export markets but also expand domestic demand and processing capacity to be truly resilient.

There are many ways to drive domestic demand.

Biofuels represent a clear example. Ethanol production now accounts for about 40% of total U.S. corn usage.

Renewable diesel and biodiesel markets continue to transform oilseed demand.

This shift has driven expansion in soybean crushing capacity, creating jobs and strengthening local communities.

Sustainable aviation fuel represents another opportunity.

Another aspect of domestic demand is federal purchasing.

Federal agencies purchased almost 7 billion dollars in U.S.-grown food and agricultural products last year.

‘Buy American’ policies are both patriotic and powerful, but oversight and enforcement can be strengthened.

For example, the National School Lunch Program provides nearly 5 billion meals annually that are supposed to be domestically sourced.

But the rules allow a substantial share of foreign products and many exceptions.

Enabling schools and food banks to source directly from U.S. farms is another demand booster, especially for fruit and vegetable growers.

Incentives can also help. The Buying American Cotton Act of 2026 is a good example of legislation that builds demand through a tax credit for businesses using American-grown cotton.

A key pillar of a strong farm economy is an adequate farm workforce.

The current labor shortage is unacceptable and unnecessary.

We need modernized ag labor programs and improved guestworker programs.

Otherwise, farm production and food processing will continue moving outside our borders.

American agriculture remains one of the most innovative and productive sectors in the world.

We must ensure that markets, infrastructure, and policy evolve alongside that productivity.

I look forward to working with this Committee to ensure that America’s farmers and ranchers can continue supplying food, fiber, and fuel to families across this great country and beyond.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

For more in-depth analysis of the struggling farm economy, read President Duvall’s full written testimony here.