Congressional Action Needed for Historic Headwinds

Farmers are no strangers to a difficult year, from time to time. One year shouldn’t define the future. Agriculture has always been resilient, and farmers are used to adapting to changing markets and weather.

What concerns us today is that we’re no longer talking about one difficult year. Farmers have endured several years of rising inflation, historically low commodity prices, and increased volatility in production costs following the war in the Middle East. Those challenges continue to squeeze family farms across the country, with losses projected to continue across much of agriculture in 2027. That’s not sustainable for America’s farmers or the rural communities that depend on them. Helping farmers through this downturn will require both immediate support and continued work to strengthen the long-term farm economy.

Farm Bureau recently urged Congress to provide timely market relief before their recess from Washington this summer. Farmers appreciate the meaningful assistance Congress has already provided during an exceptionally difficult economic period. Despite that support, many farmers continue to face mounting financial pressure, making additional market relief urgently needed.

Economic Pressures Continue to Grow

Farmers are committed to producing the food, fuel and fiber America depends on. The challenge is that for many crops, market prices remain well below the cost of production. Major row crop farmers are projected to face another $32 billion in losses in 2027 after projected losses of $31 billion this year. Corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, and many other crops are all expected to remain below the current cost of production.

It’s not just row crop farmers feeling the pressure. Fruit, vegetable, alfalfa, nut, and other specialty crop growers continue to face rising labor, production and compliance costs that outpace returns from the marketplace.

These challenges look different from one farm to the next, but the outcome is becoming all too familiar. Farmers are absorbing losses year after year with no clear path back to profitability.

Farmers Need Timely Market Relief

Farmers are already making decisions for the next growing season. They’re working with lenders, purchasing inputs and making investments for next year’s crop. Those decisions become much harder when the farm economy remains under water. Market relief won't solve every challenge facing agriculture, but it can help give farm families the stability they need to keep farming right now.

When we lose farms, we lose far more than acres in production. Farm families support local businesses, equipment dealers, processors, lenders and the jobs that keep rural communities strong. Every farm lost takes with it generations of knowledge, community leadership and the heartbeat of local economies. Farm bankruptcies also make it harder to maintain the resilient domestic food supply Americans count on every day.

Congress has an opportunity to provide timely market relief that helps farmers weather today’s economic challenges. At the same time, Congress, the administration, state departments of agriculture and organizations like ours all have a role to play in envisioning and advancing the policies and programs that will strengthen the farm economy over the long term. Doing so will help keep more farm families on the land, strengthen rural communities and ensure America continues to have a safe, nutritious food supply.