The following opinion piece originally ran on Agri-Pulse on December 13, 2024. There is no shortage of adages about the consequences of ignoring a serious problem. They all agree that a serious problem doesn’t just go away but gets worse, and delays in addressing the issue only make the solution all the harder to come…

The Thanksgiving leftovers are put away and holiday decorations are beginning to light front porches and mantles. With only a few weeks left before the new year – and even fewer before the 118th Congress is adjourned – policymakers are tasked with a hefty to-do list. Many lawmakers are already vowing to circle back on…

Imagine for a moment sitting down at the dining table on Thanksgiving only to find empty plates – no turkey, gravy, and stuffing; no pumpkin pie or rolls; no sweet potato or green bean casserole to be had. Thankfully, that’s not the case, because America’s farm and ranch families work with grit and determination every…

When it comes to the federal budget, there is no better investment than smart farm policy. That’s why we’ve been sharing our top 10 reasons why we must pass a Farm Bill this year. Did you know that the 2018 Farm Bill expired on September 30, 2023? Farm and ranch families are facing rising input…

*NEW PODCAST EPISODE* As key provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill are set to expire, financial conditions in farm country are spelling out the dire need for a robust Farm Bill with an enhanced farm safety net to support the families who provide us in the U.S. with the safest, most abundant, and most affordable…

The following opinion piece originally ran on Agri-Pulse on October 1, 2024. Over the past two years, Congress has held numerous hearings that have documented a brewing financial crisis caused by falling commodity prices, high input costs, and tightening farm credit. Members have heard from farmers and ranchers across the country about the need for a…

Recorded on September 18, 2024 *New Podcast Episode* “I don’t want to be discouraging this morning, but it’s important to provide a glimpse of today’s economic picture for agriculture. Unless conditions change, we are facing a perfect storm, though I don’t think it will be fully understood until next year when farmers are unable to…

Farmers and ranchers from across the U.S. left their fields at a pivotal time earlier this month with a united cause and rallying cry – we need a Farm Bill NOW! In advance of the fly-in, more than 300 farm and ranch groups sent a letter to the Majority and Minority leaders in the House…

This content was originally posted via National Corn Growers Association.  Citing worsening economic conditions impacting the nation’s farmers, over 300 national and state groups, including the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and its affiliated corn state grower associations, sent a letter to congressional leaders today calling on them to pass the farm bill before year’s…

The 2018 Farm Bill, signed into law in December of 2018, expired on September 30, 2023. An extension at the tail end of last year shifted that expiration date to September 30, 2024. The current situation in farm country looks vastly different than it did in 2018, and the conditions for a farm financial crisis…

*NEW PODCAST EPISODE* It’s no secret that America’s farm and ranch families are facing a myriad of challenges, and with no end in sight for Farm Bill negotiations, many have begun to wonder, where do we go from here? In our latest Groundwork podcast, we reflect on lessons learned from past Farm Bills and take…

From plunging crop prices to rising interest rates and high input costs – not to mention natural disasters – America’s farmers and ranchers are facing a myriad of challenges. New challenges warrant the need for stronger protections, but producers only have an outdated farm safety net to rely on under the current Farm Bill as…

The following opinion piece originally ran on Agri-Pulse on July 11, 2024. Plummeting crop prices. High input costs. Rising interest rates.  Tightening credit.  Severe and chronic natural disasters.  Record U.S. agricultural trade deficits.  A global economic downturn.  A record fall in net farm income.  An outdated farm safety net. At long last, something’s got to give.…

House Agriculture Committee Chairman, Congressman G.T. Thompson (R-PA) on May 17 unveiled the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024. In advance of the full House Agriculture Committee marking up the legislation on Thursday, May 23, we thought we’d highlight what key agriculture groups – the long-standing credible associations representing the farm and ranch…

The long-awaited 2024 Farm Bill is picking up steam as both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees press forward, releasing key documents and proposals. In fact, the House Agriculture Committee has scheduled a full Committee mark-up for May 23. The last Farm Bill was negotiated, passed, and signed into law in 2018. More than half…

*NEW PODCAST EPISODE* “Farm and food security is national security, and good farm policy isn’t written by D.C. bureaucrats for D.C. bureaucrats; it’s written by farmers in rural America for farmers in rural America.” This powerful statement came from Congressman Brad Finstad (R-MN) during a House Agriculture Committee Hearing on February 14 – laying bare the…

Most of us take our abundant supply of food for granted. When you cook a delicious meal at home, you know that you likely only need to make a quick trip to the supermarket for the ingredients – meaning, you don’t have to grow it all by yourself. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, put…

If it’s a Farm Bill year, you know that farm policy critics are going to come out swinging with the same old attacks on family farmers and ranchers. None of the material is new. The only difference is the attacks seem to be less tethered to the truth. Biting the hand that feeds them? Yes.…

Last summer, corn had a golden moment when seven-year-old Tariq was interviewed about his love for corn in a video that permeated pop culture. That same year, nearly 90 million acres of corn were planted across the United States, providing a valuable food source and driving economic growth in rural communities. We recently called up Richard Syverson, a fourth-generation…

American farm families feed, fuel, and clothe America. A new survey from the American Sugar Alliance shows that American voters recognize the importance of agriculture and want Congress to prioritize American farmers in the next Farm Bill, provide them with a strong and reliable safety net, and protect them from foreign entities that could displace…

With the recent debt ceiling deal avoiding a default on the U.S. debt, all eyes are now on the 2023 Farm Bill. Fighting for a strong farm safety net is more critical than ever before to maintain food security for all Americans. Producers have already made it clear to Congress that additional funding and support…

Look who’s back, back again. It’s the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and its anti-family farmer campaign. EWG’s latest faulty report is making the rounds, so it’s time to bust some #FarmPolicyFallacies. For those not familiar with EWG, it uses an outdated and intentionally misleading “farm subsidy database” to gin up opposition to the farm policies that support U.S. family farmers and keep food…

Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, knows there’s a sense of urgency to pass a Farm Bill before the current legislation expires on October 1. “Rural America needs it,” he explained on the most recent episode of Farm Policy Fact’s Groundwork podcast. “Our farmers, ranchers, and foresters, our processors – key stakeholders…

It’s a rallying cry pushed by special-interest groups and farm policy critics: dismantle the U.S. food system! But a fundamental misunderstanding of how our food is grown leads to bad ideas and even worse policy. Ray Starling, a former White House and U.S. Department of Agriculture official, explores this debate in his new book “Farmers versus…

As you enjoy a Thanksgiving meal this week with your friends and loved ones, don’t forget to thank a farmer. That’s because Thanksgiving dinner is only made possible due to the hard work of America’s farmers and ranchers. The turkey or ham on your table? Raised by a farmer. The wheat in your dinner rolls,…

When you look at farms across the American southwest, you’re struck by the incredible diversity of agriculture. Rice, poultry, timber, peanuts, pecans, cotton, corn and “all the vegetables you can imagine” help fuel our national food and fiber supply. Jim Sugarek, president of the Southwest Council of Agribusiness, told the Groundwork podcast that each of the half a…

Amid the daily onslaught of news, you might not have dug into the August Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). But this report contains an alarming prediction: U.S. exports of agricultural products in Fiscal Year 2023 are expected to fall from current projections to $193.5 billion, while projected imports of agricultural…

With a Farm Bill on the horizon, Congress is already hearing from policy wonks, think tank experts, and DC insiders about what they think legislation should say. But the most important voice in this conversation is the American farmer. So, we asked fourth-generation rice farmer Jennifer James to join us on the Groundwork podcast and provide her perspective on the…

America’s farmers are no strangers to tough times. Mother Nature has a mean streak and farm equipment always seems to break down at the wrong moment. However, this year producers are facing additional stresses. This summer is overshadowed by skyrocketing input costs and growing inflation, unpredictable weather disasters, supply chain challenges that hinder products from making it to market…

“A very small number of acres pack a pretty big punch in terms of economic impact.” American-made sugar is an essential food ingredient and, according to a new study, an essential part of our economy. Dr. Bart Fischer, renowned agricultural economist from Texas A&M University, recently joined Farm Policy Facts to discuss a new report released by…

When August Pfluger decided to join the Air Force, he drew upon a deeply ingrained desire to put service before self. Now, as the congressman representing Texas’ 11th district, Pfluger recognizes that same motivation in the small number of hardworking men and women who farm and ranch to provide all Americans with food, fuel, and fiber.…

Jocelyn Schlichting is a fourth-generation farmer who recently joined Farm Policy Facts on our Groundwork podcast to talk about the future of agriculture. Jocelyn returned to the farm five years ago after working as an accountant in corporate America, finding new purpose in growing the food that helps feed America, and the world. “Something like the war in…

In America, approximately 220,000 farming and ranching families raise 80 percent of the crops and livestock that feed and clothe our nation. All 330 million of us. “That is a very big task for a very small group of people,” crop insurance agent Joanie Grimes recently told Farm Policy Facts on our Groundwork podcast It’s a task that comes…

 America’s Farmers Help Feed a World in Need  Our global community is facing a potential food crisis and current challenges are immense. The United Nations World Food Programme warns that this may be “a year of catastrophic hunger” as 44 million people around the world face famine. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has created a humanitarian disaster…

The idea for Earth Day was created more than 50 years ago by a junior senator from Wisconsin to raise public awareness of the impact people have on the environment. Today, Earth Day is an opportunity for the public to learn how we can treat our planet better so that we will have a safe…

Spring is finally here, bringing warmer weather, budding trees… and tax season. Benjamin Franklin once famously said, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes. So, we invited Paul Neiffer, Principal at CliftonLarsonAllen, to join us on the Groundwork podcast to discuss how current – and proposed – tax provisions affect our farmers. Known as…

When we think of farming, the food on our plates and clothes on our backs likely comes to mind. But what about the fuel in our cars? Ethanol is a low-carbon, high-performance biofuel made from American-grown crops such as corn and sorghum. Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, the nation’s largest ethanol trade association, joined…

Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its highly anticipated 2022 Farm Sector Income Forecast. While there are some bright points in the forecast – namely higher prices for soybeans, corn, cotton, and wheat – these are overshadowed by the increasing pressures of rising input costs and growing inflation. Combined with the continued snarl…

The following guest opinion piece by Collin Peterson, former chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, appeared on Agri-Pulse on Tuesday, March 1. Watching the video series on American agriculture that the New York Times recently published reminded me that those of us who champion agriculture and rural America have a lot of work to do to overcome negative perceptions about…

When Kevin Van Trump interviewed with a big city trading firm in Chicago, he didn’t have any experience trading commodities. But he did have one thing going for him – at 6’4”, he was easily spotted on the trading floor at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. From that humble start, Kevin has built a successful career…

Who exactly are the people who produce our food and fiber? It is an important question to ask as generations of Americans become farther removed from their farming roots. It’s also an easy question to answer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) — whose mission is to support our farmers — maintains data on the…

As Americans prepare for Thanksgiving dinner this year, they will likely see an increase in prices at the grocery store. The cost of the traditional Thanksgiving meal is up 14% more than last year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) annual survey. Farm Bureau’s informal survey looked at the cost of turkey, stuffing,…

Challenges in the cattle markets are not new, but the pandemic has herded these problems to the forefront with historic packer profits – a function of spreads between the prices ranchers are paid for their cattle and the prices people pay at the grocery store or other retail markets for beef. In the wake of…

More than ten years ago, Michelle Miller gave up gluten and swore off GMOs after believing the pervasive misinformation often peddled online about modern-day farming. Then, she fell in love with a real-life farmer – and with farming itself. Now, Miller is arming everyday Americans with the real facts about agriculture. It’s all part of…

From TikToks to online articles, it’s easy for misinformation to rapidly spread. We’re here as your trusted farm policy experts to set the record straight. You may have seen some recent TikToks claiming the U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking farmers to destroy their crops. Some videos have even gone viral racking up nearly 700,000…

“I’m very proud of the fact that we’ve sustained a sugar policy that has operated at zero cost to taxpayers,” Jack Roney, the veteran sugar economist, said on a recent episode of Groundwork while reflecting on his storied career at the American Sugar Alliance (ASA). “I’m particularly proud of that because I think our sugar…

For decades, West Texas cotton growers have had a fearless champion on their side: Steve Verett. As the recently retired CEO of Plains Cotton Growers, Verett advocated for both cotton growers and all of agriculture with passion and authenticity. Verett joined Farm Policy Fact’s Groundwork podcast to reflect on his career and talk about what…

The Washington Post recently ran a story on a Rockefeller Foundation report in which the president of the Foundation referred to the U.S. food supply chain as “broken”, costing Americans three times what we’ve been led to believe, thanks to hidden costs. In the actual report, a slight bow is made to what we think are…

A small group of radical environmentalists have declared war on America’s cattle producers and sworn off burgers, all with the dubious claim of fighting climate change. We wanted to dig into the real story behind this beef with beef. So, we called up Dr. Tryon Wickersham, an Associate Professor of Animal Nutrition at Texas A&M…

We all rely on American farmers and ranchers to grow the crops and raise the livestock that keep us fed, fueled, and clothed – often working long hours and tiring days. Thanks to American agriculture, we all benefit from the world’s safest and most abundant food supply, even during crises such as a global pandemic.…

“Look to the farm.” That was Arkansas rice farmer Mark Isbell’s advice to Congress when Groundwork asked what policymakers can do to help rural America address climate change. While it can be easy to get caught up in buzzwords or trending policy ideas when it comes to climate change, America’s farmers and ranchers are already doing the hard…

We must not weaken the farm safety net. That was one of the messages esteemed ag economist Dr. Rob Johansson shared on this month’s episode of Groundwork. Dr. Johansson is the Associate Director of Economics and Policy Analysis at the American Sugar Alliance (ASA), a position he recently assumed after previously serving as Chief Economist at…

During this season of gratitude, we are giving thanks to America’s farmers and ranchers. Not only do America’s strong federal farm policies ensure that we all have reliable access to affordable food, they also share our generous bounty with our neighbors. Nicole Berg, a fourth-generation farmer from Washington State and Vice President of the National…

The farmers and ranchers who produce our nation’s food are among the unsung heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ve put their own fears aside to keep America fed during this uncertain time. So, it’s unconscionable that as many farmers are in the field harvesting, farm policy critics are now ramping up their same old criticisms.…

An August storm in Iowa flattened millions of acres of corn with more than 100 mile-per-hour winds, wildfires in the West continue to do untold damage to fruit and vegetable crops, and hurricane season in the Atlantic has already generated a historic number of storms. Farmers are sure to face even more challenges as extreme…

During the COVID-19 crisis, it has been more important than ever that we come together to support one another. America’s sugar farmers are doing their part, keeping sugar moving from farm to table while also helping sustain rural communities and support workers during this tough time. On this episode of Groundwork, Farm Policy Facts talked to two guests from the sugar industry about how they’ve adapted their work to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The EWG has proven once again how low it will stoop to carry out its ideological vendetta against American farm and ranch families who feed, clothe, and fuel this nation in a manner that is unrivaled in history.

America’s farmers and ranchers will likely need more assistance from the federal government to recover from the downturn in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture.

After seven straight years of rural recession, compounded in recent years by unjustified retaliatory tariffs by China, U.S. farmers and ranchers were already standing on a precipice.  Now, without immediate action by Washington, the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic may well push them over the edge.

It’s time for the federal government to step up and help farmers and ranchers when they need it most. Secretary Perdue announced on Friday a modest aid package that will bring some relief to the heartland. But we need to provide America’s farmers and ranchers with a comprehensive plan for assistance that ensures farmers and ranchers can continue to provide our nation with essential food and fuel supplies.

The government has rightly declared our farmers and ranchers essential workers and Congress is backing rural America with aid designed to help the economy during the pandemic. It’s a good step and one that will need to be revaluated as the true impact on farming and rural communities evolves. Now is the time to support our farmers and ranchers with strong farm policy.

Protecting farm policy is key to supporting rural America’s efforts on sustainability. Farmers have to be able to earn a living and maintain economic stability in order to invest in sustainability. Farm policy provides a helping hand during the tough times and makes that possible.

Combined with the Farm Bureau’s analysis that Chapter 12 family farm bankruptcies last year increased by nearly 20 percent over 2018 and projections that major commodity prices will remain low, things look outright dismal for farm country. In now its 7th year of recession, the rural economy is struggling. And farmers are feeling the pressure.

For much of rural America, 2019 was defined by hardship. Severe weather conditions and a farm economy in a seemingly endless recession left many farm families wondering how they would pay their bills. Thankfully, America’s farmers found some relief in the aid provided through the Market Facilitation Program (MFP).

This month, Groundwork spoke to Dr. John Newton, Chief Economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation, and one of the foremost experts on farm economics to discuss rural America’s hopes for a prosperous new year.

Farmers across the heartland are scrambling to finish this year’s fall harvest before winter descends. That is, if they were even able to get their crops in the ground in the first place after historic flooding this spring.

Fair and reciprocal trade does more than ensure equitable treatment for the high-quality Made-in-America goods our farmers and ranchers produce. USMCA will spur even greater economic activity in our rural communities that often need it most.

As China continues to raise barriers blocking the import of American farm products, the USDA recently announced registration for the second round of Market Facilitation Payments (MFP). President Trump has authorized up to $14.5 billion in MFP payments, meant to help mitigate the negative effects of retaliatory tariffs stemming from ongoing trade disputes. 

Trade has always been a vital part of farm income, and the importance of creating a level playing field for America’s farm and ranch families has only grown as the world population expands and demand for high-quality, home-grown American agriculture products rises.

Rural America is resilient. Our farmers will continue to work the land in hopes that the next season will bring renewed abundance. But they are also relying on Washington, DC to take decisive action to stand by U.S. farm families as we negotiate a quick end to ongoing trade disputes. Standing idle and allowing rural America to endure another farm crisis like the one we faced in the 1980s would set our economy back in incalculable ways.  We must support our farmers through these challenging times, just as they support us every day.  

The USDA quietly released a statistic in March that should alarm us all. More than seven dairy farms folded every day in 2018, and it’s easy to see why. America’s farmers and ranchers are in their 6th straight year of economic recession, with no end in sight.  

Escalating debt-to-asset ratios reported by USDA last week and rising farm bankruptcies have spurred an increasing number of farm and ranch leaders to call for an extended Market Facilitation Program or congressionally enacted relief, whether in the form of a strengthened Farm Bill safety net or one-time legislative relief.

By this point, we are all exhausted by the endless rhetoric about America being a divided nation – a country of haves and have-nots. But, we think it’s important right now to explore this concept of division a little further. We’re not talking about partisan sniping. We’re talking about moisture and weather.

Selling more U.S. farm product overseas is the most important issue for farmers this time around – outranking even the war on terror, deficit reduction and healthcare. Not far behind on the list was passing the new Farm Bill, which was more important to farm voters than rural job creation, infrastructure improvements, immigration and lowering taxes.

It’s been a lively Farm Bill season, with a slew of anti-farmer amendments going down in flames. But one of farm policy’s most vocal opponents has been conspicuously quiet…until now. The Environmental Working Group came roaring back this week with a new “study” that – true to form – breaks no new ground and is largely a recycling of old irrelevant data.

In our view, this kind of open, honest debate beats the sneaky subterfuge of some past farm bill debates where pernicious amendments to gut U.S. farm policy have masqueraded as “reforms” in order to confuse the debate. The Heritage Foundation has made it perfectly clear that it opposes any safety net whatsoever for America’s farmers or ranchers because Heritage denies any unique risks to farming and ranching.

A Farm Policy Facts writer was in the Red River Valley of Minnesota and North Dakota yesterday, visiting with sugarbeet farmers who are planting this year’s crop. Farmers there are worried. Worried about the weather, which delayed planting. Worried about the markets, which have been slow to recover after Mexico illegally dumped subsidized surpluses here and…

How does the bill “modernize” sugar policy? It mandates that the U.S. Department of Agriculture invite heavily subsidized foreign imports into the U.S., artificially depressing farmer prices and rewarding bad actors abroad. Worse yet, the bill denies sugar producers the basic non-recourse loans available to other commodities, meaning failure to repay would result not just in the loss of crops pledged as collateral but in total bankruptcy.

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal revealed a rarely-discussed phenomenon of farmers being forced to take second and even third jobs as they try to keep their family farms afloat.

America enjoys the most affordable, widely available food supply in the history of mankind for about one-quarter of 1% of the federal budget. That’s why it’s so odd that organizations dedicated to defending taxpayers spend so much time focused on gutting farm policy.

American agriculture will take center stage in the national discussion next week when President Trump addresses Farm Bureau members in Nashville, Tennessee.

Thank you the farmers of this nation who put food on our tables, conserve our landscape and make our economy hum.

Last week was busy for the anti-farm crowd in their quest to leave farmers with fewer tools to deal with depressed crop prices and weather disasters.

“No” appears to be the only message the EWG, Heritage, PIRG, Club for Growth, and other perennial farm policy opponents are capable of delivering.

A former 2016 presidential contender and one of the most conservative members of Congress wanted to make clear his support for American agriculture.

At the end of the day, the Agriculture Committees are the workhorses that get it done.

If the Trump administration’s first major budget plan became law, it most assuredly would harm our farmers, ranchers, and agricultural production.

Efforts to keep farmers farming during dark days are why a farm bill exists. We call it a farm bill for a reason. It all starts on the farm.

As Winston Churchill once said, “if you’re going through hell, keep going.” These days, there are plenty of reasons for farmers and ranchers to be anxious and feel like they are going through a similar journey.

If we needed a reason for why a strong farm bill must be reauthorized without delay then this week provided one. Actually, this week provided 649,355 reasons.

As we begin 2017 with a new president, a new Congress, and soon a new, confirmed agriculture secretary, as well as an expiring farm bill, we wanted to make certain this message made it to Washington.

Farmers and ranchers have been dealing with “fake farm news” for years – not only from the mainstream media, but also from special interest groups.

“A lot of what Washington does is harmful to American agriculture. And, what good it does costs very little” writes former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest.

As the Secretary of Agriculture, during World War II, said time and time again: “Food will win the war and write the peace.” Or, translated for modern-day: “Hold the thin green line.”

With crop insurance’s popularity rising in rural America and on Capitol Hill, and with the policy’s budget outlays falling, we’re guessing one of its harshest critics, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), is running out of believable critiques. So now it’s resorted to pure fiction.

Thank goodness we have lawmakers and officials in Washington who understand that free markets can’t exist in a world of bad actors. Thank goodness these lawmakers understand that we must not only stand up to these countries, but we must also maintain strong farm policy, in part, as a pragmatic and realistic response to those who refuse to play by the rules.

Where would we be without our farmers? It’s a question we never want to have to answer.

Crop prices are low, which means it’s high time for farm policy critics to trot out one of the most absurd criticisms of farm policy ever used.

Agriculture continues to be a source of national wealth, an integral part of national security, the foundation of civilized society, and the pride of American families.