WHY NOW?
Farmers are in Crisis
American farmers are among the most productive in the world. They feed families here at home, supply markets around the globe, and sustain the rural communities that have long been the backbone of this country. Today, they are under growing pressure.
Farm income is down while the costs of fuel, fertilizer, equipment, and labor remain high. Export markets that farmers spent decades building have been disrupted by unpredictable trade policies, creating uncertainty about where crops and livestock can be sold. At the same time, cuts to food aid programs, agricultural research, and other federal investments are reducing support for farmers and rural communities.
These challenges are not abstract policy debates. They affect whether family farms remain profitable, whether the next generation stays in agriculture, and whether rural America continues to thrive.
This is not the inevitable working of the market. It is the result of policy choices. And it can be reversed by better ones.
Increase in farm bankruptcies in 2025.
46%
$15
BILLION
Loss in agricultural exports to China as markets shift to competitors.
Less
than half
Of farmers projected to turn a profit in 2026
A CALL TO CONGRESS
Letters to
Congress and
the Administration
The time for half-measures has passed.
In February, more than a dozen former senior ag officials wrote to the leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. The letter laid out the depth of the crisis on American farms and what Congress could do about it. It broke through. It was covered by The New York Times, by the trade press, and by farm-country outlets from coast to coast.
Six months later, things are worse. A follow-up letter, released today, picks up where the first one left off and makes a sharper, more urgent case: the time for half-measures has passed. American agriculture needs a new direction, and Congress and the Administration need to deliver it.
01
Engage directly with producers to assess the real-world impacts of federal policy decisions.
02
Advance targeted, bipartisan solutions that reduce input costs, restore export competitiveness, and strengthen long-term resilience.
03
Hold immediate, comprehensive hearings on the current farm economy.
04
Reassert congressional authority over trade policy, including tariffs, consistent with constitutional responsibilities.
Voices from Across the Country
Behind every statistic is a family, a business, and a community trying to make a living from the land. Farmers across America are facing rising costs, shrinking margins, labor shortages, and uncertain markets. Their stories put a human face on the challenges confronting American agriculture.
