Congress must help U.S. farmers

By U.S. Sen. John Boozman
R-Arkansas

Arkansas agriculture producers recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to urge Congress to pass a strong farmer-focused farm bill before the end of this year. I was grateful to meet with the men and women who feed and clothe the world, especially during such a busy time as harvesting season. Their visits clearly articulated the anxiety gripping farmers across country at this crucial moment.

For the past few months, voices from across the industry – farmers, their advocacy organizations and the agricultural banking sector – have all warned of an impending crisis in rural America as a result of consecutive years of losses. The financial stress borne, particularly, by our row crop farmers is now evident. 

In order to support these operations, Congress must respond, or there will be fewer farmers next year.

Producers are struggling to make ends meet in an environment where costs for farm inputs have ballooned from inflation, interest rates have doubled and market prices are far below the cost of production. The outdated farm safety net they are operating under is doing nothing to address these realities.

Congress must provide emergency assistance to address the economic losses that farmers are facing associated with the 2024 crop. 

While many farmers are realizing record yields, they are still not breaking even. This is not a crisis they can produce, insure or conserve their way out of.  

We’ve seen previous ad-hoc assistance programs established in a period of weeks, as demonstrated by then Secretary Perdue when the COVID-19 pandemic created disruptions for producers. That level of timely and urgent response by Congress and the administration is once again warranted. 

In southern states like Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas, many producers have harvested their 2024 crop and are losing hundreds of dollars per acre of ground they farm. Losses of this magnitude mean producers are not able to pay their bills, secure an operating loan for next year’s crop and have income to survive on.

This has devastating ripple effects on rural businesses and communities. 

Let me be clear, emergency assistance does not reduce the need to make meaningful investments to the commodity and crop insurance titles of the next farm bill. 

Congress must redouble its efforts to pass a farm bill, before the end of 2024, that meets this moment and delivers the support our farmers desperately need to stay in business. 

I know my colleagues want to make sure our farmers can continue to produce the safest, most affordable and most abundant supply of food, fuel and fiber in the world. 

Republican members of the Senate Agriculture Committee have been sounding the alarm on this brewing crisis for months. It is the very reason we have been adamant about the need for more farm in the farm bill.

I’m proud to be a voice for Arkansas farmers and ranchers. Their calls for help have been heard and I’m committed to working with my colleagues to pass an emergency relief package that helps them survive this immediate crisis and a farm bill that provides a real safety net for years to come.  

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