Farmers call for congressional action amid agricultural recession

A CRITICAL ISSUE IS COMING TO A HEAD IN WASHINGTON AS LAWMAKERS RETURN TO CONGRESS THIS WEEK – AND THEY’RE BEING MET WITH FARMERS AND AGRICULTURAL GROUPS CALLING FOR ACTION ON “THE FARM BILL”.

THE FARM BILL IS SOMETHING PASSED EVERY FIVE YEARS TO SUPPORT THE COUNTRY’S FARMERS AND RANCHERS WITH GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES AND PROGRAMS.

IT HAS BECOME A CORNERSTONE OF U.S. AGRI-BUSINESS –

AND IT’S SET TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF THE MONTH –

LEAVING THE AG SECTOR IN A STATE OF UNCERTAINTY AT A TIME WHEN SOME AGRICULTURAL ECONOMISTS SAY THE “FARM ECONOMY” IS COLLAPSING.

PURDUE UNIVERSITY’S FARMER SENTIMENT INDEX DROPPED TO AN EIGHT-YEAR LOW LAST MONTH –

FINDING THE MOOD AMONG FARMERS IS NOTABLY BLEAK.

ACCORDING TO A RECENT SURVEY BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, HALF OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMISTS BELIEVE THE “FARM ECONOMY” IS ALREADY IN A RECESSION.

300 AGRICULTURE GROUPS SIGNED ONTO A LETTER TO HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON AND OTHER CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS –

PUSHING CONGRESS TO DO SOMETHING TO EASE FARMERS’ ECONOMIC BURDENS.

IN THE LETTER –

THE FARMERS DESCRIBE THEIR CURRENT WOES –

INCLUDING THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FORECASTING A STAGGERING 27 PERCENT **DROP IN NET FARM INCOME COMPARED TO TWO YEARS AGO.

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR – THE HARVEST PRICE OF MAJOR CROPS HAS FALLEN BY AN AVERAGE OF 21 PERCENT – IN SOME CASES BECAUSE OF AN OVERSUPPLY OF CERTAIN CROPS THIS SEASON – 

WHILE TOTAL **PRODUCTION COSTS REMAIN AT NEAR RECORD LEVELS – ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION.

THE FEDERATION’S PRESIDENT – ZIPPY DUVALL – ASKS “HOW MANY PEOPLE, HOW MANY FAMILIES, COULD WITHSTAND LOSING A QUARTER OF THEIR INCOME IN TWO YEARS? 

IF THESE SAME NUMBERS REFLECTED IN THE OVERALL ECONOMY, WE WOULD HAVE HEARD TALK OF A RECESSION ALREADY. WHAT WE’RE SEEING IN THE FARM ECONOMY ISN’T JUST A HICCUP – ITS EVIDENCE OF AN AGRICULTURAL RECESSION.”

FARMERS ARE BANKING ON CONGRESS TO ACT ON THE FARM BILL TO SECURE GOVERNMENT FUNDING.

FARMERS ARE EXPECTED TO BE ON CAPITOL HILL – MAKING THEIR CASE TO CONGRESS MEMBERS TO MOVE ON THE BILL.

WITHOUT MOVEMENT – MANY FAMILY FARMS FEAR THEY COULD STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE IN 2025 AND BEYOND.

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