By Julie Tomascik
Editor

The U.S. agricultural sector is sounding the alarm as it faces a mounting economic crisis, and farmers are urging Congress to act swiftly on passing a new farm bill.

Without immediate action, America’s food security is at serious risk. That’s the message Texas Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau and the other 50 state Farm Bureaus reiterated in a letter to Congress.

“The thin margin farmers and ranchers are operating on is rapidly eroding,” the groups wrote, citing a record agricultural trade deficit.

The agricultural economy, already burdened by inflation and natural disasters, is further threatened by a loss of farms. The 2022 Census of Agriculture reported a decrease of 141,733 farms compared to just five years earlier, with more than 20 million acres of agricultural land lost. This decline, the farm groups said, should alarm consumers, who rely on a stable domestic food supply.

“To change this trajectory, leaders in Congress must get serious about investing more resources in the farm safety net,” the groups said. “It is no fault of hardworking farm and ranch families that Congress’s disfunction has resulted in a major delay of the farm bill, putting agriculture and our national food security in serious jeopardy.”

The one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill expires on Sept. 30. But the extension did little to address the outdated programs that fail to meet the current needs of agriculture.

“Another extension of the 2018 Farm Bill is insufficient and unacceptable as outdated farm safety-net programs create uncertainty for agricultural producers,” the Farm Bureaus said. “The food security of our nation is dependent on Congress delivering immediate results.”

If a farm bill isn’t passed, growers will face another year of uncertainty.

And if it is passed, farmers wouldn’t realize the benefits until 2026, which puts farm and ranch families in a difficult position as they work to gain access to capital for the next growing season.

The groups said Congress should provide funds for natural disaster and economic assistance for both 2023 and 2024 to bridge the gap until a new farm bill is enacted and implemented.

“To ensure the food security of our nation and to continue to be a leader in feeding, fueling and clothing the world, leaders in Washington must make real investments in hardworking American farm and ranch families, as well as our rural communities that support them. All consumers rely on a strong and vibrant food economy each time they visit a restaurant, grocery store or food pantry,” the Farm Bureaus wrote. “We respectfully ask Congressional leaders to act on a stronger farm safety net by passing a new farm bill and providing needed disaster and economic assistance before the end of the year.”