GUEST VIEW: Choose farmers over politics

Dec. 14—By Russell Boening, President, Texas Farm Bureau

As a farmer and rancher, I’ve learned to count on the seasons. They don’t wait. The crops don’t hold off until it’s convenient, and the livestock don’t adjust their needs to fit my schedule.

Yet here we are again, caught in a political freeze, waiting on Congress to pass a farm bill while our livelihoods hang in the balance.

Farm and ranch families operate in a unique business with obstacles beyond our control requiring a lot of faith. We have faith the weather will cooperate to let us plant, grow and harvest good crops. We have faith the commodity and livestock markets will stay strong. We have faith that when we experience catastrophic storms destroying our crops or an economic downturn, the next year will be better, and we can continue farming.

As farmers, we’re eternal optimists. The reality, however, is we are in a dire situation as we navigate the most severe downturn in the farm economy since the 1980s.

This is due to skyrocketing inflation, high input prices, low commodity prices, uncontrollable weather, global unrest, and other challenges. Three consecutive years facing hardship makes it difficult to secure financing, stay in business, and frankly, which is also most concerning, maintain mental health.

A December 2024 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report shows a 23% drop in net farm income since 2022. The most recent Census of Agriculture shows America lost 141,733 farms and 20 million acres in a five-year period. We are also experiencing the second consecutive year of a record agricultural trade deficit, which alone should be alarming.

While farmers face the most treacherous time in recent history, Congress has failed to prioritize passing a farm bill with additional investments in the farm safety net.

In a letter dated Sept. 20, 2024, from all 50 state Farm Bureaus and Puerto Rico Farm Bureau to U.S. House and Senate leadership, we clearly stated, “Another extension of the 2018 farm bill is insufficient and unacceptable as outdated farm safety net programs create uncertainty for agricultural producers.” I am extremely disheartened to say it seems our letter was ignored, and Congress is punting on the farm bill a second time, once again failing the American farmer and rancher.

The farm bill isn’t just a piece of legislation. It provides stability for rural communities, funding for conservation programs, research opportunities and ensures access to nutrition for millions of families.

For…