As a wheat farmer and constituent, I write to request your support for economic assistance for farmers as part of a year-end legislative package.
While it is unfortunate Congress could not pass a robust farm bill in the 118th Congress that meets the challenges of today, it is imperative that lawmakers support farmers whose prices have dropped by over 36 percent compared to the 2022/23 marketing year, while production costs remain near historic highs. Drought and other natural disasters across the major wheat-producing regions have intensified the financial stress on growers throughout the country, and, for some, 2024 is the second or third consecutive year of unprofitability. According to the USDA, they expect net cash farm income will have fallen by 27 percent from 2022, and farm sector debt for 2024 is projected to reach an all-time high when adjusted for inflation. Without economic assistance for farmers before the end of the year, many growers will have difficulty continuing their operations and will not be able to secure operating credit in 2025.
Without a farm bill that could have strengthened the farm safety net, Congress must take immediate action to bridge the gap through economic relief to aid farmers who are facing high input costs, inflation, and depressed commodity prices. Please support an economic assistance package for farmers this year.