Political Quotes

“Madam President, our farmers are hurting. Increased input costs, high interest rates, and depressed commodity prices have created dark conditions in rural America. Farmers, lenders, and community leaders in all regions of the country are saying the same thing: Farmers desperately need help. When you look at the numbers, it is clear, the pain our farm families are living through. As of the end of November, row crop farmers nationwide are projected to lose more than $29 billion, corn growers will lose more than $11 billion, soybean producers will lose $5.7 billion, and wheat farmers will lose more than $5 billion. The numbers aren't better for other commodities. Cotton, sorghum, rice, and peanut producers are ending 2024 with projected average losses of over $200 per acre. The reality behind these losses is even more worrisome. For some producers, this is the second or third consecutive year of negative cashflow. This means many farm families are ending 2024 in the red: unable to pay off this year's operating loan, unable to get the loan to farm in 2025, and facing the reality of being the generation to have lost the family farm due to extreme market conditions beyond their control. One Arkansas farmer recently shared that he had the best crop yield of his career, but he is still underwater because commodity prices are well below the cost of production.…”