Current conditions are sending ripples through the ag economy.
MSN found when harvest is complete this year, nearly 150,000 farms will close. Looking back to the 1950s, more than 60 percent of all U.S. farms have stopped producing, with the number of acres dropping by more than 320 million.
Leaders at American Farmers and Ranchers say everytime the ag economy hits one of these cycles, more family farms begin to disappear.
Related Stories
Border closures tied to the threat of New World Screwworm continue to stall Mexican fed cattle imports, tightening U.S. feeder cattle supplies over time — triggering feedlot closures that hinder herd rebuilding efforts, threaten the beef supply chain, and shrink production while consumer prices stay elevated.
Brooks York of AgriSompo discusses projected prices and how farmers are adapting their crop insurance strategies as the price discovery period comes to a close.
Ranger Road Fire has burned 283,000 acres across Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle and is nearing containment, as ranchers begin assessing cattle and infrastructure losses as they look toward recovery.
Agriculture avoided major disruptions, but trade uncertainty remains elevated.
The debate now matters as much as the policy — market rules and regulatory clarity depend on whether Congress can finish the bill this year.
Fed cattle numbers are down two percent in February, according to the latest USDA report. Marketings fell 13 percent, signaling continued pressure on beef prices in 2026.