WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD-TV) — America’s farmers are running out of cushion. Rising costs, weaker commodity prices, and inconsistent policy signals are tightening margins across the countryside, says John Newton, Ph.D., vice president of public policy and economic analysis for the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).
Despite producing the food, fiber, and fuel that drive $6 trillion in economic activity and support one in five U.S. jobs, many family farms face mounting uncertainty — not from weather, but from economic and regulatory strain. Newton argues that rebuilding stability requires “a promise worth keeping”: clear, consistent policies that restore certainty to farm operations nationwide.
AFBF’s key priorities include fair, enforceable trade agreements that protect market access; expanded support for biofuels such as ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel; and restoring whole milk options in schools to strengthen nutrition and dairy demand.
Newton also highlights the need to safeguard interstate commerce from conflicting state-level mandates, investigate pricing imbalances in fertilizer and equipment markets, and prioritize American-grown fruits and vegetables in federal purchasing. Each measure, he says, helps rebuild a dependable marketplace for producers.
Agriculture’s partnership among growers, buyers, and policymakers must be renewed, Newton concludes. “Keeping farmers in business is not optional — it’s essential to America’s strength.”
Farm-Level Takeaway: The Farm Bureau urges trade enforcement, biofuel growth, fair input pricing, and pro-farmer policy reforms to restore long-term certainty.
Tony St. James, RFD-TV Markets Expert
Improved export prospects and higher crop prices strengthened future expectations despite continued caution about spending.
December 03, 2025 01:52 PM
·
While the agriculture industry hoped details on proposed “bridge” payments for farmers would be released this week, Ag Secretary Brook Rollins said the USDA is still working with the White House on the finer points.
December 03, 2025 01:36 PM
·
Federal lawyers submitted a brief this week backing Bayer’s argument that federal laws governing herbicides like Roundup should prevent lawsuits over the popular chemical.
December 03, 2025 12:08 PM
·
The Environmental Protection Agency confirms that new single-fluorinated pesticides are not PFAS and remain fully compliant with current safety standards.
December 03, 2025 11:00 AM
·
Strong demand supports sweet potatoes, but grading challenges and rising costs weigh on returns for Southeastern growers.
December 02, 2025 06:17 AM
·
Cargill’s commitment to keep plants open helps preserve competition as Tyson removes capacity amid historically tight cattle supplies.
December 01, 2025 03:55 PM
·
Tryston Beyrer, Crop Nutrition Lead at The Mosaic Company, examines planning trends as producers weigh corn and soybean plantings for 2026.
December 01, 2025 03:27 PM
·
Brooks York with AgriSompo joins us to offer an update on what agents are prioritizing as the calendar year winds down.
December 01, 2025 03:06 PM
·
The newly elected Executive Vice President of the Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association (TCA), Dale Parker, joins us on-set to share his vision for his state’s cattle industry.
December 01, 2025 02:47 PM
·
