NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — Jed Bower, the incoming president of the National Corn Growers Association (NGCA), joined us on Wednesday’s Market Day Report for his sector’s perspective on the ongoing government shutdown, rising input costs, and trade uncertainty for commodity crop growers.
“I think it’s a lot of worry and a lot of scared,” Bower said in his interview with RFD-TV News. “You know, as we hear this term crisis, I mean, it gets louder and louder every day. As you mentioned, we’re looking at the largest decline in years. We haven’t seen inputs fall off quite like that.”
The NGCA recently formed a task force to address the skyrocketing cost of inputs, such as steel and fertilizer – many of which are rising exponentially due to the Trump Administration’s retaliatory tariff strategy – that are squeezing corn growers.
“We do applaud the administration, and the [ag] secretary, [Brooke Rollins] -- they’re out beating the bush around the world,” Bower said. “We’re seeing truly record exports in the corn sector. But, man, the price farmers are getting – it is just not making any sense for what it’s going to cost us to put next year’s crop out. And we appreciate, you know, some of the comments made by the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary about diving into this more and seeing why there’s such a broad, broad distance between what we’re able to sell our product for and truly what it’s going to cost us to put next year’s crop out.”
According to recent research, corn growers could spend up to 40 percent of their budgets on fertilizers alone.
RFD News correspondent Frank McCaffrey reports from Texas on the ongoing water dispute and its implications for U.S. farmers.
January 14, 2026 12:17 PM
·
RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney discusses the latest developments in the Supreme Court, trade tariffs, and the future of the USMCA under President Donald Trump.
January 14, 2026 11:54 AM
·
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2026 agenda centers on labor stability, biosecurity, and economic resilience for family farms. Expanded DMC coverage improves risk protection for dairy operations facing tighter margins.
January 14, 2026 11:19 AM
·
A high-stakes legal case in a South Dakota federal court concerning misleading country-of-origin labeling (MCOOL), such as “Product of the USA,” on food products, will significantly impact U.S. agricultural policy for years to come.
January 14, 2026 09:00 AM
·
Agronomy experts explain why standing crop residue protects soil and reduces costs for crop growers, while shredding often yields little benefit at higher costs.
January 14, 2026 08:00 AM
·
Freight volatility increasingly determines export margins, making logistics costs as important as price in marketing decisions.
January 14, 2026 06:00 AM
·
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today unveiled a bold plan to protect the nation’s prime farm and ranchland from the rapid spread of data centers.
January 13, 2026 03:36 PM
Secretary Rollins also met with specialty crop producers at a local strawberry farm to discuss workforce needs and the Trump Administration’s recent wins related to significantly cutting the cost of H-2A labor for California farmers.
January 13, 2026 03:25 PM
·
USDA flash corn sales, Cattle on Feed and Inventory reports, and beef packer antitrust concerns dominate January agricultural market news.
January 13, 2026 01:53 PM
·
