NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — A new analysis by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) sheds new light on financial stress in farm country. Farmers are facing record-high costs and low crop prices, which are pushing many family-owned operations to the brink.
According to AFBF Vice President of Public Policy Sam Kieffer, the gap between what farmers spend and what they earn continues to widen with little relief in sight.
“It’s a combination of nearly record-low crop prices and ever-increasing input costs, or production expenses,” Kieffer said. “We’ve lost more than 160,000 farms since the 2017 census of agriculture. There are a lot of difficult conversations happening around those farm tables.”
He adds that federal forecasts do not tell the whole story — with much of the income coming from short-term assistance rather than actual farm profits — and without meaningful policy updates in the next Farm Bill, even more producers could be forced out of the industry.
“Farm production expenses have increased steadily every year since 2018, the last time a full Farm Bill was passed, and farm expense estimates, right now, are far surpassing the income for the farmers who raise major crops,” Keiffer said.
Financial Stress is a Health Risk
When farm margins collapse, the stakes are not just acres and balance sheets—lives are on the line. University of Arkansas researchers warn that mounting input costs, low commodity prices, tariffs, labor gaps, and volatile weather are pushing more families into crisis.
In the 12 months ending June 30, 2025, 282 Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies were filed nationwide, representing a 56 percent increase year-over-year. The South logged 101 cases (36 percent of the total), representing a 68 percent rise. Studies show farmers often cope in silence due to stigma, and the CDC estimates farmer suicide rates are 350 percent higher than the national average.
Red flags include social withdrawal or uncharacteristic anger, neglected bills and chores, missed planting/harvest windows, unplanned downsizing, and persistent hopelessness or changes in sleep and appetite.
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s guide Identifying Financial Stress in Farmers and Ranchers (PDF VERSION) outlines practical steps communities can use to spot distress before it becomes a crisis, and the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) provides farm-specific support.
If someone needs help now:
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 988
AgriStress Helpline 1-833-897-2474
Farm Aid 1-800-327-6243
