A broad coalition of more than 50 national and state agricultural organizations is urging Congress to approve at least $12 billion in additional agricultural relief as part of the House budget reconciliation package, citing continued financial challenges facing farmers, ranchers, growers and producers across the country.
In a letter sent July 21 to House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the coalition warned that many farm families remain under severe financial pressure despite previous assistance programs. The organizations said weak commodity and farm-gate prices, record-high production costs, rising labor expenses and shrinking profit margins have left many producers struggling to remain financially viable.
The letter states that cumulative losses across the farm economy now exceed $12 billion, leaving many operations with limited working capital and making it increasingly difficult to secure the financing needed to plant next year’s crop. The coalition also pointed to higher fertilizer and fuel costs during the current growing season as additional economic headwinds.
“America’s family farms produce the food, fiber and fuel that Americans rely on every day,” the organizations wrote. “We ask for your leadership and support in preserving this critical assistance and ensuring timely relief reaches farm families as quickly as possible.”
The requested funding would build on several USDA programs already implemented over the past year, including the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops Program, the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program and improvements to the federal farm safety net. According to the coalition, additional assistance would provide much-needed stability while producers continue navigating a challenging farm economy.
The effort drew support from organizations representing a wide cross-section of American agriculture, including commodity groups for cotton, peanuts, citrus, corn, soybeans, rice, fruits and vegetables, specialty crops, nursery and greenhouse producers, and many others. Signatories included the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cotton Council, National Corn Growers Association, National Citrus Council, U.S. Peanut Federation, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, Western Growers Association and dozens of additional state and national organizations.
The House has not yet acted on the coalition’s request.
Read the coalition’s full letter to congressional leadership here.