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Solutions to stabilize struggling U.S. farms

Farmers attending the National Farmers Union Convention are considering solutions to bring stability back to U.S. farms.

“Our farmers are reporting they’re on the brink of a crisis. We’re having difficult meetings with lenders, landlords and input suppliers just to try and find a way to put a crop in the ground this year,” says Aaron Lehman, president, Iowa Farmers Union. “When it comes to policy, the farm bill has traditionally provided a lot of support for the entire agriculture and food system, but Congress hasn’t passed one in eight years. Passing a farm bill is one solution.”

Doug Sombke with the South Dakota Farmers Union says a long-term fix is needed, like strengthening domestic markets. “Get us to a higher blend of ethanol so we can get through this corn pile.”

Supply management is another solution getting attention at the National Farmers Union Convention this week.

Since 2018, NFU has supported a set-aside program called the Inventory Management and Soil Enhancement Tool (ISMET). Matt Perdue with the North Dakota Farmers Union says “it’s a program that would allow farmers to take a little bit of land out of production in exchange for stronger crop insurance protection on the remaining acres in production.”

Perdue says it’s more flexible than USDA’s Payment in Kind (PIK) program from the 1980s.

Darin Von Ruden with the Wisconsin Farmers Union says IMSET would be a good solution and supply management has worked fine in other sectors of ag, like cranberries and sugarbeets. He’s optimistic about its widespread use.   

“Keeping production at a cost that consumers can afford and farmers can stay in business.”

Addressing the family farm crisis through keeping farmers on the land, creating competitive markets and a safety net for modern agriculture is a special order of business being considered at the NFU Convention.

Hear Brownfield’s interview with Aaron Lehman, Iowa.

Hear Brownfield’s interview with Doug Sombke, South Dakota.

Hear Brownfield’s interview with Matt Perdue, North Dakota.

Hear Brownfield’s interview with Darin Von Ruden, Wisconsin.