Seyfert: America needs a farm bill now

Rural America has waited long enough. It’s time for Congress to pass America’s farm bill and have it signed into law this year.

Our country and our families depend on the farm bill. Crucial progress was made when the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 in May, and the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry passed the Agricultural Act of 2026 in September.

Now, we encourage Congress to build on this momentum by taking next steps toward enactment so the farm bill can be signed into law this year.

Since 2023, America’s farmers and rural communities have been left in limbo without a full, five-year farm bill.

Three temporary extensions and multiple aid packages have filled the gaps of an evolving — and increasingly strained — agricultural economy with producers under immense pressure to navigate rising input costs, labor shortages and low commodity prices against a backdrop of global conflict and trade volatility.

New data published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service forecasts that net cash farm income will decline in 2026, reflecting continued pressure on producers’ operating margins.

At the same time, total farm production expenses are projected to reach $492.8 billion, up $21.2 billion, or 4.5%, from 2025. Fertilizer expenses alone are projected to rise 15.3%, while fuel and oil expenses are forecast to increase 28.8%.

During my summer travels visiting with Farm Credit customer-owners throughout rural America, producers from Colorado to Michigan, Iowa to Arkansas and far beyond shared a unified message: passing a full, five-year farm bill will strengthen the tools available to today’s producers and help position the next generation of farmers and ranchers for success.

The financial and programmatic resources offered by the USDA and the authorities of Farm Credit banks and associations must be modernized to better reflect today’s farm structures and the cost of growing the food that feeds our nation.

Important farm bill provisions will increase USDA’s Farm Service Agency direct and guaranteed loan limits while making these programs easier and faster to access. These updates will allow lenders to use every tool available to respond quickly to producers’ needs and strengthen agriculture’s long-term resilience.

Across the country, farmers and ranchers are making decisions about their businesses in an environment that looks very different from when the 2018 farm bill became law.

While speaking at a Farm Credit meeting designed for young, beginning and small producers in Texas recently, I asked the group of men and women a simple question: Is it more expensive to farm now than in 2018? The answer was a resounding “yes!”

Farmers, ranchers and producers of all ages and sizes are feeling the squeeze. It’s time to update our policies to reflect this reality.

The need for a farm bill is especially clear when looking beyond the headline numbers. USDA forecasts that government farm payments will total $47.4 billion in 2026, an increase of $19.5 billion from 2025.

Those payments are helping producers navigate current conditions, but temporary assistance cannot substitute for a comprehensive, predictable farm bill that gives farmers and lenders confidence to make long-term investments.

Supporting our producers also means supporting the rural communities where they live and work. Rural Americans deserve access to high-quality local facilities, such as hospitals and childcare centers, just like their peers in urban and suburban neighborhoods.

Key farm bill provisions will boost investment in these essential facilities by allowing Farm Credit to finance rural community facilities and encouraging partnerships on these projects with community banks.

For the Wedig family in Wisconsin, access to a local rural hospital saved a life. Justin was sorting dairy cattle when he was seriously injured and later developed complications that required immediate medical attention.

Because Lafayette Hospital and Clinic — a Farm Credit-financed medical facility — was close to the farm, Justin received the care he needed quickly, allowing him to recover and return to his cattle and, importantly, remain close to his wife, children and community.

Farm Credit has been a reliable partner to rural America for more than 100 years. As a customer‑owned cooperative, we are rooted in our rural communities and reinvest our earnings directly into the farmers, ranchers and rural communities we serve.

In 2025 alone, we returned more than $3.1 billion in patronage directly to our customers and invested in programs to support their operations. In this critical moment, serving rural America also includes doing our part to advocate for the passage of a full farm bill.

As the bill awaits action from Congress, the stakes could not be higher. I encourage House and Senate leaders on both sides of the aisle to work together to advance this crucial piece of legislation this year.

No one can afford to wait longer for a new, five-year farm bill.

Christy Seyfert is the president and CEO of the Farm Credit Council.