Congress is Failing America’s Farmers

Sep 06, 2024

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on USDA’s net farm income data, which shows a 23% drop in on-farm income since 2022.

"The drop in net farm income is not just an economic hiccup, it’s evidence of an agricultural downturn. High inflation, severe weather and plummeting crop prices should serve as a wake-up call for Congress to finally step up and do the right thing by modernizing the farm bill.

“We've lost 141,000 farms in five years—is Congress going to wait to act until we lose another 150,000 or 300,000? It has been two years of kicking the can down the road when it comes to the farm bill, and there is no road left for some farmers in light of the current economic realities and antiquated safety net programs. Congress is failing America’s families, not just on the farm, but in every home that relies on the safe, affordable food grown by the men and women who work year-round to provide it.

"It’s been more than 100 days since the House Agriculture Committee passed a bipartisan bill that addresses the needs of farm and ranch families. Since then, there has been no action in either chamber. I call on our elected leaders to show they are capable of putting politics aside—as they have in the past—to pass a new modernized farm bill. It can be done. It must be done."

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.