The National Farmers Union, which represents family farmers and ranchers across the country, says it sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump urging him and his administration to focus on policy priorities essential to the health and vitality of the rural U.S. and the sustainability of the nation’s agricultural system.
“Family farmers and ranchers face challenges that demand urgent attention and continued support,” NFU President Rob Larew said in a news release. “Our next president has an opportunity to lead with policies that secure fair markets, strengthen the farm safety net and ensure a sustainable future for American agriculture. We want to work with the new administration to build on recent progress and help shape a future where family farms and their communities can thrive.”
NFU highlighted the following key priorities in its letter:
- Strengthening the farm safety net — With 2025 projected to be a challenging year for family farmers, NFU called for robust support to address volatility in crop prices and input costs. “The safety net established in the 2018 farm bill will not be sufficient to help farmers withstand rapidly declining crop prices, high interest rates, and natural disasters,” Larew said.
- Ensuring competitive markets — NFU said it advocates for the enforcement of antitrust laws and greater transparency to combat the economic challenges posed by market concentration in the agricultural sector. “For too long, unchecked mergers in the agriculture industry and throughout our nation’s economy have come at the expense of family farmers. We need a food system that is competitive and resilient, not one that is brittle and dominated by only a few multinational corporations,” Larew said.
- Trade — NFU said it urges the administration to be measured and cooperative when negotiating trade policy. Drastic measures could jeopardize the short-term and long-term financial health of family farmers. “Our members suffered significant losses due to the earlier trade dispute with China, and we lost valuable market share, particularly for soybeans, to competitors like Brazil,” Larew said.
Additional priorities outlined in NFU’s letter include support for a simplified tax code that treats family farmers fairly, right-to-repair legislation, access to high-quality healthcare and a stable agricultural workforce, among others.
