Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do in Nebraska. Family farms and ranches are the backbone of our communities. But times in farm country are tough. Corn and soybean prices are low, and input prices are high. The economic challenges of the last several years have placed stress on our farm families.
The National Farm Bureau reports Nebraska farm bankruptcies were up 29% last year. But this statistic doesn’t tell the whole story. For Nebraskans, agriculture is a proud generational business. Our farms and ranches are passed down through families who have poured blood, sweat, and tears into their ground and their livestock. With the tough economic conditions, many will leave the agriculture industry altogether if circumstances do not improve.
As I traveled home this week, I heard these stories firsthand. I remain committed through my work in the Senate to help our farmers and ranchers through this tough time. This week, I hosted an ag roundtable with Representative Adrian Smith.
