A total of 18 agriculture groups representing everything from sorghum to sunflowers, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, sent a letter to the congressional budget and appropriates committees asking for an increase in funding in the 2018 farm bill. The letter emphasizes the need for a strong safety net in light of the current economic conditions, pointing out the 50 percent drop in farm income over the last four years.

“While we do not yet have a full-fledged financial crisis in rural America, a good many farmers and ranchers are not going to be able to cash-flow in 2017,” the letter states. “With USDA projecting continued low prices in 2018 and beyond, this situation threatens to quickly and vastly expand with each and every crop year.”

“Now we look to Congress to provide the resources necessary to help America’s farmers and ranchers through this very difficult period.”