Great Lakes Wire

Jake Swanson, Executive Director of the Fields of Freedom Alliance, said the rural farming industry is suffering in terms of job and income losses. Swanson gave his comment to the Great Lakes Wire on September 5.

"Rural America cannot be ignored," said Swanson, Executive Director of Fields of Freedom Alliance. "Farm income is plummeting and rural businesses are slashing jobs. Government must refocus on America first, and get the rural economy back on the road to prosperity."

Despite an anticipated bumper crop in the U.S. farm belt, farmers are bracing for financial strain as grain prices continue to fall in 2024, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. Ample rainfall has alleviated drought conditions, setting Midwestern corn and soybean harvests on track for record yields. However, commodity prices have fallen; halved since the highs of 2021 and 2022. High costs for essentials like fertilizer and seeds are cutting into revenue, forcing farmers to rethink their strategies and budgets.

According to WSJ, Illinois farmer Steve Nightingale, who manages 1,700 acres of corn and soybeans, is selling last year’s crops at prices below his breakeven point. Others like Mat Muirheid are scaling back on inputs and delaying equipment purchases. With the cost of rented farmland also rising and global competitors such as Brazil and Russia maintaining strong production, U.S. farmers face an uncertain future.

Iowa employers like John Deere and Bridgestone have laid off thousands of workers over the past year as a slump in farm equipment demand impacts both urban and rural workforces, according to Axios. John Deere has cut 1,500 jobs at its factories in Ankeny and Waterloo, while Bridgestone laid off 216 workers in its Des Moines agricultural tire section—the first local layoffs since 1990. Kinze Manufacturing let go of 193 employees.

The Fields of Freedom Alliance represents rural farmers across the country and supports policies that help rural farming and bioprocessing to thrive, according to its website.