ICYMI: Farmers Across America Speak Out About Rising Costs, Policy Uncertainty, and Threats to Critical Ag Tools
Across the country—from Montana to Washington to Oklahoma—farmers are sounding the alarm about the same mounting pressures: rising costs, policy uncertainty, and escalating attacks on essential crop protection tools are putting American agriculture at risk. Their message for policymakers is clear: farmers need continued access to the science-backed tools that make modern farming possible.
Montana: "Passing a Farm Bill is urgent." — Boyd Heilig, Moore, MT
In the Lewistown News-Argus, Montana farmer Boyd Heilig underscored what it means on the ground if Congress continues to delay passage of a full Farm Bill. He described an agricultural economy that is already strained by high input costs and unstable markets.
Heilig stressed how vital Farm Bill programs are—from crop insurance to conservation funding—and warned that without congressional action, farmers will continue facing unnecessary risk and uncertainty.
"Farmers are also facing growing threats to the crop protection tools they rely on to feed our nation… Without access to these tools, input costs would rise, yields would fall, and food prices would spike."
New research backs him up, showing that losing just one key pesticide could cost the U.S. economy $74 billion over five years of the farm bill cycle.
Washington: Protecting Modern Tools Sustains Farms
In the Spokesman-Review, Washington producer Gil Crosby pushed back on misinformation about legislation affecting crop protection tools, emphasizing that agricultural policy must be guided by science and real-world experience—not ideology.
"We need policies guided by science and real-world experience—not activists who don’t understand the realities of modern agriculture."
For producers like Crosby, tools like glyphosate are essential: without them, input costs would double, yields could drop, and many would have to return to more expensive and less sustainable farming practices.
His message reflects a growing concern nationwide: when policies ignore science, both producers and families at the grocery store pay the price.
Oklahoma: Family Farms Are Under Strain — and Policy Decisions Matter
In The Oklahoman, Oklahoma farmer Reid Nichols also spoke to the financial strain facing family farms—pushing many operations to the brink.
"Many producers are struggling just to break even. Rising input costs and unstable markets have made it harder than ever to keep our farms running."
Nichols argues that strong federal policy is essential for rural stability, and that farmers need both the right tools and the ability to plan ahead with confidence. Without Congressional action on the Farm Bill, he warns, rural communities are put at risk.
"Without it, we risk losing the operations that feed our communities and anchor rural Oklahoma."
Why These Voices Matter
These letters to the editor aren’t just news stories—they’re firsthand accounts from the people who feed our country. They reveal broad, bipartisan concern in rural America about losing essential tools and the consequences of inaction in Washington. And they reinforce what the Modern Ag Alliance hears every day: farmers are committed to feeding America, but they cannot do it alone.
Take Action
Farmers are doing their part to keep food affordable and sustainable. Now it’s time for policymakers to do theirs.
✅ Support a strong Farm Bill.
✅ Protect science-based regulation of crop protection tools.
✅ Stand with the farmers who feed America.
Read more farmer perspectives and join the Modern Ag Alliance in advocating for science-based solutions at modernagalliance.org.