American agriculture-the foundation of our national food system-is confronting a convergence of pressures unlike anything seen in years. As grain farmers grapple with the most daunting economic landscape since 2009, communities across rural America are on edge, questioning whether there is any safe harbor ahead.

First, the scale of the fun­damental problem is striking. The U.S. now supports only 28% of the farms it did 90 years ago. Today there are approximately 24,000 dairy farmers and 400,000 growers of corn, beans and wheat-with projections suggesting further declines to 21,000 and 300,000, respectively. The signs of contraction are unmistakable, and swift

This year's farm financials paint a stark picture. In 2024, net farm income dropped by $8.2billion, a 5.6% decline following a 19.4% plunge in 2023. Looking ahead to 2025, the median income for farm households is projected to be negative $328-meaning most families will endure a year of labor and sweat to lose money. Less than 5% of farms are expected to be profitable for the third consecutive year, and nearly 90% of farm families rely on off-farm income just to sustain their operations. These are not numbers-they're signals of rural distress with real consequences for farmers and ag-dependent communities.

On top of this, labor shortages and immigration uncertainties deepen the crisis. If there is no reform, farms will continue facing acute staffing gaps. Meanwhile, trade policy shifts have disrupted traditional outlets at the precise moment when Brazilian exports are accelerating and China pursues food self-sufficiency. Add to that more frequent and severe weather disasters-floods, wildfires, windstorms-and you have a perilous cocktail of risk.

Agriculture's future increasingly hinges on technology and infrastructure-yet progress is lagging. Despite the bipartisan 2021 infrastructure package, 20% of rural residents still lack broadband, hampering precision agriculture, access to healthcare, new job creation, and technology adoption. Ironically, this technological gap persists even as crop input costs surge, making 2026 poised to be the costliest crop year in U.S. history.

Many farmers spent past years reinvesting during profitable periods and benefiting from disaster relief-but those reserves have mostly run dry. Meanwhile, land ownership is shifting. In Iowa, for example, 20 million of 30 million acres are set to transition away from family hands toward private equity and contract farming-a shift that threatens community resilience and roots.

Demographics tell another part of the story: there are more farmers 75 and older than under the age of 35. Family-owned cooperatives sustain numerous operations, but generational continuity is under severe threat.

Despite the immediate impact still being largely invisible to consumers, the warning signs are clear. Food security is national security. Policymakers and the public must heed them-and quickly.

To protect this vital sector, action is needed in three core areas:

• A robust trade agenda to open new markets and offset the erosion of traditional ones.

• Immigration reform that merges practicality with security, ensuring a stable farm labor force.

• An updated Farm Bill to renew the safety net that countless farmers depend on.

Farmers are resilient, pragmatic, and service-oriented-20% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, comprising 44% of military service members. The same grit that sustains families through harvest also fuels national service. But their burden is mounting-we must act before the storm breaks.

That's the message I share at the dinner table. It's not politics-it's practical. Ignoring the farm crisis won't make it go away. We must face the gathering storm now, for farmers, our food system, and rural America.