KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WOWO) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins on Thursday addressed the rising costs facing American farmers and outlined new support efforts at the Agriculture Outlook Forum in Kansas City.
Rollins said input costs for farmers have increased significantly since 2020 — seed prices are up 18%, fuel and oil prices are up 32%, fertilizer prices are up 37%, and interest costs are up 73%. Labor costs have also climbed 47%, driven largely by the expense of the H-2A program for seasonal workers.
“The success of our farmers is a national security priority, and at USDA, we are looking at every option to ensure the future viability of American agriculture,” Rollins said. “Relief is already reaching farms and ranches, but more help is still needed.”
To address high input costs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Justice signed a memorandum of understanding pledging to strengthen antitrust enforcement and review competition in agricultural supply chains. Rollins said the goal is to protect farmers from artificially high costs for feed, seed, fuel, equipment, and other necessities.
The secretary also announced the release of $2 billion in remaining payments from the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP), bringing total aid under the program to $10 billion for the 2024 crop year. More than $8 billion has already been distributed to 560,000 farmers.
Other emergency relief includes more than $2 billion through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program for producers impacted by droughts, floods, and wildfires, along with $5.5 billion through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program.
At the same time, USDA is committing $480 million to purchase U.S.-grown commodities for international food assistance programs, including McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition and Food for Progress. Those efforts will provide school meals and nutrition programs in countries such as Benin, Honduras, Mozambique, Pakistan, and Senegal, while boosting U.S. export access in markets including Colombia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Vietnam, Nigeria, and Nepal.
Additionally, the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act allocates $285 million annually for agricultural trade promotion. USDA will repurpose existing funds to launch the “America First Trade Promotion Program” one year early, beginning Oct. 2, to expand market opportunities abroad.
Rollins emphasized that these steps are aimed at stabilizing farm incomes, opening international markets, and ensuring U.S. agriculture remains competitive.
“American farmers produce the most nutritious, safe, and high-value food in the world, and USDA is proud to stand with them at home and abroad,” she said.
