Pennsylvania Farm Bureau highlights economic challenges facing farmers

Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) President Rick Ebert recently highlighted economic challenges facing farmers and urged the passage of a new farm bill and the creation of strong trade agreements at PFB’s annual meeting held recently in Hershey.

Low commodity prices, retaliatory trade tariffs, and poor weather conditions have made it more difficult for Pennsylvania farmers to turn a profit, Ebert said.

“Farmers across the board are facing economic difficulties as the prices they receive for soybeans, corn, and milk continue to fall, while an extremely wet 2018 has reduced yields and resulted in lower prices due to quality issues, such as excess crop moisture and sprout damage,” Ebert said. “Milk prices are mired in a four-year tailspin putting many dairy farmers in the unenviable position of selling off their cows or going further in debt.”

Ebert, a full-time dairy and crop farmer from Westmoreland County, said that these problems highlight the need for the swift passage of the 2018 Farm Bill.

PFB is also encouraging the Trump Administration to work to engage in new free trade agreements with countries such as Japan and to resolve existing trade disputes with China, Canada, Mexico, and other countries. The recent United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) still requires approval from Congress and legislative bodies in Canada and Mexico.

“Farmers often refer to themselves as eternal optimists, and we are resilient despite facing numerous obstacles, but with overall farm income significantly down for the fourth year in a row, many farmers are worried about their future,” Ebert said. “During 2019, Farm Bureau will be intensifying its efforts to identify and promote opportunities, programs and policies to increase agriculture sales both foreign and domestically to generate additional farm income.”