As the transition to the newly elected administration begins, the National Farmers Union, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that represents family farmers and ranchers across the country, has sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump urging him focus on policy priorities essential to the health and vitality of rural America and the sustainability of our nation’s agricultural system.
“Family farmers and ranchers face challenges that demand urgent attention and continued support. Our next president has an opportunity to lead with policies that secure fair markets, strengthen the farm safety net and ensure a sustainable future for American agriculture,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “We want to work with the new administration to build on recent progress and help shape a future where family farms and their communities can thrive.”
The letter is intended to help Trump with a plan for his first 100 days in office, which will begin Jan. 20. Much of Trump’s direction has come into focus in the past week as the president-elect has announced nominees for various Cabinet and staff positions. While Trump has not yet publicly named nominees for the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Food and Drug Administration, he has said that he would like New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to run the Environmental Protection Agency.
In its six-page letter, the NFU highlights key priorities, including:
- Strengthening the Farm Safety Net: With 2025 projected to be a challenging year for family farmers, NFU calls for robust support to address volatility in crop prices and input costs. Larew emphasized, “The safety net established in the 2018 Farm Bill will not be sufficient to help farmers withstand rapidly declining crop prices, high interest rates, and natural disasters.”
- Ensuring Competitive Markets: NFU advocates for the enforcement of antitrust laws and greater transparency to combat the economic challenges posed by market concentration in the agricultural sector. “For too long, unchecked mergers in the agriculture industry and throughout our nation’s economy have come at the expense of family farmers. We need a food system that is competitive and resilient, not one that is brittle and dominated by only a few multinational corporations,” Larew stated.
- Trade: NFU urges the administration to be measured and cooperative when negotiating trade policy. Drastic measures could jeopardize the short-term and long-term financial health of family farmers. “Our members suffered significant losses due to the earlier trade dispute with China, and we lost valuable market share, particularly for soybeans, to competitors like Brazil,” added Larew.
Additional priorities outlined in NFU’s letter include support for a simplified tax code that treats family farmers fairly, right-to-repair legislation, access to high-quality healthcare, and a stable agricultural workforce.
NFU said it remains committed to advocating for family farmers and ranchers and will continue to work closely with the incoming administration to address these pressing issues.
You can view the full letter here.
