by Ed Dubrick, ISA Policy Organizer
On December 8, the USDA announced that it will be rolling out $12 billion for Farmer Bridge Payments for American Farmers Impacted by Unfair Market Disruptions. While this is a welcome this announcement of needed support for farmers the Bridge Payments alone will not solve the farm crisis that the food and farm system is currently in.
Whether I talk to grain farmers, livestock producers, or fruit and vegetable farmers, one thing is clear. The system is broken. Farmers are the heart and start of our food system. When the system is broken for them, it is no wonder so many consumers feel like it is broken on their end too.
What the Bridge Payments do:
This announcement is welcome news for many farmers. For some it gives them needed breathing room to pay bills from the 2025 crop, purchase inputs for the 2026 crop, feed their families, and maybe even get the heartrate of their banker to slow down a bit.
Of the $12 billion, up to $11 billion will be sent to farmers who grow 20 of the most predominant grain and fiber crops. The remaining funds will be set aside to go towards farmers of sugar and specialty crops. The USDA has announced that “details [for specialty crops] including timelines for those payments are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs.”
These payments are meant to bridge the gap until changes to crop insurance and the farm safety net put in place by One Big Beautiful Bill in July take effect in 2026. While those changes made improvements to crop insurance and the floor price of commodity safety net programs like Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), they did not fix the core issues. For example, payments do not address the fact that many small and diversified producers cannot access a crop insurance plan that works for their unique operations. These changes will help many farmers, but it will leave many behind as well.
Why the Bridge Payments are needed:
According to USDA Ag Census data between 2012 and 2022 Illinois lost 3,964 farms. In the same time, the United States has lost 208,816 farms. There is not one single cause for this tragic loss of farmers, but it is compounded by things such as inflation, rising input prices, and a loss of markets.
These are not new problems and there is not one party or person to blame for the current food and farm system. It is the result of years and years of policy decisions that have built a food and farm system that does not sufficiently serve farmers and eaters.
Every farm that Illinois and beyond loses is unlikely to ever come back. Each farm lost to nonagricultural development is a telling sign: the prospects of farming, of staying on the land, and staying in business, are dim. It’s like a lit candle that’s running out of wax. Many farmers are left seeking an “out” that they feel is justified to offset the pain of losing land, losing their identity, and being told they’ve failed. Many farmers have off farm income or a side business just to stay afloat
Put simply, the system isn’t working for farmers.
You may ask what this has to do with the average American and why you should care. If you’ve ever wondered why more farmers don’t adopt regenerative or conservation practices or why more farmers don’t grow the food you want to see instead of commodities, this is part of that why.
Our food and farm policy, a global trade network, and consolidation in the industry have stripped the profitability and the viability out of farming. Farmers can’t afford to “do better” when the only way they get paid is on quantity. When yield and price are all that matter to the banker and bill collectors, it’s easy for it to be the highest priority for the farmer as well.
Farmers want to be stewards and local contributors to our food system, but the current web of policies, lack of infrastructure, and lack of resources to “farm differently” provide many without the option to do so and they are left stuck.
Why alone, it won’t be enough:
The Bridge payments are not sustainable and are not the way our government or our farmers should be forced to operate. Farmers do not want to “farm” the government for the next subsidy or ad hoc bailout. Farmers want to be able to steward their land, raise their crops and animals, and be a part of thriving communities.
Without long term solutions being passed that attack the root problems of our farm policy, farmers and tax payers are left stuck in this system. This bailout is welcome, but it only treats a symptom, it is a bandaid that does not resolve the root causes of consolidation, unfair markets, inflation, and a system that promotes the overproduction of commodities, the geopolitical trade landscape, or the needs of local communities.
Washington needs to reprioritize fair markets and diversified domestic production for the viability of farmers, the vibrancy of our communities, and the health and security of our nation. And they need to act before it’s too late.
What we want to see changed:
Congress and the administration should look to:
- Enforce Antitrust laws by investigating and, if needed, breaking up food and agriculture monopolies to prevent price fixing on farmer inputs and price gouging to consumers where only the middlemen are served.
- Secure long-term stable markets for farmers via purchasing of American raised food and agricultural products for schools, foodbanks, government cafeterias, and more.
- Promote farm diversification and regenerative agriculture to help farmers be more resilient to the impacts of climate and ever increasingly volatile geopolitical markets.
- Ensure equitable access for all farmers, eaters, and food system leaders at all levels in the food system.
The Alliance thanks Washington for this temporary relief and asks that they commit to making long term, impactful reforms that allow farmers certainty when making decisions, the ability to diversify and conserve, and the prospects of making an living feeding our communities and stewarding their land.
If you’d like to take your action to the next level, we welcome you to become a member of our Alliance of farmers, eaters, and food systems leaders who want a more just, local, and regenerative food system.
By becoming a member, you have the opportunity to add your voice to our campaign teams who will work on developing, marketing, and advancing policies that shape the food and farm system you want to see.
Best Wishes,
Ed Dubrick
Policy Organizer