LINCOLN, NEB. – Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) sent a letter to Nebraska’s Congressional delegation urging support for key policy initiatives to address the mounting economic pressures facing Nebraska farmers and ranchers. The letter also calls for support of a comprehensive aid package.
“Nebraska farm and ranch families remain deeply dedicated to hard work and are determined to weather the current economic storm as we always have, with perseverance,” said Mark McHargue, president of Nebraska Farm Bureau. “But today’s economic headwinds have largely been created by government policy, and that requires a government response.”
The letter outlines several long-standing Farm Bureau policy priorities that could help alleviate economic strain, including:
- Fair and enforceable trade agreements that open markets and ensure reciprocal access for U.S. products.
- Policy support for biofuels, including year-round sales of E15 and other renewable fuels.
- Restoration of whole milk in schools, giving children access to nutritious U.S. dairy products.
- Protection of interstate commerce by opposing and challenging current and future state laws that undermine market consistency, competition, and transparency.
- Investigation into pricing structures for major agricultural inputs to address market imbalances that artificially inflate production costs beyond normal market fluctuations, paired with stronger enforcement of laws and regulations that ensure transparency and fairness in agricultural markets.
- Prioritization of American-grown fruits and vegetables in federal and institutional purchasing programs.
While these policy measures are essential for long-term stability, McHargue emphasized that immediate assistance is also needed to keep farm families afloat.
“We support authorization of a ‘bridge’ payment to farmers before the end of 2025,” McHargue said. “These payments must be robust enough to address sector-wide gaps and provide meaningful support as the federal government works to recalibrate trade strategies, stabilize prices, and strengthen key market relationships.
”McHargue noted that Nebraska farmers prefer to rely on the marketplace rather than government assistance. “We do not make this ask lightly and understand that continuous ad hoc assistance to U.S. farmers is not sustainable. But when poor economic conditions are in part caused by government policies and global pressures, it becomes the responsibility of the federal government to respond,” said McHargue.
NEFB is calling on Nebraska’s Congressional delegation to support these measures to provide both short-term relief and long-term policy solutions that will restore economic stability to the state’s agricultural sector.
The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. Nearly 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit www.nefb.org.