The industries that help keep food on Americans’ tables and goods on the move have been given a major blow to their operations, and those effects could soon hit consumers.

One of the biggest issues facing farmers is the current storm of rising debt. According to the Department of Agriculture, farm sector debt is expected to reach $561.8 billion, up nearly 4% from 2024.

Farmers have said the rising costs for foreign importers have lowered foreign demand, leading to more price reductions on America’s agricultural exports. They’ve said they cannot survive on low crop prices with input costs at an all-time high.

A bigger challenge facing the industry is a vanishing workforce, often due to recent immigration raids. The labor shortage for U.S. farmers is expected to exceed 400,000 jobs.

When questioned about support for farmers, President Donald Trump spoke of the love they have for their jobs.

“A lot of these farmers don’t make a lot of money, but it’s a way of life for them and they love that way of life and they love that dirt,” Trump said. “They don’t know how to do anything else, and they don’t want to do anything else.”

The trucking industry is facing its own challenges, such as the overall demand for freight, which is below historical averages.

The industry has also been hit with rising fuel prices and a shortage of truck drivers.

A California-based trucking company recently closed its operations after 40 years due to the continued struggles it faced.

The ripple effect for consumers could include higher prices on goods at the grocery store and fewer items on shelves.

https://www.newsnationnow.com/business/your-money/farming-trucking-industries-struggles/

that's sad... maybe they can screw iPhones together or make Barbie Dolls ?

Edited August 5, 2025Aug 5 by Crnr2Crnr

Trumponomics

Few if any other industries have price guarantee's as crop farming does. All done for very reasonable input costs.

Farmers are their own worse enemy. Produce the maximum no matter what. Its always sad when crops like corn and beans reach a certain level. No tree lined waterway or non-bluffy timber is safe. They will bulldoze the world to get an extra acre or two then after a bit of time enter it into a program.

There has also been little to zero restraint when it comes to purchasing farmland. Where it is priced right now is out of this world and will hardly ever pencil out. Its nothing to see quality farmland go for $20K plus in my area and its bought as quickly as its listed or auctioned.

200 acres at $20K acre. 20% down still have to borrow $3.2 million. At 6% interest you still need to PROFIT almost $1000 acre to pay the interest.

I can tell you this part of the reason the land price is where its at is because many smart farmers are sitting on a PILE of cash. My neighbor just bought some near me for $20K an acre with cash. $800K. Lives in a doublewide and you would swear he would be on welfare.

Honestly I have little empathy for farmers these days. The gig is not as bad as some would make it out to be.

Not even going to get into the issues of trucking in Cal with the implementation of AB5. That's not a Trump or economy thing. That's a lib dem/Newsome issue.

Edited August 5, 2025Aug 5 by Highmark

The labor shortages these industries face will be basically non existent in years to come with autonomous harvesting and trucking.

waiting for the editing to be completed...

14 minutes ago, 800renegaderider said:

The labor shortages these industries face will be basically non existent in years to come with autonomous harvesting and trucking.

I honestly don't believe there is a significant labor shortage now with row crop farmers. Most guys even without autonomous can find part time help that it takes in the month or less to plant and harvest. Trucking is the biggest obstacle during the harvest and with no restrictions on time behind they wheel they find local guys with CDL's to fill in. At least in my area.

1 hour ago, Highmark said:

I honestly don't believe there is a significant labor shortage now with row crop farmers. Most guys even without autonomous can find part time help that it takes in the month or less to plant and harvest. Trucking is the biggest obstacle during the harvest and with no restrictions on time behind they wheel they find local guys with CDL's to fill in. At least in my area.

I was just going off what op article said both struggle with significant labor shortages. I see a lot of cdl job listings here as I often think of moving into that. Not sure about farm jobs not in farm country. There’s a bill in the house now pushing to deregulate and build out autonomous trucking and multiple companies working on autonomous trucks now. If there is a shortage there won’t be soon enough.

2 hours ago, 800renegaderider said:

The labor shortages these industries face will be basically non existent in years to come with autonomous harvesting and trucking.

The labor shortages aren't in spots where automation is being built. Hand harvested fruits and vegetables that don't have automation options are where that pain is.

3 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

The labor shortages aren't in spots where automation is being built. Hand harvested fruits and vegetables that don't have automation options are where that pain is.

I don’t know farming at all like I said but the little I’ve researched it I’ve seen autonomous harvesters for anything from blueberries to apples.

speaking of farmers, where is Amos?

did UPS ever bring that part @hayward ?

1 hour ago, 800renegaderider said:

I was just going off what op article said both struggle with significant labor shortages. I see a lot of cdl job listings here as I often think of moving into that. Not sure about farm jobs not in farm country. There’s a bill in the house now pushing to deregulate and build out autonomous trucking and multiple companies working on autonomous trucks now. If there is a shortage there won’t be soon enough.

1 hour ago, Deephaven said:

The labor shortages aren't in spots where automation is being built. Hand harvested fruits and vegetables that don't have automation options are where that pain is.

54 minutes ago, 800renegaderider said:

I don’t know farming at all like I said but the little I’ve researched it I’ve seen autonomous harvesters for anything from blueberries to apples.

Farming is huge in my area and many of my friends and neighbors are farmers. Trucking is the biggest issue around me. For example most probably average 250 bu/acre corn around here on good years. If you farm 1000 acres that's 250 full semi-loads or large gravity boxes that have to go from field to storage/sale. Larger combines can do 30 acres an hour. 7.5 loads an hour. Semi-load every 4 acres or 8 minutes. Tough to keep up if you have to go very far and don't have the equipment.

Its really insane how fast they can plant and harvest with today's equipment. Our local ag radio show at noon talks about the transport issues all the time during harvest.

Edited August 5, 2025Aug 5 by Highmark

6 hours ago, Highmark said:

Few if any other industries have price guarantee's as crop farming does. All done for very reasonable input costs.

Farmers are their own worse enemy. Produce the maximum no matter what. Its always sad when crops like corn and beans reach a certain level. No tree lined waterway or non-bluffy timber is safe. They will bulldoze the world to get an extra acre or two then after a bit of time enter it into a program.

There has also been little to zero restraint when it comes to purchasing farmland. Where it is priced right now is out of this world and will hardly ever pencil out. Its nothing to see quality farmland go for $20K plus in my area and its bought as quickly as its listed or auctioned.

200 acres at $20K acre. 20% down still have to borrow $3.2 million. At 6% interest you still need to PROFIT almost $1000 acre to pay the interest.

I can tell you this part of the reason the land price is where its at is because many smart farmers are sitting on a PILE of cash. My neighbor just bought some near me for $20K an acre with cash. $800K. Lives in a doublewide and you would swear he would be on welfare.

Honestly I have little empathy for farmers these days. The gig is not as bad as some would make it out to be.

Not even going to get into the issues of trucking in Cal with the implementation of AB5. That's not a Trump or economy thing. That's a lib dem/Newsome issue.

Bingo.

All the programs and grants and everything that goes along with ag today makes it just sickening what farms can drag in.

Often times the hardest part is filling out the 1 or 2 page form to get the grant or subsidy or whatever it is, and there are classes on how to do that, paid for by someone else's grant!

I've been becoming more attached to this general thought of 2 types of farmers.

Those that are good at farming the land and those good at farming the government.

The farming the government needs to stop as it is fucking all those that are good at farming. False subsidies and taxes to help with competition only hurt us long term. I have tons of sympathy for farmers but you need to learn to be good at farming

I'm assuming that the midwest has transitioned from lots of smaller family farms to a few large ones.

When I grew up around here it was all family dairy farms, 100 to 200 head. There where at least 5 within 5 miles of my house.

Now there may be 2 hobby farms with a handfull of beef, but none doing dairy.

Researchers at the University of Tennessee found that between 2005 and 2020, the average milk price received ranged fr om $11.54 to $29.80 per 100 pounds of milk, while production costs ranged from $11.27 to $43.88. On average, farmers were losing money—producing $4,457 worth of milk per cow annually while incurring costs of $6,192.

Read more at © DairyNews.today   https://dairynews.today/global/news/the-decline-of-u-s-dairy-farms-a-crisis-of-sustainability-and-pricing.html

No sympathy in this area for farmers.

Like said above what these guys are shelling out for land is crazy!!

8 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

The farming the government needs to stop as it is fucking all those that are good at farming. False subsidies and taxes to help with competition only hurt us long term. I have tons of sympathy for farmers but you need to learn to be good at farming

Why just back stab them like a dime a dozen useless CEO and replace them with an even more useless head hunter top pick.

You really are a jealous loser.

Sorry if the truth hurts.

My post was the truth. Yours fantasyland as always.

7 hours ago, Crnr2Crnr said:

speaking of farmers, where is Amos?

did UPS ever bring that part @hayward ?

5 hours ago, Deephaven said:

My post was the truth. Yours fantasyland as always.

You prove this every day.

12 hours ago, Deephaven said:

The farming the government needs to stop as it is fucking all those that are good at farming. False subsidies and taxes to help with competition only hurt us long term. I have tons of sympathy for farmers but you need to learn to be good at farming

Doge got rid of some of the grants. Including grant designed only for transgender farmers.

9 hours ago, hayward said:

it showed up broken?

1 hour ago, racer254 said:

Doge got rid of some of the grants. Including grant designed only for transgender farmers.

So only the political theater ones and not the ones fucking up the whole farm economy. More swamp behavior

Land prices certainly have gone up. The 80 acres I have in Barron County WI is appraising at $6k an acre, which is at least double what we thought it was just a few years ago.

15 hours ago, racinfarmer said:

Bingo.

All the programs and grants and everything that goes along with ag today makes it just sickening what farms can drag in.

Often times the hardest part is filling out the 1 or 2 page form to get the grant or subsidy or whatever it is, and there are classes on how to do that, paid for by someone else's grant!

I've been becoming more attached to this general thought of 2 types of farmers.

Those that are good at farming the land and those good at farming the government.

Yep old deer hunting buddy that's a farmer and Pioneer seed dealer told me the same EXACT thing. I've stated it on here before.

I know of one farm that went under in my area in the last 10ish years.

Edited August 6, 2025Aug 6 by Highmark