The farmers share of the food dollar has reached an all time low. It’s now at 14.6 cents according to a report released by the USDA Economic Research Service. That value is a 17 percent decline since 2011 and the smallest amount farmers have received since 1993 when the farmers share was first reported. National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson says that means most of that dollar is going for off farm costs, processing, wholesaling, distribution, marketing, and retailing.
He says those numbers show the United States is in the midst of an agricultural financial crisis.
The U.S. has also lost upwards of 70,000 farm operations in the past five years. Johnson says most of those are middle income producers. However, he says there are some policy solutions that can help farmers deal with the crisis.
Johnson is hoping policymakers will see this report, understand its impacts and come up with assistance for farmers and ranchers.
