April 23, 2025
Farm Bankruptcies Climbing in 2025
Farm bankruptcies grew 55 percent from 2023 to 2024 and are trending even higher in 2025. Farmers are continuing to struggle with low prices for their agricultural commodities and the high costs of inputs needed to grow those crops. Bloomberg says unpredictable tariffs, immigration overhauls, federal programs being cut, and frozen USDA funding are now part of the challenges farmers face as they look for financial assistance. The Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago says the share of the district’s farm loan portfolio assessed as having “major or severe” repayment problems was 4.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024, the highest point it reached since late in 2020. The Kansas City Fed said at the end of March that as farm debt grew and conditions in the farm economy deteriorated, delinquency rates increased modestly from historic lows. The American Farmland Owner says Iowa leads all other states with 12 bankruptcies this year.
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USGC: Value of Ag Exports Passes $28 Billion
The U.S. Grains Council updated its Value of Grains Exports study with the latest available information about the financial benefits of ag exports to communities around the country. “The value of export markets for the U.S. agricultural industry cannot be understated and by providing this resource for U.S. producers, we hope to demonstrate the importance of trade worldwide,” says Bryan Jernigan, USGC director of communications. “Anyone can look at this information to better understand how exports from their state contribute to overall, top-level trade numbers that benefit the U.S. economy.” Results from the study, jointly commissioned by the National Corn Growers Association, show that the $28.96 billion in grain and grain products exported indirectly supported a total economic output of $86.2 billion in 2021. The number of jobs linked directly or indirectly to grain exports is approximately 346,400. For every dollar grain exports generate, it supports $2.98 in business sales.
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NSP Looking for Board of Director Candidates
National Sorghum Producers has opened applications for its 2025 board of directors. NSP is looking for new producer leaders who are passionate about advancing the crop and shaping the future of the sorghum industry. “We often hear that getting involved is the most important thing we can do to ensure tomorrow for our industry and the next generation,” says NSP Chair Amy France. “In today’s uncertainty, there are no truer words.” She also says NSP is excited to help drive effective policy and promote, advocate for, and defend the sorghum industry. “We encourage and welcome all who have a passion for sorghum, agriculture, and the future of our family farms to apply,” France added. Board members are instrumental in advancing policies and building relationships that benefit sorghum farmers and the industry. Applications are due on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, by 5 p.m. Central Time. For more information, go to SorghumGrowers.com.
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2025 Stockmanship & Stewardship Registration is Open
Registration is open for three Stockmanship & Stewardship Events taking place this summer. Stockmanship & Stewardship is an educational experience for cattle producers, featuring low-stress cattle handling demonstrations, Beef Quality Assurance educational sessions, facility design sessions, and industry updates. The events take place in Watertown, South Dakota, June 26-28; Canyon, Texas, August 13-14; and September 4-6 in Springfield, Missouri. During each event, producers can get BQA certified, network with other cattle producers, participate in hands-on demonstrations led by industry experts, and learn innovative handling techniques. Topics like biosecurity and the Secure Beef Supply will be among several subjects covered during the event, with the Texas program feedyard-focused and available in Spanish. NCBA CEO Collin Woodall will be the keynote speaker at all three events. “Cattle handling and stockmanship are core components of BQA,” says Dr. Ron Gill, Texas AgriLife extension specialist. “Animal handling and care directly connect to farm profitability.”
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USDA Delivers Immediate Disaster Assistance
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins has announced $340.6 million in USDA disaster assistance to deliver relief to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities impacted by natural disasters that have caused devastation across the country. Secretary Rollins is delivering critical aid through the USDA Disaster Assistance Fund to provide immediate relief to communities that have waited too long for the assistance they need. “Our heart goes out to the families across our great country who have lost loved ones, homes, businesses, and livelihoods,” Rollins said. “USDA is ensuring we are doing everything we can to support state and local efforts to rebuild these communities to be even stronger than before.” The secretary made the announcement in North Dakota, where USDA is delivering more than $5 million to help rebuild electric infrastructure following damage from severe storms and wildfires. The Disaster Assistance Fund provides relief directly to rural families who need recovery help.
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March Egg Production Down Seven Percent
U.S. egg production totaled 8.63 billion during March 2025, down seven percent from last year. Production included 7.35 billion table eggs and 1.28 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.18 billion were broiler-type and 104 million were egg-type. The average number of layers during March totaled 351 million, down eight percent from last year. March egg production per 100 layers was 2,458 eggs, up slightly from March 2024. Total layers in the U.S. on April 1, 2025, totaled 351 million, down eight percent from last year. The 351 million consisted of 287 million layers producing table or market-type eggs, 60.4 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and four million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. The rate of lay per day on April 1 averaged 79.1 eggs per 100 layers, down slightly from April 1, 2024. Egg-type chicks hatched during March totaled 60.7 million, up 11 percent from March 2024.
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