America’s farm economy is in a dire situation — and nowhere is that reality more visible than across the South Plains and West Texas, regions that feed and clothe the nation yet now stand at an economic crossroads. Farmers and ranchers here are being squeezed from every direction: sharply rising input costs, low commodity prices, and insufficient relief threaten not only individual livelihoods but the stability of rural communities and the broader food system.
This isn’t a distant policy issue. It’s the lived experience of producers who are making impossible decisions about next year’s crop, their family’s future, and the economic health of towns across the Plains.
From Field to Financial Crisis
Rising Costs Are Breaking the Farm Budget
Farmers nationwide are facing historic cost pressures, and producers on the South Plains — where cotton, sorghum, wheat, and cattle are foundational to local economies — are no exception. Costs for seed, fertilizer, fuel, labor, and chemicals have climbed sharply in recent years, significantly raising breakeven points for key crops. Data from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Action shows inputs like seed, fuel, and fertilizer will continue to strain producers’ finances into 2025.
For many South Plains growers, input costs have literally doubled over the past few years — a reality that makes operating below breakeven a regular occurrence rather than an anomaly.
Markets That No Longer Pay the Bills
At the same time, commodity markets have turned against many producers. In West Texas, the backbone crop — cotton — has struggled with weak prices. As of early 2025, cotton prices traded well below the cost of production, with farmers needing roughly 85–90 cents per pound to break even while markets lingered around 66 cents.
Cotton remains the dominant crop on the South Plains — a region historically one of the largest cotton-producing areas in the world — yet acreage has declined as growers explore alternatives like sorghum and sunflowers in response to ongoing price weakness and market uncertainty.
West Texas Ranchers Are Being Pushed to the Edge
Ranchers across West Texas are also under strain. While cattle markets have shown relative strength compared to row crops in some pockets, ongoing drought and high feed costs continue to challenge profitability — forcing many operations to spend more on supplemental feed and reducing grazing productivity.
Livestock remain foundational to Texas agriculture, with cattle and calves accounting for the largest share of the state’s agricultural cash receipts.
Relief Helps — But the Gap Keeps Growing
Producers are grateful for programs like Farmer Bridge Assistance and other temporary relief, but the scale of losses is massive. Even with this support, many operations are tapping emergency savings, refinancing, or taking on new debt just to stay in business. These stopgap measures can buy time, but they weaken long-term viability and put future generations at a disadvantage.
Across Texas and the nation, agricultural groups are sounding the alarm: losses remain deep, input costs continue to climb, and many farmers and ranchers may find it difficult to secure financing for the next crop cycle without additional Congressional action.
When Farms Struggle, Communities Feel It
This is not just a regional farm problem — it’s a national issue. Rural communities across the South Plains and West Texas are feeling the ripple effects: local schools, hospitals, agribusinesses, and service industries all depend on a stable agricultural economy. As farm financial stress deepens, so too does the strain on these communities’ social and economic fabric.
Moreover, American food and fiber security depends on a thriving agricultural base. When producers are pushed out of business, the nation’s ability to reliably feed and clothe itself is weakened. In a world of volatile global markets, that vulnerability cannot be ignored.
The Urgent Path Forward
Safety net improvements that are part of legislative negotiations may offer long-term benefits, but those supports won’t reach farmers and ranchers until later in 2026. Meanwhile, the South Plains and West Texas are already grappling with mounting losses, eroding working capital, and uncertainty about the future.
Without swift Congressional action to deliver meaningful emergency assistance now, many producers may not be able to plant another crop or sustain livestock operations — risking not only their livelihoods but the resilience of the national food system.
Farm Country Is Waiting on Washington
The future of family farms, ranches, rural communities, and America’s food security depends on it.