Members of the Illinois and Iowa Farmers Unions, along with members of the National Farmers Union, joined for a discussion on the current economic challenges facing farmers.
The event was held at the Rock Island Public Library, downtown location, on 19th Street on Wednesday, Oct. 21. President of the Iowa Farmers Union, Aaron Lehman, said farmers are looking for answers. “We're used to dealing with all sorts of unpredictable stuff on the farm, whether it be weather or livestock. But too much of what farmers are dealing with now comes from bad policy decisions that have put farmers in the face of really bad outcomes”.
Lehman also noted that it’s not just farmers who are struggling, highlighting the economic strain on rural communities and businesses. John Bartman, a member of the Illinois Farmers Union, spoke on the connection between farms and rural economies. “When farmers have money, we spend it, we buy equipment, and people in this town are hurting too because of the fact that we're not buying farm equipment. And we're all in this together, and we need the public support too”.
Special guest speaker Will Westmoreland is the founder of the media and advocacy organization Back Forty Action. Westmoreland shared his take on the dangers of farm consolidation, “We've got the highest amount of farm consolidation that we've ever had in our history. And some people think, well, it must be since the 1980s farm crisis or since the Great Depression? No, it's right now”. He went on to claim that many of the farms being purchased nationwide are being used by venture capital companies for collateral purposes.
Lehman also shared his concern for the current state of farmers and the farm economy, “Bankruptcies are going up. The number of farmers who are entering into financial mediation with their lenders is going up. The number of farmers calling the stress hotlines are going up. All those things are showing us that this is now a very, very critical time”. Lehman went on to call for a reset of farm policies that reflects the current needs of rural America.
The National Farmers Union’s Vice President of Advocacy, Mike Stranz, was also in attendance and shared his perspective on the Agriculture Act of 2026, which is currently making its way through the Senate. “We need to get a farm bill done, but we need to make sure it's a farm bill that works for family farmers and their communities, one that doesn't result in more ad hoc dollars going out because of economic assistance needs, whether that's on diesel or if it's on— because of bad trade policy. We need to have a farm policy that works.”
The 2018 farm bill expired in September after three one-year extensions. Stranz said he hopes further action will be taken on the latest edition during the upcoming lame-duck session.
This story was produced by WVIK, Quad Cities NPR. We rely on financial support from our listeners and readers to provide coverage of the issues that matter to the Quad Cities region and beyond. As someone who values the content created by WVIK's news department, please consider making a financial contribution to support our work.