Excerpt:
There is a common spirit across America’s agricultural community: a respect for tradition, a drive to innovate, and a commitment to never giving up — even when the going gets tough. Small farmers, ranchers, and meat processors also face many challenges. Extreme weather, made worse by the climate crisis, is destroying crops and decimating herds. Markets for seeds, feed, and fertilizer are dominated by a few large companies, raising the cost of doing business. Corporate consolidation has reduced what small producers can get in exchange for their crops and livestock, lowering farmer incomes and workers’ paychecks. Too many feel forced to give up farms that their families spent generations growing. A lack of competition has distorted the market.