US grain farmers face worst crisis in decades as Iran war sends costs spiralling

There are more farmers over 75 than under 35 per the USDA. Average age of a farmer is 58. ~80% of farmers voted for this. Unfortunate governance system failure and electorate self sabotage. Better luck next time, there is no fix within the light cone time horizon of most of the impacted ag folks. It will take, imho, at least half a decade to change this trajectory with any policy and trade fixes.

Farm Bankruptcies Hit Six-Year High in April - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48573086 - June 2026 (3 comments)

Farmers Are Aging. Their Kids Don't Want to Be in the Family Business - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47023571 - February 2026 (20 comments)

Former Farming Leaders Warn U.S. Agriculture Could Face ‘Widespread Collapse’ - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/us/politics/us-agricultur... | https://archive.today/dDebF - February 3rd, 2026

$12B Farm Aid Package Not Enough, Farm Leaders Say - https://farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2025/12/12-billion-farm-... - December 12th, 2025

Q1 2025 U.S. farm bankruptcies exceed 2024 - https://www.uaex.uada.edu/media-resources/news/2025/july/07-... - July 7th, 2025

Trump support grew in America’s top farming counties despite first-term trade war - https://investigatemidwest.org/2024/11/13/trump-election-far... - November 13th, 2024

USDA: County Typology Codes - Descriptions and Maps - https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/county-typology-codes...