Farmers all across the country are facing many challenges in today's economy.
In Texas, farmers and ranchers are dealing with rising costs, job loss and inflation. These struggles are similar to other farming states in the U.S.
Texas Farm Bureau spokesman Gary Joiner says the margins are thin.
"The profit ability of agriculture right now is really strained and a lot of it is about the cost of production, the cost of materials needed to produce a crop or raise livestock," Joiner said.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 6,000 farms shut down in 2023. Labor is critical and there's not enough of it right now in Texas agriculture. This is forcing some farmers to look at programs that provide workers through outside sources from foreign countries. The cost of labor is up while the labor supply is more scarce.
"There is not enough labor to produce the crops and manage the livestock that we have in our state from a domestic supply standpoint," said Joiner.
Another issue is an aging population. The average age of a Texas farmer is 59 years old according to Joiner.
"There are new generations of farmers arriving but they are having trouble gaining that first foothold in agriculture," he said.
Joiner said most farmers are hoping for a new administration in Washington that is more "agriculture-friendly." There has also not been a new farm bill since the one that was signed in 2018. That bill expired in 2023 but was extended for a lack of a new farm bill. Joiner says Texas agriculture desperately needs a new farm bill.