Iowa Farm Bureau statement on recent administration comments concerning beef prices & the cattle industry

The following statement may be attributed to Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President, Brent Johnson:

"We encourage the administration to resist actions that negatively impact the cattle farmers in Iowa and domestic beef production.

Iowa Farm Bureau detailed the significant downturn in our state's ag economy in 2024 and the more than $1.5B economic impact from downsizing and layoffs. Amid widespread depressed ag markets, cattle producers are finally seeing positive returns, one of the few bright spots in Iowa's ag economy, particularly as crop farmers are struggling.

A report from Farm Credit shows net cash farm income fell 38% for corn and 40% for soybeans in 2024 compared to a year earlier. The impact has been felt particularly hard in Iowa as farm income from corn and soybeans plummeted to the lowest level in the last 15 years as farmers struggle with surging costs to raise a crop, including land prices, fuel, labor, fertilizer and more. These impacts also create barriers for young and beginning farmers breaking into agriculture and threaten smaller farm operations.

Consequently, Iowa Farm Bureau is sharing information with the Iowa congressional delegation to discuss further."