Farmers are losing money — but this isn’t the 1980s farm crisis. Yet.

By Hope Kirwan, Harvest Public Media

Corn and soybean farmers have faced negative profit margins for two years, with fertilizer, fuel and borrowing costs expected to climb further in 2026. Economists say today’s downturn differs from the 1980s because farms carry less debt and have access to crop insurance, safety-net programs and billions in emergency federal payments. Those supports may prevent a wave of bankruptcies, but they cannot guarantee profitability — and may delay the cost corrections farmers need.

Read more: https://www.kcur.org/environment-agriculture/2026-07-20/farmers-struggling-1980s-farm-crisis-compare