‘They’re on the brink of a crisis’: Iowa farmers feel unheard after farm bill fails

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY, Iowa —

Every five years, a new farm bill is submitted, revised, reviewed and eventually approved by the U.S. government. Except the current farm bill is closer to 10 years old than five.

The Senate Agriculture Committee failed to come to an agreement and advance the 2026 bill before taking a break. Now, Iowa farmers worry as they get closer to fall.

“Our farmers are reporting they’re on the brink of a crisis,” Aaron Lehman, president of the Iowa Farmers Union, said.

After the failure to advance, Lehman sat down with farmers at the Iowa State Fair to hear their concerns.

“We’re hearing of increased bankruptcies, more financial mediation, very difficult meetings with lenders; all of that is happening,” Lehman said.

This comes after a complicated two years for farmers. During the trade war in 2025, China stopped buying soybeans, leaving farmers with a massive surplus.

“We’ve seen disruption in the trade that we’ve been told is essential,” Seth Watkins, a livestock farmer in southwest Iowa, said. “We’ve seen disruption in the price of fossil fuel that so many of our inputs depend upon.”

Related coverage: Nebraska farm groups worry farm bill delay brings more uncertainty

Watkins said he’s worried about some of the federal aid tied up in the farm bill, specifically crop insurance and the conservation efforts.

“Make sure I have the resources I need for projects to improve our soil, to protect our water, but also one that has accountability for people that don’t,” Watkins said.

He reminded lawmakers that part of the bill is compromise, and he said it needs to come soon. The current bill is eight years old, originally passed in 2018.

“We’re not in a traditional business; we really have to raise more than what’s needed,” Watkins said. “Without a farm bill, there’s just too much uncertainty for us.”

“The conditions that we’re facing are so much different than they were in 2018. We are in bad need of an update,” Lehman said.

As harvest season nears, Iowa’s farmers ask their lawmakers to start paying attention.

“Listen to your constituents, not the multinational corporations; that’s what I’m asking them to do,” Watkins said.

Senate reconvenes in September and the bill could be revisited, but nothing official has been said.

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