Major players in the agricultural industry are sounding an economic alarm in a joint letter, according to The New York Times. 

What's happening?

A bipartisan group of agriculture industry leaders has called upon the Trump administration and Congress to reverse course on tariffs and other economically restrictive measures. The letter said many of these have increased costs, disrupted market access, blocked access to labor, and stopped important agricultural research. Combined, these effects were deemed catastrophic. 

"Our farmers and ranchers can compete with the world, but they can't compete with the world with a chaotic set of policy circumstances," said former chief executive of the National Corn Growers Association, Jon Doggett, per The New York Times.

Other signers included Buzz Mattelin, the previous president of the National Barley Growers Association, and Bart Ruth, the previous president of the American Soybean Association. 

Why is farming important?

Domestic agriculture helps people in the U.S. meet their dietary needs. Collapse of the industry would also create steep economic and cultural loss. The challenges imposed by government policy are compounded by a wildly erratic climate. 

Existing and ongoing pollution is trapping heat in the atmosphere, which exacerbates destructive weather trends. This includes floods, droughts, storms, and wildfires, all of which pose existential threats to farmers. These weather shifts have also introduced new opportunities for the proliferation of pests, which could obliterate staple crops. 

What's being done about farming in America?

"Congress needs to assert itself on behalf of farmers if we are to avoid a widespread collapse of American agriculture and our rural communities," said the letter. 

The letter recommended nine actions to alleviate the pressure on American farmers. These included exempting farm inputs from tariffs, supporting more trade agreements, and restoring funding to agricultural research. 

While institutional action is needed, there are individual actions that can be taken. 

Adopting a plant-based diet can ensure cropland is being used efficiently to feed people. Likewise, switching to an EV can cut the demand for ethanol otherwise used in running a traditional car. Ethanol production uses up roughly 40% of America's corn production.  

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