HARRINGTON, Del. — Congresswoman Sarah McBride brought together Delaware’s agricultural community for the state’s first Agriculture Summit on February 19, assembling 75 farmers, industry experts, researchers, and policymakers to tackle pressing issues facing local agriculture.
The roundtable discussion at Harrington focused on Farm Bill reauthorization, economic pressures, and supporting Delaware’s next generation of farmers.
Delaware Agriculture Secretary Donald Clifton delivered a sobering assessment during his opening remarks: “The state of agriculture nationally is tenuous. Bankruptcies are up 45 percent. Chronic overproduction is a problem. The cost-price squeeze and effect of tariffs has disrupted the grain market. USDA has a $12 billion assistance package for farmers to mitigate that disruption, but it’s always too little too late. Farmers must adjust or go out of business.”
The federal assistance package, announced in December as temporary relief until the One Big Beautiful Bill Act benefits become available, still lacks a clear distribution plan, according to Kent County Farm Bureau President Jim Minner.
“There’s still no plan on how to implement or distribute the money. If you’ve got $12 billion sitting out there, you ought to have a plan,” Minner stated.
USDA Farm Service Agency representative Maryann Reed assured attendees that bridge program details are “coming fast and furious” and “We anticipate money will be in farmers’ accounts in less than one month.”
Secretary Clifton expressed concern about reports of a scaled-back “Farm Bill lite” instead of comprehensive legislation. “Renewal of the 2018 Farm Bill is three years late,” Clifton noted. “It requires a bipartisan approach. If it becomes partisan, nothing gets done.”
McBride echoed the urgency for a complete Farm Bill while expressing cautious optimism about bipartisan progress. She asked participants directly: “As we work on reauthorizing a Farm Bill, what should I be fighting for, and what makes the biggest difference to Delaware?”
Delaware Farm Bureau President Bill Powers explained the bill’s structure: “The Farm Bill is 80-percent nutrition; 20-percent major crops. Of the 80 percent, 19 percent goes to farmers. If you cut that, you cut specialty crops and protein.”
Powers drew historical comparisons, saying “Things are as bad now as 100 years ago when high tariffs pushed us into depression.”
When McBride inquired about E15 ethanol support, Powers responded affirmatively: “Yes, we need your help. E15 eats up a lot of corn. There’s a worldwide glut of corn and wheat. Soon we’ll be trading soy meal, not beans, and we’ll have to use them domestically.”
Staffing shortages emerged as another critical issue. Former Agriculture Secretary Ed Kee highlighted the Port of Wilmington’s need for APHIS personnel and poultry industry inspectors. “Product can’t move until it is inspected,” he explained.
Kevin Donnelly from the New Castle County Conservation District described how personnel turnover hampers farmer relationships. “The turnover reduces the opportunity to establish relationships — long-term trust — with farmers we’re trying to work with,” noting that farmers are typically 40 years older than new hires and appropriately skeptical of newcomers promoting conservation practices.
Rising input costs dominated much of the discussion. When McBride asked about the primary drivers of financial challenges, Minner responded: “When we have a good year, input prices go up. When income falls, prices stay up. Input costs are the single largest factor that we have no control over, especially smaller operators. It’s a matter of scale and leverage. Prices need to fluctuate with the markets.”
Sheep farmer Steve Breeding suggested leveling international competition by allowing U.S. farmers access to less expensive medications available in other countries.
Grain, fruit and vegetable farmer Dave Marvel pointed out farmers’ lack of pricing power: “Suppliers set prices on inputs; buyers set prices on grains — not farmers in either case. We need to address that.”
Powers shared a telling exchange from a fertilizer industry meeting where he asked when prices would decrease. The response: “When you can’t pay for it.”
Secretary Clifton addressed market concentration concerns: “Fertilizer is a $64 billion market in the United States, and there are five major players. It’s easier to collude with five than 20.” He noted a significant decline in antitrust enforcement.
McBride characterized the situation bluntly: “My colleagues are frustrated the Farm Bill does not address monopolies. The reality is, monopolization means that they can essentially extort small farmers.”
Insurance challenges particularly affect poultry operations. Delmarva Chicken Association’s Liz Warren explained: “Some companies are no longer covering houses more than 20 years old, and if you can find one that will, the cost is through the roof. Here on Delmarva, about half of our farms have houses over 21 years old. We know all input costs have gone up, but then to have that insurance piece go up or the threat of not being able to continue production without insurance is really hitting our heart.”
Avian influenza creates additional complications. Horizon Farm Credit’s Ben Somers noted an ironic situation: “It may be better to have avian influenza in your own flock than to be a neighbor to an affected farm.” While infected farms receive disaster assistance, neighboring farms face production disruptions without compensation.
Labor issues, particularly with H2A and H2B visa programs, need stabilization according to farmers. Breeding estimated 49 percent of H2A workers lack proper documentation. “It’s easy for ICE to come on a dairy farm and take all your help. We’re not putting out enough (money) to get people here.”
Fourth-generation farmer Jay Baxter revealed his employees earn more than he does “because they are worth it. They are supporting families.”
Marvel highlighted agriculture’s challenging economics: “Farming is a tough job. You’ve got to love it to do it. Many family members work off the farm to support the farm. Most people don’t have an appetite for this hard work. Ag-related jobs pay more than actual farming. We’re telling our kids to look elsewhere.”
Minner called for expanded vocational training: “There needs to be implementation of vocational technical programs to train technicians. There needs to be a federal push on trades. Years ago, a lot of kids could take a tractor apart and put it back together at age 12. That’s gone now, unless they’ve learned at home.”
New farmer Andrea Haritos, who operates 70 acres near Smyrna, described barriers facing young agriculturalists: “The barrier to entry has never been higher. You can spend a million dollars on a farm and earn the equivalent of a part-time income.” She emphasized that consumer behavior changes are necessary to support smaller operations.
Ed Kee mentioned a young farmers program offering $500,000 at zero percent interest for 30 years, which has helped 25-30 young farmers since 2012. Secretary Clifton clarified the program connects to farmland preservation efforts and suggested significant expansion possibilities.
Mental health concerns were raised by Breeding, who urged McBride to prioritize farmer wellbeing: “Without the farmer, there is no farm. A healthy farmer means a better farm and that brings more profit.”
Technology discussions revealed mixed benefits. Marvel observed that while technology offers convenience, some innovations don’t increase per-acre production, and costs vary significantly by operation size.
Baxter expressed frustration about data ownership: “You think you’re purchasing technology, but you don’t own it,” referring to requirements to share information in “the cloud” for others’ use.
James Adkins from the Carvel Research and Education Center in Georgetown identified information processing challenges: “We’ve made unprecedented gains in information, but there’s a bottleneck in how to turn that information into a decision that turns a profit. The problem is that information gets out before it’s been peer-reviewed.” He cited drones collecting extensive data before practical applications were developed and unregulated biological products with unfounded claims.
Baxter concluded with inflation concerns, calling it “the biggest challenge of the ag community” that is “destroying all industries large and small and crippling agriculture.” He illustrated the point with a personal example: selling corn at $5.05 per bushel while paying $23 for a Dairy Queen meal that cost $7.50 twenty years ago when corn prices were also $5.
University of Delaware Extension Specialist Mark VanGessel emphasized agriculture’s broader significance: “The goals of USDA are a food supply that is efficient, safe and cheap. It’s a matter of national security, and we totally take it for granted.”
