Corn and the farmers who grow it have been a part of all the 250 years of the United States. From feeding a growing nation to foundational contributions to the early U.S. economy, corn helped make agriculture and the rural United States the backbone of the country, evolving from a survival staple to a powerhouse commodity. During the past two and a half centuries, corn and the farmers growing it have driven opportunities for our nation. They continue to meet the needs of a modern world through advanced innovations that offer transformative impact for society in the future.
But that future is at risk. Generation after generation of farmers have faced both good years and difficult years, standing steady and resilient through it all. Farmers are still trying to do that – except the stakes are higher than ever before.
Farmers comprise a smaller portion of the workforce than at any time in modern history, and with that comes declining representation on issues that matter. Consolidation is a growing challenge that begins at the farmgate and runs throughout the entire supply chain. That means farmers are left with fewer options on both the supply and demand sides of their businesses.
Corn growers are striving to support their families and businesses on farms that often require millions of dollars to enter and substantial ongoing cash flow to operate. Yet as growers enter a fourth-consecutive year of losses on corn sales, cash-flow pressures are forcing more farm households to rely on off-farm work to simply sustain the farm. There is a growing structural difference between supply and demand. There are demand opportunities on the horizon but farmers don’t have years to wait.
The National Corn Growers Association in early 2026 surveyed 1,000 corn growers nationwide to understand how recent years have shaped the outlook for their farms and their future. Combined with insights from association grower-leaders, the results point to a troubling outlook for family farms – without meaningful action. Almost 80 percent of growers believe the next generation will not be able to succeed on their farm without support from the current generation – yet that generation is already under significant strain.
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