Frustration over rising input costs and continued margin pressure dominated conversations at this year’s Commodity Classic, where nearly 12,000 attendees gathered in Texas amid what many describe as one of the most challenging financial environments in recent memory.
While much of the public discussion focused on grain producers, the economic pressures being voiced mirror what livestock and pork producers across North America continue to face: stubbornly high costs paired with uncertain pricing outlooks.
Cost Pressures Still Weigh on Agriculture
During the general session, Brooke Rollins, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, acknowledged the strain farmers are experiencing.
According to remarks cited at the event, between 2020 and 2025:
- Fuel costs increased 33%
- Seed costs increased 19%
- Fertilizer prices rose 48%
- Labor costs climbed 44%
- Interest expenses jumped 71%
For pork producers, those increases translate directly into higher feed costs, increased operating expenses, and more expensive financing — particularly impactful for operations carrying facility expansion or equipment debt.
Farmers at the event expressed concern that strong production levels in 2025 failed to offset rising expenses, leaving many facing continued negative margins heading into another production year.
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