Michigan Farmer: Family Legacies, Food Security Depend on Congressional Support

Rita Herford, a fifth-generation farmer and sugarbeet grower in Michigan, recently addressed the growing challenges facing farmers in The Detroit News.  

“From soaring input prices to unpredictable weather to unfair foreign trade practices, farming is in many ways tougher than ever. While we’re no strangers to hard work or tough seasons, even the most resilient farm families need a fair shot.” 

Rita has been growing sugarbeets her entire life and one day hopes to pass the family legacy and family farm to her children. With the farm economy facing new pressures, ensuring the next generation can take up the plow has become much harder for many family farmers.   

“Farming runs deep in my family’s blood,” Rita wrote. “My children are now at the age where they can come along with us in the field to learn the responsibilities that come with growing our nation’s food.”  

Yet, “I’ve seen how much harder [passing down family farms] has become.” 

The immense financial pressures and predatory international trade practices threatening American family farms and factories were a key focus at the sugar industry’s annual meeting in Michigan. While sugar production in Michigan remains strong, several sugar processing facilities have closed in recent years as the cost of doing business has increased while sugar prices have decreased. 

“We cannot take our food security for granted. As farmers, we must shine a spotlight on how hard it has become to sustain our operations in light of these financial pressures and the ongoing threat posed by foreign subsidies.” 

These worries now hang over family farmers gearing up for harvest and sugar workers beginning their sugar campaigns. As another sugarbeet farmer told the Senate earlier this year, we’re proud to produce sugar in America, but “pride does not pay the bills.”  

We are grateful for the dedication and grit of farmers like Rita and the continued bipartisan support for America’s sugarbeet and sugarcane farmers and workers. That support is critical to defending an essential American industry. Family farming legacies and our national food security count on strong farm and trade policies. 

“The American sugar industry supports more than 151,000 jobs across the country. In Michigan, every year we grow more than 4.5 million tons of sugarbeets across 140,000 acres. This is a real engine of growth for our rural communities, and we want to keep it running.” 

Read Rita’s full op-ed in The Detroit News here.