Extreme financial pressures on farmers bring fears of losing legacy, identity, purpose
“Every farmer faces difficult choices, but nobody should shoulder these burdens alone." — Erica Fields
By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Dec. 1, 2025
Fast facts
- Farmers squeezed by low commodity prices, high input cost
- Some farmers are just trying to lose less money
(690 words)
Find a page of resources online.
LITTLE ROCK — Farmers “are not just worried about losing the farm; they are afraid of losing an identity, a legacy, and a sense of purpose,” said Erica Fields, associate director of the Southern Risk Management Education Center.
As a licensed social worker, Fields has a unique skill set for an unprecedented time in the agriculture industry. With rising input costs, low commodity prices, tariffs, shrinking margins complicated by limited access to loans and severe weather “across the South, producers are under tremendous financial pressure.”
In her work with the Southern Risk Management Education Center, she sees the crisis firsthand.
“Many describe feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, out of control, or guilty for not being able to ‘push through’ like they used to,” she said.
“The red flags often appear quietly in unreturned calls, skipped meetings, or delayed harvesting,” she said. “These small details tell a deeper story of fatigue and discouragement that often goes unnoticed until it becomes a crisis.
“In the field, I hear stories of families under intense pressure, with relationship strain, exhaustion, and signs of depression that all trace back to financial stress,” Fields said.
When financial stress runs this deep, it shows up in words, actions, and farm operations, she said.
“Farmers rarely say, ‘I’m depressed.’ Instead, they ask questions that reveal the emotional weight behind financial stress:
- “How do I hold onto the land my grandparents built their lives on?"
- “Should I sell part of the farm or the cows?”
- “How do I tell my family we can’t afford another year like this?”
- “Should I refinance again?"
- “What happens to my credit if I walk away?”
- “What happens to our family name if I can’t keep it going?”
- “Is it selfish to want to stop?”
“For me, this work is a demanding calling that bridges the head and the heart,” Fields said. “It requires honoring the data while never losing sight of the people behind it. As a licensed financial social worker, I live where finance and emotion meet, helping farmers connect to resources that support both their books and their burdens.
“Every fact sheet, podcast, and conversation can plant a seed of hope,” she said. “When someone says, ‘I didn’t realize those were warning signs,’ or when a family finds support before it is too late, I am reminded that this work is more than a job; it is a calling to serve.”
Losing less
Grant Beckwith, Arkansas County extension staff chair for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said he’s heard of farmers whose goal is just to lose less money and try to repay loans.
“I was told of one guy last year that stepped into his retirement to pay out. He's got to pay out of his retirement again this year,” Beckwith said. “For two years you dip into your life savings just to get back to zero. He said, ‘I don’t have enough time to come back from this,’ so he’s done.”
How can SRMEC help?
The Southern Risk Management Education Center can connect farmers and farm families with tools to better understand and manage risk.
- AgFTAP.org, supported by the USDA Farm Service Agency, offers free educational courses on recordkeeping, farm finance, tax management, and asset protection, along with access to a national network of technical assistance service providers.
- FSA96, a recent University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture publication, Identifying Financial Stress in Farmers and Ranchers: A Guide for Families, Friends, and Agricultural Community Stakeholders, highlights practical ways communities can recognize red flags of distress before a crisis unfolds.
- Helplines such as the National AgriStress Helpline (1-833-897-AGRI) and AR ConnectNow (501-526-3563) offer 24-hour crisis and mental health support tailored for farm families.
“Every farmer faces difficult choices, but nobody should shoulder these burdens alone,” Fields said. Support can start close to home with a trusted pastor, church member, Extension agent, or counselor/therapist. Peer support, connection, and resources can save lives.”
About the Southern Risk Management Education Center
The Southern Risk Management Education Center, housed within the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, is one of four centers nationwide whose mission is to educate farmers and ranchers to manage the unique risks of producing food. The center is funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The center has served nearly 1 million individual farmers and ranchers in the southern region, empowering them with the skills and tools to effectively manage risks. The southern region encompasses Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media contact: Mary Hightower
mhightower@uada.edu