Farmers are concerned about keeping their farms in the face of rising cost of fuel and fertilizer, Sewell says

Farmers across Alabama’s 7th Congressional District are being hit hard by an “affordability crisis,” Congresswoman Terri Sewell said in Selma on Sept. 9.

Sewell, who had just met with more than 20 farmers at the Central Alabama Cooperative in Selma, said producers from across the region – row-crop farmers, cattlemen, catfish growers and fruit and vegetable producers – all described the same struggle.

“Everyone’s hurting,” Sewell said. “They’re just concerned that they are not going to be able to keep their farms with the rising cost of fuel and fertilizer.”

“I heard it from all of them: the cost of diesel to run their tractors is really, really expensive these days,” she said.

Sewell said farmers asked for immediate relief, especially on fuel and fertilizer costs. She argued that stabilizing trade policy and ending what she called “the unauthorized war in Iran” would help lower diesel and fertilizer prices.

She warned that without action small farmers could go under.

“Their problem is our problem because they feed us,” Sewell said. “It’s really important that we provide our farmers with the support that they need, and it starts with listening to their concerns.”

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She said farmers told her that federal subsidies, while helpful, are no longer enough to keep operations afloat.

“The federal subsidies are like life support,” Sewell said. “You can’t stay on life support forever.”

Sewell also criticized what she called instability in tariff policy, saying unpredictable pricing is making it harder for farmers to plan.

“Tariffs are fine when they’re used with precision,” Sewell said. “Tariffs are not fine when they’re one price one day and another price the next day.”

She said the district is still operating under an outdated farm bill because Congress has not passed a new five-year version. Sewell said the current proposal includes “huge cuts in SNAP benefits” that would fall heavily on families in the Black Belt.

“In our district, the face of SNAP is not a ‘welfare queen,’” Sewell said. “The face of SNAP in our district are children and our seniors.” She noted that 70% of SNAP recipients in the district have children under 16.

Sewell, who faces Republican challenger Ammie Akin in the Nov. 3 general election, said she hopes Congress can put politics aside and pass a full farm bill rather than continuing temporary extensions.