The One Big Problem Facing Agriculture (According to Farmers & Ranchers)
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
A few days ago, we posted a simple question to our followers:
"What is the biggest problem in agriculture?”
Honestly, we expected a handful of responses.
Instead, we got hundreds.
Farmers, ranchers, and land stewards from across the U.S. and beyond jumped into the conversation. Some answers were nuanced. Some were extremely passionate. A few were blunt.
What surprised us wasn't just how many people responded, but how different the answers were.
Some pointed to politics and regulations. Others blamed economics, rising input costs and things like land access. Still, others pointed at the lack of younger generations entering agriculture and the growing disconnect between consumers and producers.
Poll Results:
Government / Regulations / Politics — 27%
Mindset / Resistance to Change — 18%
Economics / Profitability / Input Costs — 15%
Consumer Disconnect / Education — 12%
Land Access / Cost of Entry — 10%
Soil Health / Degradation — 8%
Next Generation / Labor Shortage — 6%
Water / Weather — 4%
No matter where you stand on the issues, one thing is clear:
Agriculture is under pressure.
From drought and input costs to labor shortages and profitability concerns, many farm and ranch families are carrying a tremendous amount of uncertainty right now. But as we collected all the responses and concerns, a clear theme emerged in all of them.
The Biggest Problem in Agriculture
Whether someone blamed government, economics, land access, consumer education, or soil health, the underlying concerns are largely the same:
How do we build farms, ranches, and rural communities that can withstand the headwinds and challenges they’re facing?
It's an important question because agriculture has never been a simple business. Farmers and ranchers have always dealt with uncertainty. Weather changes. Markets fluctuate. Costs rise and fall. New challenges emerge.
But many producers today feel like more and more of the factors affecting their success are outside their control.
And that's where resilience clearly becomes more than a buzzword: it’s a crucial strategy for long-term success and operational sustainability farmers and ranchers can’t do without. The agriculture community is hungry for a way of doing business that not only maximizes production this year but also can remain productive, profitable, and healthy for decades to come.
Is Regenerative Agriculture The Solution We Need?
One of the crucial—and most obvious—ways we can stay afloat over the long haul is obvious: lowering our reliance on what can’t be controlled.
This includes fluctuating weather, input costs, and supply chain bottlenecks, just to name a few.
And, whether we like it or not, the conventional agricultural model places farmers/ranchers in a tough spot: increasingly dependent on things that exist outside the operation.
This is one reason regenerative agriculture continues to gain attention across the agricultural landscape. At its core, regenerative agriculture is about rebuilding the strength of the operation from the ground up. Healthier soils hold more water during dry periods. Diverse plant communities mimic natural systems, rebuild the soil and suppress weeds. Integrating livestock can turn standing forage into feed while reducing the need for harvested inputs. Improved soil biology can cycle nutrients that might otherwise need to be purchased.
In other words, regenerative agriculture seeks to move more of the solution back onto the farm or ranch itself, at a lower cost. The goal isn't independence from markets or weather. No system can offer that. The goal is greater resilience when challenges inevitably arrive.
We've seen examples of this across the producers we've featured at Growing Resilience. Ranchers are extending grazing seasons and reducing winter feed costs. Producers are increasing water infiltration and carrying green forage longer into dry periods. Farmers are reducing fertilizer requirements as soil health improves. Operations are finding ways to remain profitable without continually increasing inputs and, due to a more diverse mix of crops, are no longer solely reliant on risky corn-soybean production.
These changes don't happen overnight. Most producers will tell you they take years of observation, experimentation, and adaptation. But they all point toward the same idea:
The healthiest farms and ranches are often those that become less dependent on forces beyond their control.
Keeping it Realistic
We don’t present regenerative agriculture or systems as a silver bullet solution to all that ails an operation. Rain still needs to fall, and input costs still exist. Agriculture can be an extremely rewarding and fruitful way of life, but it has never been easy. This truth still remains for those who switch to regenerative systems.
Making the transition isn't always straightforward, either.
While there are universal principles that research shows work everywhere, every farm and ranch is unique. What works in South Dakota may need to be adapted in Georgia. What works on one soil type may not work exactly the same on another. Producers considering regenerative practices often have legitimate questions about profitability, risk, implementation, and how to make changes without disrupting an already complex operation.
That's why community matters.
One of the encouraging themes we've seen emerge in agriculture is the growing willingness of producers to share what they're learning. Farmers and ranchers across the country are opening their gates, sharing successes and failures, and helping others avoid costly mistakes.
Fortunately, there has never been greater access to knowledge.
Free educational resources are available through platforms like YouTube. Organizations like the NRCS provide technical assistance and support to land managers across the country. Local soil health groups, grazing networks, and producer-led organizations regularly host events where farmers and ranchers can learn directly from people putting these ideas into practice. The resources are there.
And while no system removes all risk, many producers who incorporate regenerative principles report something important: less dependence on outside inputs and greater confidence in their operation's ability to weather challenges.
What does that mean in practical terms?
Greater operational resilience.
The ability to withstand drought a little better. The ability to absorb market shocks a little easier. The ability to rely more on the strength of the land itself and less on factors beyond the farm gate.
The Need for Collective Dialogue
Whether you agree or disagree with regenerative agriculture, one thing became clear from this conversation:
Agriculture needs more discussions like this.
Open-minded conversations about the challenges we face. Honest conversations about what's working, what isn't, and what possibilities exist moving forward. Because the future of agriculture won't be shaped by one person, one practice, or one idea. It will be shaped by farmers, ranchers, researchers, land managers, and communities working together to find solutions that make sense for their land, their families, and their future.
So we'll leave you with the same question we started with:
What do you think is the biggest problem facing agriculture today?
And can regenerative agriculture be part of the solution?
Get involved with us by subscribing to our email list, and let’s keep this important discussion going!
Visit these “Growing Resilience Through Our Soils” information pages:
1. Podcast page for drought planning fact sheets, Q&As, news, podcasts, and more.
2. Video page to watch videos of other ranchers’ journeys toward improved rangeland/pasture.
3. Follow Growing Resilience on social media:
4. Our homepage: www.growingresiliencesd.com
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