GFB News Magazine

With farmers, no shortage of determination and grit

by Tom McCall
President

Posted on November 30, 2025 6:06 AM

Farm families across Georgia are facing one of the toughest stretches we’ve seen in years. Record-high input costs and weak commodity prices have created an environment where even the best managers are struggling to make ends meet. For many, the math simply isn’t “mathing” right now.

Across nearly every sector — row crops, livestock, timber and specialty crops — costs have climbed while prices have dropped. Fertilizer and chemical expenses have more than doubled compared to a few years ago. Equipment parts are harder to find and more expensive when they do show up. And all the while, commodity prices have fallen to levels that make it difficult to cover those costs, much less turn a profit.

Farmers understand that agriculture runs in cycles. There are good years and bad years, and most of us have learned to plan for both. But what we’re facing now feels different. It’s a combination of prolonged low prices, higher interest rates  and inflation that touches every corner of the operation.

These pressures aren’t just numbers on a balance sheet; they weigh on families and communities. They test our patience, our faith and our hope for the future. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Georgia farmers, it’s that we don’t back down when times get hard.

Despite the challenges, there’s no shortage of determination and grit among producers in this state. You keep showing up before daylight, finding a way to get the crop in and get the job done. That spirit of perseverance is what keeps rural Georgia strong and agriculture our largest industry.

Georgia Farm Bureau will continue to fight for you - pushing for policies that reduce costs, open markets and protect family farms. Farming has never been easy, and it never will be. But if we stay true to our values, stand together and keep our faith, we’ll find our way through - just as those before us always have.

GFB President Tom McCall with his wife, Jane, and grandchildren Wilkes, Winn & McCall. /Photo by Camdyn Moon Photography