Facing Global Disruptions, Congress Should Invest in Local Food

Amid the chaos of the war with Iran, Americans have already seen gas prices rise. Soon, we are likely to see the price of food rise, too, as farmers face rising fuel and fertilizer prices. As Congress considers the 2026 Farm Bill, all Americans are recognizing that farming’s reach doesn’t stop at edge of the field.

We have been here before: During Russia’s war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic, disruptions in labor and shipping, along with increased costs of equipment and fertilizers, caused food prices to soar. Consumers famously paid the price: $10 for a carton of eggs, $8 for a gallon of milk. Small and midsize farmers suffered, too, facing a sudden spike in bankruptcy.