Farmers Reveal Who Is Actually Crushing American Agriculture

Turning Level USA is shining a highlight on a rising disaster going through America’s farming communities, displaying household farms alongside the southern border are being squeezed by rising prices, overseas competitors and prison organizations which have infiltrated the agricultural financial system. The group’s newest Frontlines documentary focuses on southern New Mexico, the place ranchers and farmers warn that the survival of their trade is more and more in danger.

The 17-minute documentary, narrated by Frontlines TPUSA, options interviews with multi-generational ranching and farming households who say financial pressures have made it more and more troublesome to proceed operations which have been handed down for many years.

“The American farm is the bedrock of our nation, a logo of independence and arduous work,” the documentary opens. “However throughout the borderlands, that basis is cracking.” Farmers interviewed all through the movie describe fighting rising fertilizer prices, shrinking revenue margins and an inflow of lower-cost agricultural imports from Mexico.

One farmer defined that regardless of producing meals domestically, American growers usually can not compete on value.

“You’ll assume that we’d be capable to produce meals and promote it to our personal nation cheaper. However we are able to’t,” he mentioned, blaming the massive quantity of imported produce coming into from Mexico. One other added that the monetary uncertainty has made him query whether or not farming stays sustainable regardless of his ardour for the career.

“I like bloody fingers and soiled fingernails,” he mentioned. “It’s the not with the ability to pay my payments half that will get to weighing fairly heavy.”

WATCH:

CORPORATE CARTELS VS. AMERICAN FARMERS: On New Mexico’s southern border, multi-generational ranching and farming households are watching their lifestyle disappear.

Farmers are being squeezed by skyrocketing fertilizer prices, intense overseas competitors, and mounting debt that’s… pic.twitter.com/SpfHIHgDCt

— FRONTLINES TPUSA (@FrontlinesTPUSA) July 11, 2026

The documentary factors to knowledge from the U.S. Division of Agriculture’s 2022 Census of Agriculture, noting that greater than 140,000 farms closed nationwide whereas New Mexico skilled the biggest share decline of any state. In accordance with the movie, the trade’s consolidation has left fewer family-owned farms whereas the nation’s largest agricultural operations proceed increasing.

A central focus of the documentary is the declare that Mexican drug cartels have expanded into respectable agricultural companies as a solution to launder proceeds from prison enterprises. The filmmakers function Luna County Justice of the Peace Decide Scott Chandler and County Commissioner Colette Chandler, who argue that cartel cash has more and more flowed into farming operations south of the border.

“Once they’re utilizing trafficking human cash or trafficking drug cash to purchase hay farms, purchase onions, purchase chili, after which ship it to us, American firms can’t be anticipated to compete in opposition to that,” Chandler mentioned.

The Chandlers contend that as border enforcement has lowered unlawful crossings below President Donald Trump’s second administration, prison organizations have more and more turned towards respectable industries as different strategies of laundering cash. They allege that agricultural commodities have turn out to be a lovely car as a result of they’re simple to move and persistently in demand.

“They’re taking up just about all the things that appears like a respectable enterprise and laundering blood cash and soiled cash by means of that,” Chandler mentioned.

A number of farmers additionally argued that commerce insurance policies have positioned American producers at an obstacle. Don Hartman, a second-generation farmer, recalled that after the North American Free Commerce Settlement took impact, imported jalapeños sharply undercut home costs.

“We used to develop jalapenos right here for 16 cents a pound,” Hartman mentioned. “Once they handed NAFTA, they instantly dropped the worth to 9 cents as a result of they may get it cheaper down there.”

Third-generation farmer Colvier Montes proposed implementing seasonal tariffs that will briefly defend American growers whereas their crops are being harvested.

“When the American farmer, we must always have precedence on this nation. And we don’t. That’s flawed,” Montes mentioned. He additionally argued that U.S. farmers face stricter environmental and labor laws than many overseas opponents, making it tougher to stay aggressive.

The documentary additionally highlights considerations over fertilizer costs, which farmers say have surged amid geopolitical tensions within the Center East. Interviewees notice that a lot of the world’s fertilizer provide passes by means of the Strait of Hormuz, making international conflicts able to driving up manufacturing prices for American agriculture. Farmers say these greater prices are sometimes absorbed by producers reasonably than mirrored in greater income on the farm stage.

Ranchers additional criticized consolidation inside the meat processing trade, arguing {that a} handful of main firms seize many of the income whereas household producers battle to stay viable. One rancher mentioned customers usually assume greater grocery retailer costs profit farmers, when in actuality a lot of the income by no means reaches producers.