Farm Policy Trap Leaves Farmers Stuck on Unproductive Land

By Andi Anderson

In Southern Illinois, near the Mississippi River bottoms of Dogtooth Bend, farmers like Steve Williams continue planting seeds in fields they know will not yield much. Floodwaters swept through five years earlier, leaving behind sand and hidden mud pockets that make planting a struggle. Still, Williams and his daughter, Brandy Renshaw, persist in farming the land — not for profit, but because federal farm policies have left them with little choice.

Farming is one of the most heavily subsidized industries in the United States. Since the 1930s, federal programs have provided billions in aid to help farmers withstand droughts, floods, and volatile markets.

While these programs form a vital safety net, they can also trap families into maintaining crops on unproductive land rather than pursuing other uses.

In Alexander County, Illinois, where levee failures and rising flood risks are frequent, the challenges are clear. The Mississippi River submerged much of the area in 2019, part of a disaster that stretched across the Midwest. Afterward, Congress provided $217 million across 11 states to encourage farmers to retire damaged fields through permanent easements.

Williams, who lost the 17-mile levee protecting his farm, was one of about 30 Dogtooth Bend farmers urged by the USDA to enroll. He offered up 1,200 acres in exchange for federal compensation of about $3,200 per acre, which would prevent future farming but allow recreational use.

Although intended to help, these programs have been slow and limited, leaving many producers caught between environmental risks and policy restrictions. The result is a system where climate change and frequent disasters expose the weaknesses of outdated policies, keeping some farmers tied to unproductive fields.

For Williams and others, the daily reality of working land that no longer thrives highlights a broader question: whether farm policy will adapt quickly enough to meet the growing challenges of climate and sustainability.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-alexeyrumyantsev