American family farms face mounting financial strain as rising costs and overwhelming debt threaten their survival, compounding broader economic challenges. A new report examines the relentless pressures weighing on farmers and the uncertain future of agricultural traditions. The piece explores the personal and economic toll of sustaining a farm amid shifting economic realities. Part of a broader series on America’s evolving identity, it raises questions about who will keep the legacy alive.
For generations, the family farm has been central to the American story. But these days, farmers are struggling with sharply higher costs and crushing debt on top of the same economic pressures the rest of the country feels. Judy Woodruff reports on what it takes to keep a farm going and who will carry on the tradition. It's part of her series, Crossroads: America at 250.
