More than 750 Farmers Call on Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to Prioritize Diversifying Ag Production

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, more than 750 farmers and ranchers from across the country came together to ask Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to make the diversification of agriculture systems a top priority for USDA over the next four years. Signed by farmers and ranchers from all 50 states and Puerto Rico, the letter highlights the growing importance of diversifying the crops that American farmers grow, and the markets they access to help strengthen farmers' profitability and resilience, while ensuring Americans' access to healthy and affordable foods.

"Diversifying crops is the future of agriculture and it is how we ensure American farmers and ranchers stay competitive in this increasingly global sector," said Fred Yoder, a fourth generation farmer in Ohio. "We're excited to work with Secretary Rollins to ensure USDA is fostering a productive agricultural sector where farmers can thrive."

The letter outlines how the diversification of agricultural production has the potential to strengthen the entire sector by improving rural communities and increasing domestic production. There are a number of ways to diversify agricultural production, including: adding new crops to rotations, utilizing cover crops, strip cropping, intercropping, and building agroforestry systems like alley cropping and windbreaks, which integrate trees with crops. Livestock producers and ranchers can diversify by using intensive rotational grazing, multi-species grazing systems, and silvopasture systems that add trees to grazing land. They can also introduce crop-livestock integration or perennial conservation elements like pollinator plantings, hedgerows and buffer strips, which support soil health, water quality and biodiversity. 

"As stewards of the land, farmers and ranchers are always looking for ways to improve our agricultural resources," said Kelli Ebel, a Texas rancher alongside her husband, Karl Ebel. "Through regenerative practices, we build sustainability, enabling multiple sources of revenue from a more resilient land. We want to help other farmers and ranchers, and future generations, experience the multitude of benefits that we have on Ebel Grasslands."

Read the full letter here.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/more-than-750-farmers-call-on-agriculture-secretary-brooke-rollins-to-prioritize-diversifying-ag-production-302396976.html

SOURCE Farmers for the Diversification of Agriculture Systems