I’m a young farmer in southwest Iowa. This time of year, I would normally be excited for the upcoming planting season, but more and more I find myself wondering how much longer I and other farmers like me can continue to farm when it seems like the entire world is against us. One tool that farmers should be able to rely on has actually been doing more harm than good for far too many years, and it is time for that to change.
For those outside of agriculture, reports from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service may seem like helpful data to better understand commodities being grown within the U.S. But for farmers, they are market-movers that can wipe out months of gains in thirty minutes. Recently, we’ve seen reports dropping the corn market by more than 5% in a single day. When those reports are inaccurate, the consequences aren’t just financial; they are deeply personal.
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In rural America, the stress of a volatile market—compounded by data that often feels disconnected from reality—is taking a devastating toll on American farm families. I lost my father to his own mental health battle in 2005, and I see that same crushing pressure today. We are caught in a vise between skyrocketing input costs and grain prices dictated by agencies that seem to talk out of both sides of their mouths.
The lack of transparency is disheartening. At the 2026 Commodity Classic, I was shocked to learn that high-ranking USDA officials sign off on major reports before they were even allowed to see the contents! If the leadership isn't given the chance to proof the data, how can we be expected to trust its credibility?
We need a shift in how the USDA operates. It’s time to move away from 1,000-page reports filled with federal jargon and toward digestible, written analysis. We need the agencies to step out of their offices and into farmer forums to hear raw feedback.
The USDA is currently accepting public comments on how to better improve NASS reporting – and I commend them for that – but we need more than an open door. Farmers need a seat at the table. We don't want to control the data, but we do need oversight. I am a farmer who wants to farm without fear of losing all profitability based on a flawed report.
I have submitted my comments here, and I encourage and ask that all other farmers do the same before the April 7 deadline.
Darin Proffit grows corn and soybeans in southwest Iowa.