FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
November 20, 2025
Cotton to USDA: Prioritize Assistance to Arkansas Farmers
Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) yesterday sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins urging the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expedite assistance to farmers. Arkansas farmers are still recovering from Joe Biden’s disastrous economic policies and we must ensure these farms continue to operate, not only for the next planting season, but for generations to come.
In part, Senator Cotton wrote:
“Arkansas farmers are anxious about their ability to secure financing for the next planting season and need certainty about the support that will be available to them. I write today to respectfully request that your department prioritize the swift distribution of the maximum amount of assistance available to our farmers.”
Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
November 19, 2025
The Honorable Brooke Rollins
Secretary
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20250
Dear Secretary Rollins,
I write to urge the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expedite assistance to our farmers. It is essential that we ensure thousands of Arkansas farms can continue operating, not only for this planting season, but for generations to come.
Unfortunately, Americans are still recovering from Joe Biden's disastrous economic policies. For Arkansas farmers, the disparity between the prices they are paid for crops and the cost of inputs is at its highest level in 25 years. Arkansas’s net farm income declined 10 percent in 2024, with crop receipts tumbling by $580 million. This year, Arkansas farmers will lose hundreds of dollars per acre on their corn, cotton, long-grain rice, and soybean crops. Making matters worse, Arkansas cash crop receipts for 2025 are now projected to fall by $617 million, a significant increase from the projected decline of $465 million.
While farmers have received some relief through the $10 billion Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) in the American Relief Act of 2025, President Trump has made clear his commitment to ensuring our farmers receive additional support.
I understand your team has been diligently working on this assistance package. When crafting any such assistance package, I would also ask the department to be mindful that many farmers have already booked this year’s crop and may not benefit from any recent upward price variation. Arkansas farmers are anxious about their ability to secure financing for the next planting season and need certainty about the support that will be available to them. I write today to respectfully request that your department prioritize the swift distribution of the maximum amount of assistance available to our farmers.
I look forward to working with you on this matter.
Sincerely,
Tom Cotton
United States Senator
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