By Faridat Salifu
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar has called for expanding new agricultural markets, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and bio-based products, as a strategy to help farmers recover from rising bankruptcies and economic uncertainty.
Speaking during a recent campaign stop in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, Klobuchar said farmers need access to new domestic and international markets rather than relying solely on traditional commodity sales.
Her remarks come after farm bankruptcies in Minnesota more than tripled in 2025 compared with the previous year, while filings across the U.S. Midwest increased by about 70 per cent, according to the Farm Bureau.
“The tariffs can’t be an excuse,” Klobuchar said. “We have to move forward. That means new markets—domestic and international—really pushing where we can sell our products, invent things and export to the world.”
The senator proposed expanding demand for crops such as soybeans, hemp and sugar beets by increasing production of sustainable aviation fuel and other bio-based products, including packaging materials and construction supplies.
She also advocated policies to address labour shortages on farms through legal immigration reforms, alongside investments in rural housing, healthcare and workforce development.
Klobuchar said creating value-added industries around agricultural products would help strengthen rural economies while giving farmers more stable income opportunities beyond conventional crop markets.
