Wheat crops damaged by drought are seen during an annual winter wheat tour, near Colby, Kansas, U.S., May 13, 2025. Photo: Reuters/Emily Schmall

‘Amber waves of grain’ recede in America’s heartland as wheat farmers struggle

Midwestern farmers abandoning wheat crops as profits recede, weather challenges

The Great Plains have long been celebrated for the “amber waves of grain” in the popular hymn “America the Beautiful.” The region’s states produce most of the U.S.-grown crop of hard red winter wheat, favored by bakers for bread. But with prices hovering around $5 (C$6.86) per bushel, U.S. wheat farmers have reached an inflection point, with many forced to either lose money, feed wheat to cattle or kill off the crop.










An agent passes meat being prepared during a raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a Glenn Valley Foods meat production plant in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. June 10, 2025 in a still image from video. Photo: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Handout via Reuters.

ICE walks back limits on raids targeting farms, restaurants and hotels

Farmers fear intensified ICE enforcement will affect workforce

U.S. immigration officials have walked back limits on enforcement targeting farms, restaurants, hotels and food processing plants just days after putting restrictions in place, two former officials familiar with the matter said, an abrupt shift that followed contradictory public statements by President Donald Trump.