Suffolk County’s Agricultural Heartbreak: When 70 Years of Family Farming Meets Financial Ruin in 2025
The rolling farmlands of Suffolk County, Long Island, are witnessing an unprecedented crisis. Between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, there were 259 Chapter 12 filings nationally, with the first quarter of 2025 alone seeing 88 filings — nearly double the 45 filings recorded during the same period in 2024, signaling what agricultural economists are calling an “agricultural bankruptcy tsunami.” For Suffolk County’s farming families—some who have worked the same land for generations—this represents more than statistics. It’s the potential end of legacies stretching back centuries.
The Perfect Storm Destroying Suffolk County Farms
Suffolk County experienced its second driest October in 130 years of record-keeping, with only .23 inches of rainfall, and September and October combined were the driest on record. This severe drought followed record rainfall on August 18-19 that resulted in severe flooding to homes, businesses and institutions, damaged several state and local roads, and caused the breach of two local dams. These extreme weather swings have created devastating conditions for the county’s agricultural sector.
Farmers cite a combination of falling commodity prices, high interest rates, rising input costs, and extreme weather events as key contributors to their economic challenges. For many, profit margins have vanished entirely. The situation is particularly dire for Suffolk County, where the county is one of New York’s most important agricultural regions, with well-drained, glacial soils, a maritime climate with abundant sunshine and proximity to markets throughout the NY metropolitan region making Long Island an ideal location for over 100 different crops.
Generational Legacies at Risk
Suffolk County’s agricultural heritage runs deep, with some farms operating continuously for centuries. The Wells family farm has been farmed by one family, 12 generations of the Wells family, since the 1660s, representing the kind of multi-generational commitment that defines Long Island agriculture. However, in the current generational farming crisis, it is clear that those in the younger generation are choosing careers other than agriculture, and the amount of family farms are decreasing.
The financial pressure is forcing impossible decisions. When the Wells patriarch died in a tragic accident in 2018, son Matt says bank loans were calling and the family had to consider selling the land for millions, noting “It’s a lot of money. You could easily sell and live the rest of your life and be happy, but the legacy that’s out here, your family’s been on this farm for so long”.
Climate Change Intensifies the Crisis
Suffolk County farmers are battling increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. These intense rainfalls are detrimental to crop production, can make plants susceptible to diseases and force farmers to increase their fungicide use. “They’re just very intense, very destructive to the soil when you have intense rainfall like that. And the soil is pretty much what is like the heart of growing produce or most crops. And if you don’t have healthy soil, it’s going to be very hard to produce a crop”, according to Sandra Menasha, vegetable and potato specialist for the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County.
One of the primary concerns for farmers in Suffolk County is the increasing cost of land, which pressures small farms and limits expansion opportunities. Additionally, climate change and environmental factors, such as water availability and the risk of flooding, continue to impact agricultural productivity.
The Bankruptcy Reality
Chapter 12 bankruptcies lag declines in farm income as farms must exhaust their ability to pay back debt before filing. It is likely that the downward trend in net farm market returns, combined with even longer-term declines in government payments in 2024 due to an outdated farm bill, drove more farmers in the Grain Belt and South to their last resort of farm bankruptcy in 2024.
The financial strain extends beyond individual farms. “If the farmers are hurting, those communities are going to hurt too”, notes Ryan Loy, extension economist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Some farming families that have farmed for generations are choosing to sell off their assets and exit the business simply because “they don’t want that kind of stress”.
Legal Options for Struggling Farm Families
When Suffolk County farming families face overwhelming debt and the prospect of losing generational land, bankruptcy may provide a lifeline. Chapter 12 bankruptcy, specifically designed for family farmers, allows agricultural operations to reorganize their debts while continuing to farm. However, navigating these complex legal waters requires experienced guidance.
For Suffolk County farming families considering their options, consulting with a knowledgeable Bankruptcy Attorney Suffolk County can provide crucial guidance during this difficult time. The Frank Law Firm P.C., with deep roots in Suffolk County legal practice, understands both the agricultural challenges facing local farmers and the complex bankruptcy laws that can provide relief. Their attorneys have extensive experience helping Long Island families navigate financial crises while working to preserve family legacies and business operations.
A Race Against Time
As of Feb. 12, 2025, USDA has not yet released details on how or when the $21 billion in disaster aid will be distributed, prolonging the financial uncertainty for farmers who continue to grapple with unpaid bills from previous years. With 2025 shaping up to be another unpredictable year, timely implementation of these funds will be critical to stabilizing farm operations and supporting rural economies.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for Suffolk County’s agricultural community. It is important to preserve the heritage and land of the farming community because of the significance of agriculture in the local economy, as well as the socioemotional significance of the land to the descendants of families. The solution to the generational farming decline is reliant on the decisions of the younger generation.
As extreme weather events become more frequent and financial pressures intensify, Suffolk County’s farming families face difficult choices. Whether through bankruptcy reorganization, land preservation programs, or other financial strategies, the coming months will determine whether centuries-old agricultural legacies survive or become casualties of climate change and economic pressures. For these families, time is running out, but legal options remain available for those willing to fight for their heritage.