Congress must counter a steep, four-year drop in commodity prices that has left farmers and ranchers in worse shape than any time since the farm depression of the 1980s, Kentucky Farm Bureau President Mark Haney told the Senate Agriculture Committee on Tuesday.

Haney’s testimony cited growing losses in farm country that increasingly threaten the livelihoods of millions of Americans.

“2017 and 2018 will be a critical period for farmers and ranchers,” Haney told the committee. “Farmers and ranchers are tightening their belts and paying very close attention to their individual financial situations. Simply put, they are in greater need of strong, secure safety net programs and risk management tools than has been the case for several years.”