A large group of agriculture experts warned that US farms are taking a financial beating thanks to President Donald Trump’s global trade war.
In a letter sent to the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees on Tuesday, the experts warned of a potential “widespread collapse of American agriculture and our rural communities” caused in no small part by Trump administration policies.
The letter’s signatories—which include former leaders of American agricultural commodity and biofuels associations, farm leaders, and former USDA officials—pointed to Trump’s tariffs on imported goods and his mass deportation policies as particularly harmful.
“It is clear that the current administration’s actions, along with congressional inaction,” the letter states, “have increased costs for farm inputs, disrupted overseas and domestic markets, denied agriculture its reliable labor pool, and defunded critical [agricultural] research and staffing.” - Common Dreams
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Farmers are taking a big hit from Trump policies
This is being underreported in “legacy” media, of course.
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Nobody asked but I am offering my thoughts on HR 7567 the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026.
ReplyDeleteIt is a big political win for House Republicans re-election campaigns.
Brad Finstad's resume finally has something that he can talk about ... recognizing the Bald Eagle and getting House approval of new zip code for Springwater township (HR3095) aside, Brad's legislative accomplishments are zilch.
But the Farm bill will be something he can crow about ... as I now expect it will get a floor vote and easily pass with Democrat votes. In 2024, the bill passed out of committee 33-21 but this morning (1:39 AM), it passed 34-17 with seven Democrats voting against Angie Craig's efforts and with Finstad. The 2024 bill never got a floor vote ... as I suspect that many of the 2018 GOP (Virginia Foxx and Jim Jordan notably) would have voted NO in the 2024 vote. A vote in 2024 would have put some Republicans in distress if it did not pass out of the House but 2026 is a different year. This farm bill was written by Republicans (yes there a many bipartisan proposals included but those would be in any farm bill) while the next one, if the Dems take the House, would be designed by the Democrats ... so better to vote now and get Trump to sign it before Sept 30 (when the 2025 extension expires) and put it to bed until 2029 / 2030.
FYI, this farm bill did not include year-round E15 (an amendment by Democrat Eric Sorenson was not accepted)
Most of the amendments were approved on a straight party line vote but a handful did have a few Republicans agreeing with the Democrat offered amendments ( Don Bacon and Derrik Van Order in particular) ... on one amendment Kat Cammack changed her vote making it a rejected amendment (which produces yelps from the members of "c'mon ... help a veteran).
Now, the countdown begins ... when will the Agriculture Committee send the bill to Speaker and when will he schedule a vote.
Just my thoughts.
Mac Hall