Summary
Trump’s new tariffs—10% across the board plus duties on 60 countries—threaten U.S. farmers already strained by high inflation, rising loan rates, and falling crop prices.
Unlike 2018, today’s farm economy offers less cushion, with depleted bailout funds and federal budget constraints limiting relief.
While herbicides and fertilizers are exempt, farmers fear retaliatory tariffs and export losses.
Farm groups and lawmakers urge moderation, prompting USDA to launch new trade initiatives. Still, widespread USDA staff cuts and uncertain support leave many farmers anxious, risking political fallout in key red states.
Trump won’t back down and this time it was purely this administration. I predict Congress will move to unwind it by addressing the national emergency after damage is done but before total disaster. He’ll then blame the democrats who helped create a supermajority for not letting him finish the job, but the real story is Republicans finally reining him in. That or the US economy is a molten crater by the end of summer.
Congress won’t do shit, too many loyalists.
Getting the house in almost two years might help. It would help most if we didn’t have to count on “centrist” Dems.
https://www.axios.com/2025/04/04/house-republican-plans-bill-to-let-congress-block-trump-tariffs
Congress won’t rein him in because they know Trump has an army of brown shirts who attacked Congress once already, and who owes Trump their freedom. Those J6 chuckleheads can openly attack Republicans with insufficient loyalty, and Trump will probably just pardon them again.