Trump tariffs spark devastating ‘Farmageddon’ farm crisis across Midwest
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In May, I warned that America’s agricultural economy was under attack; Tariffs, Department of Agriculture program cuts and political posturing in Washington are impacting farmers from farm gate to dinner plate. Four months later, this situation became even worse.
On the other side of the Midwest, idle units and warehouses are overflowing with unsold grain. Corn prices have fallen almost 50 percent since 2022. Soybeans fell by 40 percent. Fertilizer and equipment costs are in double digits. And 8 in 10 farmers now say they believe the United States is on the verge of another agricultural crisis reminiscent of the 1980s. They even gave it a name: Farmageddon.
This time the crisis is not a result of macroeconomic conditions; It’s a direct result of decisions made by the White House. President Donald Trump’s reckless tariff war is crushing American farmers.
President Donald Trump speaks to the media after exiting Marine One on the south lawn of the White House on October 5, 2025. (Thoss Katopodis/Getty Images)
Take soybeans. China retaliated against U.S. tariffs by boycotting U.S. soybeans entirely, causing bumper crops to rot in silos in Ohio, Iowa and Illinois. Meanwhile, new tariffs on fertilizer, steel and equipment have increased production costs for nearly every product and commodity.
TRUMP’S TARIFFS are forcing CHINA to feel the heat
The math doesn’t explain anything: higher costs on the front end, lower prices, and less market on the back end. This is a problem that no amount of imagination can solve.
As U.S. farmers struggled to ship their grain, the administration completed a bailout for Argentina; This country turned around and made a deal with China to buy its soybeans instead of ours. Consider this: Washington bails out a rival firm to our farmers on the brink of crisis.
Unfortunately, we saw the same movie with Trump’s latest trade war. Farm bankruptcies have reached record levels and Brazil has moved away from our export markets. Now Argentina is lining up to do the same. And everyone knows that once you lose market share, you rarely get it back.
It’s not just economics. It’s extremely personal. It’s the difference between continuing the family farm for another generation and auctioning off the tractor. These are the wrinkles on an Ohio farmer’s face as he tries to tell me that he’s not sure if he wants his children to have this lifestyle.
TRUMP IS USING THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN TO DO SOMETHING NO PRESIDENT HAS DONE
The White House is making the situation even more difficult. Despite complete control of Washington, the president’s party shut down the government rather than expand enhanced premium tax credits that would keep health care affordable. Finding affordable healthcare as a farmer is difficult enough as it stands. But now premiums will increase rapidly. In fact, premiums in rural countries are projected to increase by an average of 107%; This is a larger increase than in our cities.
Moreover, when the USDA closes, farmers are also excluded. This means delays in critical farm loans, conservation payments and disaster relief. It’s a double whammy for farmers: There’s no market, there’s no safety net, and now there’s no one to pick up the phone.
What is the solution? The president is preparing a $14 billion rescue package for farmers; This is a temporary solution to a self-inflicted wound. We saw how this went in the first trade war, where payments were mismanaged and failed to help the hardest-hit farmers.
Even the president’s allies are skeptical. I agree with Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., who said funding bailouts with tariff revenues is “like putting a Band-Aid on a cancer.” Farmers don’t want a bailout; They want a fair shake. They want open markets, stable policies and a government that has their back.
So let’s be clear: There is a way out of this mess.
DO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S TARIFFS REALLY WORK?
First, reopen the government and expand the enhanced premium tax credits that a quarter of all farmers rely on. It’s time to restore USDA to full strength and ensure rural families can afford their health insurance.
Second, end the trade war that is gutting American agriculture. Stop punishing the people who feed and sustain this country.
Third, if the president does not end his reckless trade war, Congress should step in to reclaim our constitutional authority over tariff policy. I plan to introduce legislation soon that would require USDA to report the impact of any proposed tariff on the farming country, giving farmers an extra tool to plan for the future. I invite my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join.
And finally, let’s expand domestic markets by allowing E15 fuel year-round. This is a common-sense, bipartisan step that will increase corn demand, lower gas prices, and strengthen our energy independence.
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This is just a start but our farmers need a real plan.
Because what is happening in agricultural land is not a distant problem. This is America’s problem. When farms fail, towns become quiet. When farmers stop buying seeds, tractors and feed, the hardware store closes, the restaurant becomes empty and the local school loses its tax base. The ripple effects in food costs and the strength of our economy are reaching every kitchen table in America.
President Trump can end this crisis today by reopening the government and ending the trade war that has brought the farming nation to the brink. And if he doesn’t, Congress should step up and do it on his behalf.
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Because it’s not just about crops or commodities. It’s about a way of life that nourishes our nation, nourishes our economy, and defines who we are.
If we let this slip away, we’ll have no one to blame but ourselves.
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