American farmers, particularly those who supported President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, are grappling with severe economic challenges due to his administration’s aggressive immigration crackdowns and erratic tariff policies.
These policies have disrupted labor availability, frozen critical federal funding, and threatened export markets, leaving many rural communities on the brink of financial ruin.
Farmers across the United States are reeling from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that have targeted undocumented workers, a critical labor force in agriculture.
According to a June 21, 2025, Washington Post report, farmers like J.J. Ficke, a 36-year-old from Kirk, Colorado, are facing potential ruination.
Ficke, who voted for Trump, had secured a $200,000 federal grant to hire a seasonal farmhand from Latin America, but the grant was frozen in January 2025 as part of Trump’s suspension of billions in agricultural funding.
This left Ficke and over 140 other farmers without promised support, with more than 20 farmers requesting $4 million in owed funds, none of which were paid.
Wisconsin farmer Tracy Vinz echoed the sentiment, stating, “I’ve employed Americans, and they quit after a few days.
They quit after a few hours.”
Similarly, Georgia produce farmer Mitch Lawson noted that American workers often don’t last a full day, highlighting the reliance on immigrant labor.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that 42% of crop farmworkers lack legal status, underscoring the scale of the labor crisis triggered by Trump’s deportation policies.
In Vermont, dairy farmers who supported Trump are now anxious as ICE raids have detained workers, with one farmer lamenting, “All the dairy farmers who voted for Trump were under the impression they weren’t going to come on farms and take our guys.”
The state’s $3.6 billion dairy industry, responsible for 63% of New England’s milk, is particularly vulnerable, with Vermont’s Secretary of Agriculture questioning, “Who’s going to milk the cows?”
President Trump acknowledged the issue on June 12, 2025, via Truth Social, stating, “Our great Farmers… have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace.”
He promised “changes are coming,” and on June 20, 2025, posts on X indicated Trump proposed allowing farms to sponsor migrant workers under a system where farmers assume responsibility for them.
However, no concrete policy changes have been implemented, according to sources familiar with the administration’s plans.
Tariff Policies Disrupt Markets and Raise Costs
Trump’s tariff policies have compounded the crisis.
On March 3, 2025, Trump announced on Truth Social that tariffs on external agricultural products would begin April 2, 2025, urging farmers to produce for domestic markets.
However, agricultural exports generate $180 billion annually, and retaliatory tariffs from trading partners like China, Canada, and Mexico threaten to shrink these markets.
During Trump’s first term, trade wars necessitated a $23 billion bailout for farmers in 2018 and 2019, and the current scale of proposed tariffs—25% on goods from Canada and Mexico—could require even larger interventions.
West Virginia farmer Jennifer Gilkerson, interviewed by NBC News on March 14, 2025, expressed shock at cuts to USDA programs, leaving her with unsold freeze-dried fruits costing thousands to produce.
Iowa farmer Bob Hemesath warned that losing export markets to competitors like Brazil could be permanent, stating, “Once you lose those markets to other suppliers, it’s very hard to get them back.”
Kansas agricultural consultant Ben Palen, writing for the Kansas Reflector on February 12, 2025, criticized farmers for supporting Trump without researching his policies, noting that tariffs increase costs for fertilizer, equipment, and fuel while programs like the 45Z tax credit and export assistance face uncertainty.
North Carolina farmers, still recovering from drought and flooding, are also struggling, with farmer Ethan Jordan awaiting $77,000 in USDA funds to cover losses from 1,600 acres of crops.
Trump’s suspension of federal payments, including programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Rural Energy for America Program, has left farmers financially exposed.
Maryland flower farmer Laura Beth Resnick told the Washington Post on February 10, 2025, that she invested $73,000 in solar panels expecting USDA reimbursement, only to face potential ruin when funds were frozen.
Although a federal judge blocked the freeze, many farmers report that funding remains in limbo.
Vegetable farmers Jacob and Jennifer Thomas, who took a 10% hit to their bottom line after Trump cut $1 billion from programs supplying produce to schools and food banks, expressed frustration and depression.
Winemaker Bryan Zesiger called the cuts “earth-shattering and life-changing,” reflecting a growing sense of betrayal among Trump’s rural base.
Farmers Rethink Support Amid Economic Hardship
The combination of labor shortages, tariff-induced market losses, and funding cuts has led some farmers to reconsider their support for Trump.
John Nichols, a reporter from rural Wisconsin, noted on MSNBC on May 23, 2025, that farmers are in a “real crisis situation” due to uncertainty over export markets and tariffs.
Polls show growing opposition to Trump’s trade policies among his rural supporters.
Washington State farmer Jim Moyer, quoted by NPR on May 19, 2025, highlighted the difficulty of rebuilding trade relationships disrupted by tariffs, while merchandiser Byron Behne questioned Trump’s vague messaging, such as his call to “have fun” with domestic production.
The Atlantic reported on April 16, 2025, that soybean farmers in red states face political and economic fallout, with China’s reciprocal 125% tariffs potentially shifting demand to Brazil, exacerbating environmental concerns like Amazon deforestation.
Farmers are calling for solutions, including legal pathways for farmworkers and bailouts to offset tariff losses.
A Reddit user on June 21, 2025, suggested that farm laborers should receive legal documentation and livable wages, estimating that a $21-per-hour wage in rural Wisconsin would only increase food prices by 20% at most.
Automation is another option, with companies like Oxbo and Global Unmanned Spray System promoting labor-saving technologies, though these cannot fully replace human workers for tasks like fruit picking.
As the 2026 midterms approach, the economic fallout from Trump’s policies could erode his support in rural America.
Farmers like Ficke, facing drought, rising costs, and potential Medicaid cuts, are navigating relentless uncertainty.
Kassidee Ficke, J.J.’s wife, worried about their daughter’s healthcare, asking, “How would the couple, who had no health insurance, pay for their daughter’s care if the administration and Congress gutted Medicaid?”
Trump’s promise of “changes” remains vague, and with no immediate relief in sight, American farmers are left to bear the consequences of policies they once supported.
As Texas farmer Travis Johnson told The Guardian on April 15, 2025, “No farmer wants this, but without a bailout, this could be devastating, and a lot more people could go under.”
Back to Daily Market News.
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