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U.S. Agriculture Tariffs Impact - Fewer Buyers, Lower Prices
When the Trump administration imposed tariffs on Chinese goods, China responded with its own tariffs, targeting key U.S. farm products like soybeans, corn, and pork. The result? A strong decline in exports.
U.S. agricultural exports to China fell from $19.5 billion in 2017 to $9.2 billion in 2018, according to the USDA. Farmers were left with surplus crops, lower prices, and uncertainty about the future.
Many farmers across the Midwest have reported financial stress. For some, the losses were so severe they had to delay equipment purchases or refinance land. In Iowa, for example, net farm income dropped by nearly 25% between 2017 and 2020, largely due to trade disruptions.
John Huffman, a soybean farmer in Missouri, said in an interview with Investigate Midwest, “We’ve lost one of our biggest customers, China. It’s hard to recover from that.” To provide relief, the Trump administration introduced the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), which paid farmers to offset lost income. But critics say it didn’t go far enough.
The program paid out $28 billion between 2018 and 2020, yet many small farmers felt the aid mostly helped big farms. According to the Environmental Working Group, the top 10% of recipients received over 50% of the aid.
Why Do Farmers Support Trump Tariffs?
Despite the financial impact, many farmers continue to support Trump’s tough stance on China.
“It’s about the long game,” says Rick Rogers, a corn farmer from Illinois. “We’ve been taken advantage of for too long. I’m willing to take a short-term hit if it means fair trade in the future.”
Others believe that standing up to China’s trade practices is necessary, even if the cost is high.
Agricultural economists argue the tariffs have done more harm than good. Scott Irwin, a professor at the University of Illinois, told Investigate Midwest: “We lost export markets that we may never fully regain. The damage is long-term.”
He adds, “Farmers are patriotic, but they also have bills to pay. Policy needs to support both.”
As traditional markets grow more unstable, many farmers and agricultural suppliers are turning to online marketplaces for better global reach and stable pricing. Digital B2B platforms are offering a new lifeline.
Websites like Tradewheel.com, Made-in-China, and other USA-based online wholesale platforms allow buyers and sellers to connect directly. These platforms help U.S. farmers list and sell their produce at competitive rates, reaching international customers even amid tariff challenges.
Trump’s tariffs were meant to protect American workers and industries, but for many farmers, they’ve resulted in lost income and fewer opportunities. Still, many farmers stay loyal to Trump because they are frustrated with how China handles trade.
