Tariffs
Tariffs, also known as taxes on imported goods, are a tool used by President Donald Trump as part of his overall economic vision. As U.S. agriculture navigates tariffs and their implications on trade, commodity prices, input costs and more, ag economists and farmers remain divided on the effectiveness of tariffs and what the changes mean for the broader economy and livelihoods.
High feed costs, retail resistance and resuming Mexican imports signal lower prices, but structural supply limits offer downside protection.
China cuts tariffs on $60 billion in goods but holds soybeans as leverage for future negotiations, disappointing markets.
Prospects for peace weigh on wheat, corn and energy prices as president addresses geopolitical tensions ahead of China summit.
Ground beef demand remains strong as cattle producers push back on Trump’s latest beef import plan that sent cattle prices sinking. Ranchers say consumers don’t have a beef price problem — they have a fuel price problem.
Seeking to ease historic grocery inflation, the administration opens the doors to foreign beef, but the U.S. cattle industry says the move will hurt domestic herds. The announcement on Friday sent the futures markets lower.
Former US Trade Representative Bob Lighthizer says Mexico, not Canada, will be the biggest test in USMCA talks, citing trade deficits. That’s as agriculture leaders push to protect billions in North American trade.
The White House cites barriers to U.S. autos, alcohol and dairy as justification for the trade action.
At the Iowa Economic Summit, former USTR Bob Lighthizer warned farmers that China’s soy and meat buying is a short-term play, urging producers to “take off the rose-colored glasses” regarding long-term export risk.