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.
Dan Basse, president of Ag Resource Company in Chicago, says corn was pressured by the fast planting pace of 12% nationally and a slightly more open forecast for the next week or so.
A new report from Bloomberg Law shows family farm bankruptcies had already increased by 55% last year compared to 2023, and to start 2025, the number of bankruptcies is already exceeding the same time last year.
The original proposal would have resulted in millions of dollars of fees per vessel, thus lowering commodity prices. The revisions, however, have some key exemptions that are net positive for U.S. agriculture.
Growers are grappling with a second consecutive year of waning demand and no home for their grapes. The issue is complex with non-tariff trade barriers hitting the wine industry especially hard and a flood of imports that are creating cheap wine with which U.S. grape growers can’t compete.
On a recent trade mission to Vietnam, South Dakota farmers found out the tariffs being proposed by the Trump administration are a huge concern for exporters.
Chuck Shelby with Risk Management Commodities says grain markets continue to see profit taking after the recent relief rally pushed old crop corn, soybeans and wheat up into technical resistance on the charts.
Soybeans and cotton are currently taking the brunt of Trump’s still-developing trade policies, and one ag economist thinks its still too early to tell how the situation will impact renewable fuels and land ownership.
Brian Grete, Pro Farmer, says grains see a healthy correction on profit taking after hitting resistance. Cattle continue to recover with the S&P but for how long?
In times of chaos, it’s best to go back to the basics of basis and price. Effective risk management has little room for mistakes, but that doesn’t mean it has to be perfect.
Bryan Doherty, Total Farm Marketing, says the way the markets shook off the escalating trade war with China was impressive but it will take several factors converging to keep the momentum going.