Played for suckers: Kansas farmer blasts Trump voters in scathing editorial | Opinion (Barf)

Alternet ^ | Feb 17, 2025 | Ben Palen, Kansas Reflector

[where's_the_Outrage?]

Back in November, I wrote a column for Kansas Reflector that discussed the likely adverse effects of President Trump’s proposed tariffs on U.S. farmers.

The piece noted that 398 million acres of cropland has been added to the mix around the world since the start of this century, notably in tropical regions such as Brazil and India. There is increasing competition for U.S. farmers in export markets. The United States alone cannot absorb all that we produce here.

Many farmers voted for Trump because he promised less regulation and greater prosperity for America’s farmers. The hard truth is that, like most of the folks who voted for Trump, farmers failed to do their homework about the reality of the new administration. All of this has occurred in the context of higher input costs and tight margins for virtually all crops.

We are now living and working in an environment where the only constant is chaos. Chaos produces uncertainty, and that leads to loss of trust. The buyers of U.S. farm products are not going to deal with nations that cannot be trusted. There are plenty of options in today’s world for those buyers to bypass the United States. Why on God’s green earth would they put up with the insanity that we have in Washington now?

It is almost laughable that some Republicans have come to the defense of Trump’s proposed tariffs, and that some of those same Republicans have promised to help the farmers who feel the impact.

[where's_the_Outrage?]

Major TDS here. The author makes it sound like farmers need to plow under their crops as Trump tariffs are destroying farmers.

But wait, how may crops are growing in Kansas right now, under the snow?

So in less than a month Trump failed because things didn't change on day 1 like he promised. /sarc

[Red Badger]

Let me guess.....

His bureaucrat was fired.....................

[dfwgator]

How much USAID money did he get?

[9YearLurker]

Here’s an idea: Produce a little less, but make it less poisonous. Start to restore your soil. Stop with the dependence on insanity like ethanol. Throw away your dependence on Monsanto. Etc. Etc.

[AndyJackson]

And they don't complain about the tariffs in the countries to which they are trying to export, or is this not about tariffs at all and instead is about someone keeping his deepstate grift, which I will assume until proven otherwise.

The burden of proof on fraud has now shifted to the defender and not the accuser.

[BenLurkin]

When you lose the Kansas Reflector....

[kawhill]

“All of this has occurred in the context of higher input costs and tight margins for virtually all crops.” Those higher input costs and tight margins started under Biden. Last time Trump was around I had four pretty good years....as a Kansas farmer/rancher.

[AndyJackson]

Great minds. In the words of Arlo Guthrie - it’s a movement.

[Resolute Conservative]

“The United States alone cannot absorb all that we produce here” That is an outright lie.

[No name given]

Exactly.

[Gay State Conservative]

Ten bucks says that he's a “gentleman farmer”...worth millions. So like most obscenely wealthy people he votes Rat.

[No name given]

Or he’s a Commiefornia transplant.

[dfwgator]

He’s as much of a “farmer” as Algore was.

[Jane Long]

How much USAID money did he get?

---

That’s the question that MUST be asked about all of these butt hurt, whining leftists.

[Dr. Sivana]

“The United States alone cannot absorb all that we produce here” That is an outright lie.

In many areas, we are a net food exporter, but we also import a lot of food too to save money. The tariffs actually make U.S. grown apples, for instance, a better deal for bottlers. Look at apple juice bottles in the store, only a couple of brands (e.g. TreeTop) state Made in USA. Mott's doesn't. Unlike some fruits, apples store pretty well, and the Washington Valley can make plenty for all, and yet we still import apple-based foods and drinks.

[rktman]

Yup, eggs and gas have gone up where we are. Anyone thinking grocery, gasoline, electricity etc would drop by half after day one don’t have a grasp on how things work. Hang in there oh he doubters. Oh, and its never gonna drop by half in most areas. So, chaos ahead!

[dfwgator]

It took over two years for Reagan’s economy to get going, there were some pretty dark times before that.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

You nailed it. This guy sounds like a shill for ADM.

[EBH]

I have seen some commentary on this in other forums.

Remember most American farmers are heavily dependent on the government. As the fiscal budget changes farmers should be aware of those changes and plan accordingly. Some will and some will complain and some will lose all together.

Remember RFK is all about MAHA and it all starts with our foods and crops.

I am a small business person. But as the economic climate changes I have to be nimble and in some cases to maintain my profit margin I have to leave some service areas some years and several years later expand again. I have to adjust for my business to survive and that doesn’t always mean volume of business...it means margins.

If Trumps tariffs are negatively impacting a farmer’s margins...he needs to pivot to support his margins and not worry about the volume of business. If he doesn’t...his farm will fail. In order to meet the demand for healthy food, it is going to change how one farms. Our depleted soils and land demands a change. And it demands the government change how it supports farmers/ranchers etc.

Our farms are in a ‘dust bowl’ moment.

[rktman]

Yup! Could be stressful for a bit but much needs done before mid term elections.