The tariff war is "killing" American farmers - the US agricultural sector laments the huge damage caused by the tariff war

"The number of bankruptcies among American farmers has doubled", "The economic situation of American agriculture continues to deteriorate", "American agriculture is facing widespread collapse" ... In a letter sent to the US Congress recently, representatives of the American agricultural community described the tremendous harm caused to American agriculture by the Trump administration's tariff policy.
This letter, sent on February 3rd, was jointly signed by 27 senior leaders, executives, and experts in the American agricultural sector, as well as former senior officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The signatories include the American Soybean Association, the National Corn Growers Association, the National Barley Growers Association, the National Pork Producers Council, the National Dairy Federation, the Grain Association, and the former presidents and CEOs of the Renewable Fuels Association.
In their letter, they pointed out that the tariff policy "artificially inflates the cost of agricultural inputs and directly robs money from the pockets of American farmers, which is completely unreasonable." They believed that the Trump administration's imposition of tariffs on agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, and agricultural machinery parts directly pushed up farmers' production costs, making them far higher than the prices of bulk commodities. The arbitrariness and lack of specificity of these tariff policies "not only failed to revitalize the US manufacturing industry, but instead dealt a heavy blow to the US agricultural economy.".
The letter expresses particular concern over the loss of international market access for US agricultural products due to tax increases and countermeasures taken by various countries against terrorism. It points out that compared to the record agricultural trade surplus and farm income a few years ago, the United States is now facing a historic agricultural trade deficit. The letter specifically highlights the adverse impact of the trade war with China, using soybeans as an example. In 2018, US whole soybeans accounted for 47% of the global export market; now, this proportion has dropped to only 24.4%, with the market share almost halved.
Other US agricultural products have suffered similar losses. Brazil has now become a leading exporter of soybeans, cotton, beef, and chicken. Countries such as Argentina and Australia have also taken advantage of the market gap. The letter states, "The United States is no longer seen as a reliable supplier.".
In addition, the letter reveals that only barely half of the farms in the United States will be profitable this year. "When American farmers suffer heavy losses, the entire rural economy will be affected, from schools and churches to various township enterprises, none will be spared."
The letter urges the US Congress to "mend the fold after the sheep are lost", "immediately exempt all agricultural inputs from tariffs and abolish tariffs that disrupt agricultural export markets", and take prompt action to restore the stability and sustainability of the US agricultural economy.
Previously, in an open letter sent to leaders of both parties in Congress on January 15, 56 American agricultural organizations also pointed out that rural areas in the United States are experiencing an "economic crisis", and "American farmers, ranchers, and growers are facing extremely severe economic pressures, which are threatening the long-term viability of the agricultural sector in the United States". Farmers also feel deeply uncertain about their income prospects and market access.
The letter also points out that "an alarming number of (American) farmers have fallen into insolvency, with the number of farm bankruptcies continuing to rise. Many farmers may face significant difficulties in raising funds for the production of the next crop season."
The letter states: "Over the past three to four years, the input costs for agricultural production have consistently remained at historic highs, while the prices of crops and specialty crops have rapidly fallen to historic lows. This has led to significant losses for many American farmers, with nationwide losses approaching $100 billion. At the same time, the US agricultural trade deficit has continued to expand, and the US market share in global agricultural product sales has continued to decline, reflecting the increasingly fierce competitive pressure faced by (American agriculture) in the global market."
Both letters, written 20 days apart, urged the U.S. Congress to "provide urgently needed relief" to stabilize the U.S. agricultural economy and protect rural communities.
Jon Duggett, one of the signatories of one of the letters and former CEO of the National Corn Growers Association, told the media: "American farmers and ranchers are globally competitive, but they cannot compete with the outside world in a chaotic policy environment."
John Barrasso, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, admitted in a recent teleconference that American farmers are "losing money, and losing a lot of it.".
The American magazine "The Nation" stated that American farmers are "burning with anger" due to the Trump administration's tariff policy, presenting political opportunities for the Democratic Party. The media pointed out that although Trump announced in December last year that the federal government would provide a $12 billion relief package for American farmers, this "band-aid" relief is only equivalent to about one-third of the losses farmers will suffer in 2025 alone.
An article on the website of the "Investigate Midwest" organization in the United States states that due to rising costs, lower crop prices, and the impact of the trade war, economists predict that American crop farmers may face a net cash income loss of up to $44 billion in the 2025-2026 crop year.