Economic And Trade Issues For Farm Country Continue To Pile Up

While there is a rebound in ag exports for 2025 and 2026, growth remains below desired levels.  Now policy measures out of Washington D.C., such as President Trump’s decision to allow tariff-free beef imports, are creating even higher levels of uncertainty for farmers and ranchers.  Dr. Ernie Goss, regional economist at Creighton University, said there’s not much happy news for agriculture at the moment.

“We had China, of course, in 2024, and of course we saw exports to China in terms of livestock and agriculture and livestock take a real hit," Goss said.  "Now 2026, we're coming back.  We're seeing a rebound there in the Chinese exports, but still not as strong as we'd like to see them.  And now this.”

Goss, who compiles the monthly Rural Mainstreet Index, also pointed out the trade dispute with Canada, one of our top two trading partners, is adding to the anxiety.

“That's a chief export market for some of the agricultural products that sold from farmers in this part of the country," Goss said.  "That's important as well.  So again, it just reinforces this uncertainty that the farmer and rancher is facing.”

The last time the US faced an ag income downturn, there was a $12 billion government subsidy for the farm sector.  Now with a $40 trillion deficit, Goss says there's not much motivation in Congress or the administration to spend more money, on ag or anything else.

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