Tariffs and Small Farms Pt 2
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. The impact of tariffs on small farms across the country is a hot topic right now in agriculture.
Brian Kuehl, Executive Director at Farmers for Free Trade says farm bankruptcy is a pretty good sign that something is going wrong, and for the small farms, it’s even worse ...
KUEHL … “The smaller guys can’t hold on so they sell out, they sell to the bigger guys and it changes the face of our community. It changes the face of our rural towns and it’s really important that we try to avoid that. So, I absolutely agree, we’ve got to hold on for the small folks and we’ve got to make sure that we continue to have a robust ag economy.”
Kuehl says it’s important for our political representatives to hear about how these tariffs are impacting hardworking farmers …
KUEHL … “They need to hear that these tariffs are having a real impact on farmers and on farmer’s lives. You know, farmers get squeezed two ways. One, we’re trying to sell our products overseas and that’s made harder by a trade war. And two, we’re relying on inputs, whether that’s farm chemicals, or fertilizer, or the steel that goes into tractors. All of that gets more expensive.”
And often times, Kuehl says far too expensive …
KUEHL … “So, farmers get squeezed on both ends and that’s where you see bankruptcies, people getting out of farming, suicides. These are all bad things that happen when farmers get squeezed.”
Kuehl says Farmers for Free Trade will be hosting town hall events across the country and would appreciate any and all input.
