Rollins Op-Ed
Nobody knows more than Idaho farmers how tough things have gotten economically. Many people belonging to the ag community here worry very much about their future. That said,U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins published an opinion piece in USA TODAY highlighting actions the Trump Administration is taking to protect American farmers and I thought you should hear it.
“Under President Joe Biden, the cost of doing business increased drastically, and commodity prices slumped after the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war. Between 2020 and this year, seed costs increased 18%, fuel was up 32%, fertilizer went up 37%, labor went up 47%, and interest expenses shot up by a whopping 73%," said Secretary Rollins. "While American farmers face historic pressures, President Donald Trump reminded them he is their greatest champion. That’s why President Trump directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a bridge to support American agricultural producers while new trade deals take effect and give input costs time to come down. This new aid program is a limited but critical bridge to the improvements President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made through the One Big Beautiful Bill. The bridge funding will assist farmers until input costs and inflation go down.”
