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On April 2, 2025, President Donald Trump announced tariffs that prompted sharply different reactions across agriculture. Farm groups and some lawmakers warned that higher input costs, retaliation and lost export access could squeeze producers; supporters argued tariffs could pressure trading partners to lower barriers and open markets. The phrase “This trade war will force farms to close” was a warning from House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig—not a report that farms had already closed because of the announcement.
What tariffs were announced in April 2025?
In its April 4, 2025 coverage, Successful Farming / Agriculture.com reported that the announcement called for a 10% tariff on imported goods from all countries beginning April 5, with higher country-specific rates scheduled for April 9. The article said USMCA-compliant goods were exempt; non-compliant goods from Mexico and Canada remained subject to 25% duties, while energy and potash were listed at 10%. It also noted that details still needed confirmation. These are the announced terms as reported at that time, not a current tariff schedule.
Reactions were divided over the likely costs and benefits. A contemporaneous Reuters report carried by Investing.com likewise described farm and food groups as largely critical, while beef and seafood groups were more positive.
Why did farm groups warn about costs and retaliation?
Critics focused on two exposures: farms buy imported supplies, and many U.S. producers depend on export markets. Tariffs can raise costs for imported inputs such as fertilizer and specialized tools; retaliation by trading partners could make U.S. products less competitive abroad. The organizations’ statements expressed concerns about those risks, not measured outcomes from the April announcement.
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Farm Bureau and Farmers Union
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said the organization shared the administration’s goal of a level playing field but warned that increased tariffs could threaten farmers’ economic sustainability. He pointed to losses on most major crops over the preceding three years. The article also cited the Farm Bureau’s statement that more than 20% of farm income comes from exports.
National Farmers Union President Rob Larew warned that family farmers and ranchers would bear the brunt of a global trade war, with potential harm to rural economies and consumers.
Crop and produce groups
National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman Jr. said, “Approximately 15% of the U.S. corn crop is exported every year, and international markets are critical to our bottom line.” The article described the association as representing more than 300,000 farmers. It also said the American Soybean Association represented nearly 500,000 soybean farmers.
International Fresh Produce Association CEO Cathy Burns distinguished targeted tariffs from broad ones: she said targeted use could address trade inequities, while broad application could disrupt markets, raise consumer costs and strain growers and producers across the supply chain.
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What did Angie Craig mean by “force farms to close”?
Craig, the Democratic ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, warned: “The losses from this trade war will force farms to close.” She linked the warning to higher input costs, reduced export access and retaliation. It was a prediction about possible consequences, not confirmation that farms had closed as a result of the April 2025 announcement.
Craig also cited $30 billion in lost exports during the 2018 Trump administration trade wars. That figure was her claim as quoted in the article; the coverage does not independently establish it as a verified measure.
Who supported the tariff strategy, and why?
Not all agricultural interests opposed the approach. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and some Republican lawmakers supported tariffs as leverage against trade barriers or as a way to pursue new market access.
NCBA senior vice president of government affairs Ethan Lane said the president was acting to address trade barriers that kept overseas consumers from accessing American beef. This reflects the association’s position; it does not establish that tariffs would secure new access or outweigh possible costs.
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| Question | Concern raised by critics | Case made by supporters |
|---|---|---|
| Farm inputs | Tariffs could increase the cost of imported fertilizer, specialized tools and other supplies. | Tariffs could be used as leverage to address trade barriers. |
| Export markets | Retaliation could reduce access or make U.S. products less competitive abroad; export-dependent producers may be exposed. | Pressure on trading partners could lead to lower barriers and new market access. |
| Timing and uncertainty | Costs and market disruptions could arrive before any bargaining gains, leaving producers and consumers facing uncertainty. | Short-term pressure might support longer-term trade concessions. |
| Industry perspective | Crop and produce groups emphasized export reliance, supply-chain strain and the risk of broad tariffs. | Beef interests emphasized overseas barriers and opportunities to expand access. |
These are stakeholder arguments, not a controlled assessment of tariff effects. Outcomes would depend on final policy details, trading partners’ responses and the exposure of particular commodities and farms.
What this means for farm households and consumers
For a farm household, the practical issue is how a policy change might affect both sides of the business: the cost of supplies and the price or availability of markets for its products. The groups’ statements identify those channels but do not quantify what any individual farm would pay or lose. Consumers were also part of the concern raised by the Farmers Union and produce association, which warned that trade disruptions or higher costs could reach rural economies and supply chains.
Because the tariff terms described in the April 2025 article were a dated announcement and details were still being confirmed, they should not be used alone to estimate current costs, prices or farm income.
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