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US farmers backed Trump’s re-election. Now they feel the sting of his tariffs

With all trading partners now targeted, ‘anxious’ growers are likely to have a harder time finding new markets

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The tariffs mean businesses pay more to import US products, hurting American farmers’ competitiveness. Photo: AP

As President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs took effect this weekend, US farmers hoping for a profit this year instead found themselves facing lower crop prices – and the prospect of ceding more ground in foreign markets.

“We’re already getting below break-even at the current time,” said Jim Martin, a fifth-generation Illinois farmer who grows soybeans and corn.

“We knew it was coming,” he said of Trump’s tariffs. “I guess we’re anxious to see how things are going to eventually be resolved.”

The president’s 10 per cent “baseline” rate on goods from most US trading partners except Mexico and Canada took effect on Saturday.

And dozens of economies, including the European Union, China and India, are set to face even higher levels – tailored to each party – starting on Wednesday.

With talk of retaliation, farmers, a major support base in Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign, are again in the crossfire and bracing for losses.

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