20 • March | April 2026 • abasto.com Tariffs are tools, not toys. Without stability, planning for 2026 will become increasingly difficult.” Nick Levendofsky executive director of the Kansas Farmers Union. Call for Stable Trade Policy While farmers recognize the need to correct unfair trade practices, they insisted that blanket tariffs do not solve problems such as dumping, currency manipulation, or unequal labor standards. They called on Congress to take a greater role in trade policy and to adopt clear rules that enable confident planning. Expansion Plans on Hold in Montana In Montana, rancher Ben Peterson explained that the impact of tariffs on farmers has made risk manage- ment nearly impossible. His diversi- fied operation, which includes lives- tock, grains, and forage, depends on global markets even when he sells locally. Production costs continue to rise. A respiratory vaccine for calves went from costing $3.50 to about $6 in just over a year. The price of farm equi- pment remains high, and parts are scarcer and more expensive. Given this outlook, Peterson decided to put expansion plans on hold, delay machinery purchases, and postpone infrastructure improvements. “When you plan for a season, you commit capital months or years in advance,” he said. “Now the risk is too high.” The Impact of Tariffs on Farmers and Exports Nick Levendofsky, executive director of the Kansas Farmers Union, no- ted that tariffs hit export-dependent crops the hardest. Kansas depends on international markets for products such as wheat, soybeans, and sorghum. When ta- riffs trigger trade retaliation, prices fall, and contracts become more un- certain. Economists project that opera- ting costs could increase by 4% for corn and 6% for soybeans by 2026, above the USDA’s most recent es- timates. Fertilizers, chemicals, re- pairs, and fuel continue to become more expensive. Sorghum is a clear example. Its pri- ce fell below $3 per bushel, and some grain elevators are already warning that they may not accept the crop next season. “Farmers don’t set prices; we ac- cept them,” Levendofsky said. “Hi- gher food prices do not mean higher incomes for farmers.” Effects on Farm Communities Participants warned that the impact goes beyond the farm. Uncertainty slows machinery purchases, affects local manufacturers and suppliers, and makes it difficult to bring new generations into family farms. Lehman explained that farmers are forced to focus on survival, put- ting innovation and long-term plan- ning on the back burner. “We can handle low markets,” he said. “What we can’t handle is cons- tant unpredictability.” • Continuation of page 18 Special Insert Agriculture industry