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| Wisconsin Dairy Farmer hurting from tariffs |
Farmers of all kinds are being hurt by the President's Tariffs. From dairy farmers to vegetable farmers to lobster farmers. Some understand that President Trump is solely to blame. Others... well... When someone cuts your paycheck and makes it hard to pay your bills, or if you're a business owner and you take losses by the $100,000s -wouldn't you blame the person responsible for it, especially if the pay cut happened because they thought it "helpful to the country" (and it isn't)? Well, Farmers in Illinois don't blame Pres. Trump for their massive income losses as a result of his tariffs.
You'll also read how Lobster Tariffs are a massive threat to Maine's economy. STORY>>>
STORY ON LOBSTERS: China’s threatened tariff on lobster from U.S. has Maine’s industry on edge
It could put lobstermen at a price disadvantage of as much as 45% in their biggest overseas market, threatening a drop-off in sales that would ripple across the state's economy.
BY PENELOPE OVERTONSTAFF WRITER, PORTLAND PRESS HERALD
The Maine lobster industry is reeling at the prospect of losing its biggest overseas market.
Industry leaders warn that a proposed 25 percent Chinese tariff on U.S. lobster exports will drive U.S. lobster prices down, causing untold harm to an industry that was counting on China to offset market losses in Europe caused by a trade deal between Canada and the European Union. When the American lobster industry hurts, Maine’s economy does.
https://www.pressherald.com/2018/06/19/chinas-proposed-tariff-on-u-s-lobster-has-maine-industry-on-edge/
HERE'S STORY ON FARMERS AND DEVASTATING TARIFFS: Trump’s Tariffs Are Badly Hurting Farmers. Many Still Won’t Blame Him
SHERRARD, Illinois ― Krista Swanson is a fifth-generation farmer. So is her husband. They have three young daughters who they hope that, one day, will be the family’s sixth generation of corn and soybean growers.
That dream is looking dim right now. Here in central Illinois ― the number one soybean-producing state ― grain farmers have lost a whopping 20 to 25 percent of the value of their crops since March, when President Donald Trump unexpectedly announced $60 billion in tariffs on Chinese imports. China, which buys the bulk of U.S. soybean exports, responded in April with a 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybeans.
When Trump followed up in May with more tariffs, this time on trading partners like Canada and Mexico, Swanson watched the value of her crops plummet.
“You actually lose every day,” said Swanson, a member of the Knox County Farm Bureau. “You’re still paying to go to work and back, and make and buy lunch, but you’re losing money. Who would want to keep doing that, you know?”
For some context on the severity of the situation, Swanson said in March the average central Illinois grain farmer expected a net income of about $35,000 this year. Those farms are now “substantially” in the negative, she said.
Yet, asked if she’s angry at Trump for starting a trade war and potentially driving her family farm into the ground, Swanson wouldn’t blame him for anything. She compared it to farmers dealing with challenges like droughts or pests.
“We’re just hoping this doesn’t last a long time,” she said, “and that we can get to a point where we end up in a better place.”
HuffPost talked to eight grain farmers in the region, which overwhelmingly voted for Trump in 2016, and we asked them how his tariffs have affected their business. Nearly all had the same response: They fear economic ruin if Trump doesn’t resolve the situation soon, but they won’t criticize him for causing an international rift that threatens their livelihoods.
Mike Zecher, president of the Mercer County Farm Bureau, said he had been hoping to replace his main tractor for planting season because it’s almost eight years old. But because of the uncertainty of tariffs, any decisions on replacing equipment have to wait.
Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-tariffs-farmers-soybeans_us_5b646da2e4b0de86f4a0c5f4?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=__TheMorningEmail__080818&utm_content=__TheMorningEmail__080818+CID_c3679a41388dbdd41913ed478e8fb1e1&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=HuffPost&ncid=newsltushpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__080818
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