Kathrine Frich
They’re very, very frustrated with the way this has been handled
Working the land requires optimism and endurance.
But even the most resilient agricultural communities have a breaking point. Now, deep frustration is bubbling up across rural America.
A growing rural crisis
Agricultural workers historically form a massive pillar of Republican support. That traditional loyalty is cracking ahead of the midterm elections.
According to The Washington Post, more than 300 farms filed for bankruptcy last year. Agricultural debt will likely hit a staggering $624.7 billion.
Rural approval for President Donald Trump fell to 50 percent in a recent Reuters-Ipsos poll. High fertilizer prices linked to the conflict in Iran have left families struggling.
Nebraska farmer Scott Thomsen shared his shifting views with the newspaper.
“I’m pretty disenfranchised as a voter right now, and I think I’m not the only one,” Thomsen said. “Either I’m going to completely sit these elections out, or I’m going to vote down the line, incumbents out.”
A catastrophic new pest
Beyond economic strain, livestock producers face a brutal biological threat. The New World screwworm recently reappeared in Texas after decades of eradication.
Checking massive cattle herds for the parasite requires immense manual labor. West Texas rancher Justin Belcher explained that hiring enough workers would erase his remaining profits.
“If we did that, we wouldn’t be making any money at all whatsoever,” Belcher said. “This would not be a business at that point. This would be a hobby.”
Even fierce administration loyalists are criticizing the federal response. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller warned the situation could bring serious political consequences.
“They’re very, very frustrated with the way this has been handled and that we’re not doing enough,” Miller stated. “It could have some adverse effects in the midterms.”
Looking for solutions
The White House has attempted to calm the anger. Officials recently implemented a summer bailout and secured a major soybean deal with China.
Critics argue these fixes miss the core problem. Wisconsin Democratic candidate Rebecca Cooke noted that communities want functional trading systems over federal checks.
“Farmers don’t want government handouts, which Trump is proposing to give money back to people,” Cooke said. “They want stable marketplaces to be able to sell their goods to the world.”
For many, time is running out. Farm Action Fund president Joe Maxwell highlighted the shifting mood.
“A lot of farmers today have lost and are losing faith and are feeling betrayed,” Maxwell said. “They’re not seeing an ‘America First’ agenda.”
Sources: The Washington Post, Reuters-Ipsos
