October 12 is National Farmers’ Day in America, and the federal government is shut down, again, with at least 42,000 employees of the Department of Agriculture furloughed. A time usually reserved for thanking farmers for providing safe, affordable, and sustainable food is obscured by political bickering and brinksmanship. All the while, no one is able to move the ball forward on a bailout package that the Trump administration had promised for America’s hurting farmers. And they are hurting.
Farm production expenses have increased by $12 billion compared to last year, as the Trump administration’s trade war slams agricultural inputs, and its deportation approach has made agricultural labor shortages worse. The planned bailout through direct payments is rumored to cost between $10-$15 billion and draw from tariff revenues, and would need approval from an absentee Congress.
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Bill Wirtz 
Mr. Wirtz,
I thoroughly enjoyed and agreed with your opinion, “Friend or Foe?” My two brothers and I worked on farms (hired help) in the 70’s & 80’s when some of the farmer’s sons and daughters were looking for other ventures instead of taking over the family business, thus requiring our help to bale hay, clean pens, etc. It was on those farms that I came to realize the reality of how the farm to table process worked and how much it impacted local farmers in their decision making process.
The 80’s really showed how much the average American misunderstood the farm crisis until it was too late. I know how many farmers I’ve worked for tended to be GOP voters but I knew if Trump got elected those farmers would be getting hurt by his policies, especially tariffs and the resulting effect on the economy. Very few people listen to me when I explain the cause and effect of those policies on farmers and ranchers today because they feel it doesn’t affect them….for now. The tactics used on immigrants that those farmers and ranchers rely upon to help them get their product to market and stay in business is going to be huge when the price of produce goes up because of limited supplies. Mechanization can only work so far. There is still a lot of “hands on” work that are needed in those fields that are being deported, jailed, or are leaving in fear for their lives!
I foresee a cold and chilling winter and spring for farmers across the board unless Trump and Co. do something to open up their markets to our farmers, but alas, China buying from South American farmers now, it’s too late I think. I am a radio personality and our station (Plano, Illinois, 60 miles west of Chicago) is one of the few, if not one of the last stations, to still be doing some farm programming on our stations. If no one is there to hear the tree fall in the forest, does it make a noise? I fear that’s what farmers are saying to D.C. and themselves once again.
Keep up the great work.
Sincerely, Chris Schwemlein. WSPY-FM 107.1 Operations Director