MADISON, Wis. — Senator Tammy Baldwin recently met with Wisconsin farmers in Bryan Steil’s district to discuss the long-lasting harm the Congressman and the Trump administration’s illegal war with Iran along with tariff taxes have had on their farming business. Farmers are already feeling the economic toll Republican of these policies, with one farmer sharing how he has already exceeded total fuel costs from last year just halfway through this year.
Read the transcript or watch the video here for more about how Republican tariff taxes and the illegal war with Iran are harming farmers:
PBS: Wisconsin Soybean Farmers Decry Fuel, Fertilizer Cost Spikes
Frederica Freyberg:
Wisconsin farmers say they continue to take economic hits, what with global tariffs and fuel and fertilizer held up in the Strait of Hormuz. Sen. Tammy Baldwin talked with farmers in Janesville this week. Among their complaints was the price of diesel, used to run everything from farm machinery to water irrigation. Another issue is that one-third of all the fertilizer in the world goes through the strait, meaning many farmers have to cut costs elsewhere. Even if the war were to end today, soybean producer Doug Rebout estimates it would take at least six months before costs could come down.
Doug Rebout:
So, like I said, when you put in, you know, 200 gallons into one tank, that $2 increase — $400, you know, right there. I looked, last year — we spent $120,000 in fuel on the farm last year for both equipment and for our trucks. And so, this year, that price could be around $200,000.
