Wisconsin farmers are feeling the impact as tariffs and beef imports shift the market
DELAFIELD (CBS 58) -- Farming is an economic driver in our home state. With new Canadian tariffs and more beef imported from other countries, farmers are concerned about their bottom line.
Dave Morris Farms in Delafield is feeling the strain. The farm has been around since the 1940s. They farm corn, soybeans and cattle, but with the ever-changing tariff and import policies, their input costs have become even more unpredictable.
“Much like anything in agriculture, we can’t predict the weather, we can’t predict the price, we can’t predict the income, so tariffs are another thing on that list that we can’t predict,” Jim Renn, with Dave Morris Farms LLC, said.
For Renn, farming is a family affair. His family raises a variety of agricultural products, but he says the payment timeline can make budgeting difficult.
He says that often, farmers are not paid until after their products have already been processed or consumed. By then, market prices may have shifted, affecting the profit they ultimately receive. And as the market changes, so do the costs of necessities.
“Obviously, you know, diesel fuel is probably the biggest one. Fertilizer costs for the crops has been terrible and it doesn’t sound like it’s going to get any better,” Renn said.
Those increases in costs can change a farmer’s yield and potentially how many acres they plan to farm. On top of his crops, now the United States is importing more beef under a Trump-era policy.
According to the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, the U.S. is already importing beef at record levels. This decision translates to a nearly 60% increase in beef imports over the next 90 days. The goal is to lower beef prices, but Renn says it’s not likely and is impacting his bottom line.
“Not quite a dollar but pretty close to a dollar less, so when you are talking about a 14-1500-pound steer, that’s a lot of money,” Renn said.
Renn says one of the reasons beef is more expensive is due to environmental impacts. Drought in the west and wildfires have caused cattle herds to dwindle. Those herds are starting to increase, but it takes time since the gestational period for a calf to be born takes nine months.
He recently sat down with staff from Republican Sen. Ron Johnson’s office. He says he is happy that his staff sat down with him to discuss the impact of the policy decisions being made, but he hopes it translates to change.
“There is hope that we possibly can reverse some of it, but the hard part for us as farmers and ranchers is how do we keep those numbers up to rebuild that herd when that dollar amount goes down,” Renn said.
The Wisconsin Farm Bureau appreciates the President’s goal of reducing costs and securing fair trade, but they say farmers and rural communities bear the brunt of these actions.