WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD-TV) — Expanding global market access remains a top priority for U.S. farmers as harvest rolls on — and one group, Farmers for Free Trade, is hitting the road to make sure those voices are heard. A “Motorcade for Trade” is traveling across America’s Heartland, gathering firsthand stories from producers to share with lawmakers in Washington.
The group plans to deliver those insights directly to policymakers, highlighting how consistent access to global markets supports prices and rural economies.
Brian Kuehl, Executive Director of Farmers for Free Trade, joined us on Thursday’s Market Day Report to provide an update on the effort. He says farmers along the route have emphasized the importance of stable, long-term export relationships and the need to reduce trade policy uncertainty.
In his interview with RFD-TV News, Kuehl also reaffirmed the importance of maintaining the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), noting that disruptions could threaten key partnerships with two of America’s largest agricultural trading partners.
Looking ahead, the group hopes to see bipartisan action to strengthen export promotion programs and open new market opportunities for U.S. products abroad.
Talking Tariffs: “Farmers are Really Getting Squeezed’ on Inputs
Tariffs are one issue top of mind for Farmers for Free Trade as they travel through Rural America. According to Kuehl, they have heard from farmers across the United States who say President Donald Trump’s new trade policy is making inputs more expensive, and warn that disaster is brewing.
“Agriculture is a low-margin business,” explained Brian Kuehl with Farmers for Free Trade. " We have very high expenses — everything from tractor parts, to farm chemicals, to the steel and aluminum that go into grain bins — those are imported products or they contain imported products. And that means tariffs drive up the cost of inputs. So as a result, farmers are really getting squeezed. They have very high input costs. Tariffs have also had an impact on how farmers are buying fertilizer and commodity prices. And that’s a recipe for disaster.”
Data from North Dakota State University shows that between April and now, nitrogen imports from tariff-impacted nations have fallen by 24 percent. During the same time, imports from zero-tariff countries rose 44 percent.
Researchers found that fertilizer imports from Russia have also increased, primarily because they are not subject to additional duties. They warn that this is a risky move given the region’s uncertainty.
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