FAILED TARIFF POLICIES ARE MAKING LIFE MORE EXPENSIVE IN KANSAS
From gas stations to grain farms, the cost of Washington’s agenda is hurting Kansans across the state
TOPEKA, KS - Kansas families, farmers, and small businesses are once again being forced to absorb the fallout from a reckless tariff agenda that Republican candidates for governor continue to defend. This week’s reporting is clear: drivers are paying more at the pump, businesses are raising prices, and farmers are getting hit with new fuel and fertilizer shocks as planting season begins.
This past week:
KANSAS BUSINESSES SAY TARIFFS ARE RAISING COSTS AND HIKING PRICES
A KU trade expert said this week that 70% of companies in the region report being harmed by tariffs, with businesses facing higher costs and passing some of those increases to consumers. One local flower shop said those added costs forced it to raise prices by about 10%.
K-STATE ECONOMIST WARNS OF FUEL AND FERTILIZER PRICE SHOCK FOR FARMERS
A Kansas State economist warned that higher oil prices could add more than $1 per gallon to farm fuel costs, increasing expenses by about $10,000 for the average Kansas grain farm. Fertilizer prices have also risen about 10%, adding another $12,000 in potential costs.
FERTILIZER SUPPLY DISRUPTION IS HITTING KANSAS RIGHT AS PLANTING BEGINS
New reporting showed fertilizer prices jumping roughly 25% to 30% as disruptions in the Persian Gulf have slowed supply during spring planting season.
For Kansas farmers, that means higher costs arriving when crops are going into the ground and input decisions cannot be delayed any longer.
MANUFACTURERS ARE STILL PAYING MORE — AND WORKERS ARE LOSING OUT
Reuters reported this week that manufacturers’ input costs surged again, with the prices paid index reaching its highest level since June 2022. The same report found manufacturing employment has fallen by 100,000 jobs since January 2025.
KANSAS FAMILIES ARE PAYING MORE AT THE PUMP
AAA now puts the average price of regular gas in Kansas at $3.365 per gallon, up from $3.256 a week ago and $2.869 a month ago. That kind of increase hits working families directly — especially in a state like Kansas, where long drives to work, school, and errands are part of daily life.