GOP gubernatorial candidates embrace chaotic trade policies while Kansas farmers struggle with higher costs and market uncertainty
TOPEKA, KS — Kansas farmers are living with the damage of shifting U.S. tariff policies that have driven up the cost of critical farm inputs and injected instability into an already volatile agriculture economy.
Despite the mounting strain on farmers and ranchers, Kansas GOP candidates for governor have continued to defend, or remain silent on the trade agenda that’s devastating Kansas farmers and small businesses. As the Kansas Reflector noted, “Kansas Republicans have been loathe to publicly criticize Trump’s trade agenda.”
Just this week, Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson wrote that “This setback from the Supreme Court only strengthens our resolve” to move forward with Washington’s failed, cost-raising tariff agenda.
Statement from Kansas Democratic Party State Chair Jeanna Repass:
“Kansas farmers are being crushed by reckless trade policies, and Republicans running for governor are doing nothing to stop it. These tariffs are squeezing family farms to the breaking point and driving up the cost of doing business. Kansans deserve a governor who will fight for farmers and protect their livelihoods, not defend policies that leave them footing the bill for Washington’s failures.”
Read more:
Fox4: Kansas farmers face ‘increasing uncertainty’ due to tariff back and forth
After a recent decision by the U.S Supreme Court, tariffs are up in the air, leaving agriculture experts in Kansas uneasy.
President Donald Trump has made tariffs the driving force behind his economic policy so far in his second term. He’s placed heavy tariffs on some of the country’s top trade partners such as Mexico and China.
Kansas farmers, and the agriculture industry as a whole, have faced the impacts of these tariffs. They’ve had to face price increases on vital imported products such as steel and fertilizer.
The court ruled 6-3 that Trump does not have the authority to move forward with his global tariff initiative.
So, does this mean Kansas farmers can expect to see prices drop for imported products? Allen Featherstone, the K-State Agricultural Economics Department head, said not necessarily
Trump will still have the power to impose tariff increases onto other countries, despite the recent Supreme Court ruling. The U.S Trade Act of 1974 allows Trump to place tariffs of up to 15% on countries, for a maximum of 150 days.
“Steel is being tariffed, fertilizer is being tariffed,” Featherstone said. “Those have a negative impact with regards to what will increase the prices of inputs, machinery, and fertilizer. Those are certainly increasing the uncertainty, increasing the cost. And then there is the uncertainty with the market in terms of what the price is going to be for the ’26 crop, the ’27 crop.”
Ultimately, experts said that those in the agriculture industry here in Kansas are facing a lot of questions in the months ahead.
###