KANSAS IS PAYING THE PRICE FOR WASHINGTON’S TARIFFS AND ECONOMIC CHAOS
Republican candidates for governor continue to support an agenda that is raising costs, hitting farmers, and adding new pressure to family budgets across Kansas.
This week’s reporting showed inflation rising, farm country still paying for the trade war, and higher fuel and fertilizer costs adding more pressure across Kansas. Diesel and gas prices remain elevated and Republican candidates for governor remain completely silent.
This past week:
CONSUMER PRICES JUMPED AGAIN AND TARIFF COSTS ARE STILL SHOWING UP
Reuters reported that the consumer price index jumped 0.9% in March, the biggest monthly increase since June 2022, with annual inflation rising to 3.3% as tariff costs kept pushing prices higher across the economy.
FARM COUNTRY IS STILL PAYING FOR THE TRADE WAR
The AP reported that Midwest soybean farmers are still getting squeezed by the trade war with China, losing nearly $75 per harvested acre on the 2025 soybean crop even after aid, while soybean exports remain 15% to 20% below normal.
HIGHER FUEL AND FERTILIZER COSTS COULD SOON SHOW UP IN THE GROCERY BILL
KCUR reported that Kansans’ “grocery bill could get even more expensive as fuel prices climb.” USDA expects food-at-home prices to rise 3.1% in 2026, and that higher oil-based nitrogen fertilizer costs could lead some farmers to apply less this season, risking lower yields and even higher food prices down the line.
DIESEL IS DRIVING UP COSTS ACROSS KANSAS
Kansas diesel now averages $4.74 a gallon, up more than $1.42 from a year ago, as the war in Iran has disrupted global energy supplies and pushed fuel prices higher. Those higher diesel costs increase freight costs, raise the cost of operating farm equipment, and put added pressure on agricultural inputs like fertilizer and broader supply chains — costs that ultimately show up in higher prices for Kansas families.