Some two-thirds of the nations farmers cast their votes for Donald Trump in 2016, as did a similar percentage of non-farmers in rural, small-town America. They entrusted him to confront burdensome regulation, lower taxes, and improve trade.
But Trump has fallen far short of their expectations, offering piecemeal solutions to matters that require bold leadership and creativity.
At the time of the election, farm incomes were already in decline. Now, while forecasts for 2019 show an improvement over 2018s 12-year low, this increase still places farmers at approximately half of what they received in 2014. Meanwhile, in Wisconsin and elsewhere, dairy farmers continue to exit the industry in record numbers due to low prices and overproduction, and trade disputes that have depressed corn and soy prices.