“Tired of Being Sacrificial ‘Pawns’”: Iowa Farmers Speak Out Against Cost-Raising Tariffs 

DES MOINES – Iowa farmers gathered on Wednesday to call out the Congressional delegation for their harmful D.C. trade policies that are crushing Iowa’s farm economy.

Ashley Hinson, Randy Feenstra, Zach Nunn, and Marianette Miller-Meeks repeatedly voted for tariffs that are driving costs up and making life worse for Iowa farmers.

Here’s what Iowans are reading and seeing about farmers speaking out against devastating tariffs:

KTIV (Sioux City): Iowa Farmers speak out against Congressional delegation for supporting tariffs

• Dave Price, KTIV: The nonpartisan Tax Foundation found your household, on average, will pay $1,300 more because of increased tariff costs.

• Berleen Wotbeter, Tama County farmer: The first Trump administration hurt us with tariffs that cost us valuable trade, which never fully recovered. And here we are again, and where is our Iowa delegation? If they showed up, we could tell them how this turns out for us back home here in Iowa.

Des Moines Register: Trump tariffs add costs amid ‘growing disaster,’ some Iowa farmers say

• After Iowa’s U.S. House delegation voted against blocking President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, some Iowa farmers say the state’s Republican representatives are failing to protect them from added costs during a time of extreme financial hardship.

• … Tariffs are damaging export markets and raising costs for machinery, fertilizers and other supplies. At the same time, they said, his decision to allow Argentina to import more beef to the U.S. undermines the prices they receive.

• “We’d love to see some actual oversight in… the executive’s ability to exercise tariffs,” said Marquardt, a Madison County cattle producer. “As farmers, we’re tired of being a pawn… and we’re tired of being sacrificed.”

Times Republican: Farmers tired of being sacrificial ‘pawns’ with tariffs

• Some Iowa farmers and cattle ranchers have been negatively impacted by tariffs and are speaking out. On Wednesday, Berleen Wobeter of Tama County, Dave Muhlbauer of Crawford and Ryan Marquardt of Madison participated in a virtual roundtable hosted by the Iowa Democratic Party (IDP) to voice their concerns about tariffs, trade policies and the lack of desired action from the Congressional delegation.

• The blame needs to be placed on those who have failed Iowa farmers, Wobeter said. Her operation was hurt with tariffs placed by the first Donald Trump presidential administration. Trade was lost and never fully recovered.

• [Our representatives in Congress] are contributing to the problem by supporting chaotic tariffs and trade policies and unwillingness to pass meaningful legislation and an overdue Farm Bill, she argued.

• Muhlbauer said they keep getting told tariffs will make things better, but it does not happen. All of their concerns are falling on deaf ears, he added, but is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the roundtable with the hope Congressional representatives will hear them.

• Marquardt has not seen anything hopeful from the Trump administration when it comes to tariffs and trade.

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