Arkansas farmers best get out their Bibles because Trump ain't comin' to save them
Source: KATV
NEWPORT, Ark. (KATV) — Hundreds of struggling Arkansas farmers are pleading with the federal government to provide emergency funding amid a farm economy crisis.
Almost everything that could go wrong for Arkansas farmers went wrong this year, leaving many facing bankruptcy or even the closure of farms that have been passed down for generations.
A dismal global market and plunging commodity prices mean there’s little hope of breaking even, even as input costs soar because of inflation and tariffs—on top of bad weather earlier in the year.
“This time last year, the rice price was about 40 percent higher than it is now. Inputs costs have gone up, fertilizer has gone up, commodity prices have gotten worse. So, after a horrible year last year where most farmers in Arkansas, Delta, lost money, this year is going to be worse,” said Derek Haigwood, a farmer from Independence and Jackson county.
Though President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” provided a much-needed update to safety net subsidies for farmers, they won’t see those federal dollars until late next year. By then, some have projected that as many as one-fourth—or even one-third—of Arkansas farmers could face bankruptcy or be forced out of business.
Until then, farmers have no one to turn to but God.
“Farmers, in my opinion, dear Lord, they’re closer to you than anyone else on this earth because we deal with your earth every day. Dear Lord, we’re hurting, dear Lord. We can’t help what’s happened to us. We need help, dear Lord,” prayed one farmer at Tuesday's meeting.
