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* From the Tribune’s write-up about a special House Ag Committee hearing yesterday that focused on the Trump administration…
The president’s tariffs and resulting retaliation from other countries could also cause issues for farmers, Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello told the committee. Trump has said those tariffs will stoke American industry after potential short-term economic hardship.
“Farmers, just like any other business, need and deserve stability. They’re businessmen and women making decisions,” Costello said.
Republican Rep. Charlie Meier of Okawville suggested the hearing was a partisan exercise by Democrats who control the committee.
“This is a hearing that maybe should be done six months from now … and it shouldn’t be being done today,” he said. Meier said the committee shouldn’t “overreact” to Trump’s funding moves, which at times have suspended federal money and then brought it back.
Rep. Sonya Harper, a Chicago Democrat, denied that the hearing was called for political reason, saying “it is evident that the actions taken on the federal level are definitely hurting farmers and rural communities in Illinois.”
Rep. Meier also said that corn prices had risen since the end of December, which meant, he said, that Trump’s policies have so far been good for farmers. Corn prices have actually fallen since Trump took office. Same goes for soybeans.
But, yeah, it’s only been a couple of months and farmers just went through a horrible two years. Even so, click here for an informative read about how the president’s desire to move farming away from exports would upend the entire industry.
Charlie’s overall message was everyone should try to work together on what has been a bipartisan committee.
* I’m interested to hear your take on this. The House hasn’t passed a single bill this session, but pretty much every day on the floor they’ve spent lots of time going back and forth over the various federal crises/actions. Some, like trans policy, they have at least some control over. Others, like federal farm policy (such as it is), they don’t.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 1:26 pm
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The planting season will tell us what farmers are thinking. I am watching truck loads of seed and fertilizer coming and going now by my rural home. I heard on an Ag report (AoA?), that soybeans are priced so low they are not profitable by any imagination right now. It will be interesting to see how much acreage goes to corn this year, and whether or not there is a large change over last year.
Comment by H-W Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 1:32 pm
Sounds like the farmers are getting what they voted for. Why should my money be taken away to keep them from getting what they voted for?
Comment by Bob Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 1:35 pm
Sorry, Charlie/HGOP. When you lay down with the Trump dog, you get up with fleas.
Comment by Rick Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 1:36 pm
===Sounds like the farmers are===
Stick to the overall question, please.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 1:37 pm
Trust. There IS no trust.
Most businesses need stability & no sudden surprises. That is gone with the current ‘administration’ jumping around like monkeys. It is good that some legislators bring these issues before the public whether they ‘control’ or not.
Comment by sal-says Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 1:42 pm
You couldn’t drive by a farmhouse in Union County this past November without seeing a Trump flag/sign.
Yet he did the same thing to soybean farmers in his first term.
Farmers, much like state employees in Southern Illinois won’t be happy until they cut their own throats.
Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 1:44 pm
I am sticking to the question. Trans people didn’t vote to hurt farmers and trans people. Farmers did vote to hurt trans people and farmers.
We save the farmers from themselves, they’ll just do it again and again and again. At a certain point, I would absolutely much prefer that effort be focused on protecting those who didn’t help make this happen, and who haven’t already decided they’re going to be part of the problem forever.
Comment by Bob Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 1:52 pm
Been a huge waste of session so far.
$100k/year to travel to Springfield and waste time talking about Trump. They didn’t even have a committee hearing until 5 weeks after inauguration.
Wait until they all start passing bills again with the closing line- “there’s still some more to do but they’ll fix it in the Senate. I ask for a favorable vote.”
Comment by Frida’s boss Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 1:53 pm
== they’ve spent lots of time going back and forth over the various federal crises/actions ==
Just throwing red meat to their ideological bases…and not accomplishing anything.
Comment by TNR Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 1:57 pm
A lot of the “old guys” are saying this looks a lot like it did right before the crash in the 1980s. High input costs, high interest rates and relatively low crop prices . In agriculture farmers carry a lot of debt, and right now it takes about 10 years for a piece of ground to pay for itself, so you have to have other income to put with it.
In the 80s enough farmers were not able to make their payments and lost their farms to the point that ground lost value. Lenders then went to farmers asking for more money because the loan was underwater. The farmer wasn’t able to make up the difference so the lender then foreclosed on the property even if the farmer wasn’t behind on their payments. If anything, pass legislation that would prevent foreclosures even if they are not behind on payments, if it hasn’t already been done
Comment by Notorious JMB Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 2:00 pm
It’s early and the IL Dems are doing what all partisan legislative bodies do and that is throw stones at the opponent’s policies - for MAGA policies it’s as if they are stoned. What IL needs to get done, will get done.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 2:00 pm
“farmers just went through a horrible two years.”
According to the article that is due mainly to a large supply of grain already on hand.
Basic supply and demand. Maybe forgo that new three-quarter ton pickup when yours has fewer than 60,000 miles on it.
Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 2:00 pm
“Basic supply and demand. Maybe forgo that new three-quarter ton pickup when yours has fewer than 60,000 miles on it.”
Why would they do that? They can just help themselves to our pockets when things don’t pan out for them.
Comment by Bob Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 2:04 pm
=but pretty much every day on the floor they’ve spent lots of time going back and forth over the various federal crises/actions=
Both parties could use some inspiration from the Serenity prayer.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 2:06 pm
Strikes me that no matter what, many stand by and defend policies that hurt them. And of course vote against their own best interests.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 2:26 pm
The current situation in farming in Illinois is very challenging from a profit /loss perspective. That coupled with safegaurds provided by the Commodity Credit Corporation which funds various farmer programs which are not and likely will not be funded will be disastrous for the industry resulting in further consolidation and running any small farmer out of business Cash rents are already decreasing. this is not good when 1 in5 jobs is related to the ag industry in this state.
Comment by flea Wednesday, Mar 12, 25 @ 5:03 pm