US Farmers Face Compounding Economic Strain from Trump Tariffs and Iran War Energy Shock Ahead of Planting Season

PBS reports widespread financial strain among US farmers ahead of the spring planting season, with agricultural producers squeezed by two simultaneous pressures: Trump's broad tariff regime raising input costs and the Iran war's energy shock pushing diesel and fertilizer prices sharply higher. Farm operators in key agricultural states describe difficulty securing operating loans and covering input costs, with some delaying planting decisions. The dual shock — trade policy and energy — is compounding anxiety across the farm belt at a critical point in the crop cycle.