Trump Policies Add to Farming Distress as Bankruptcies Increase

President Donald Trump’s global tariffs and freezing of federal agriculture grants have added to financial strains on American farmers, who are seeking refuge in bankruptcy at the highest rate in years.

Family farm bankruptcies increased by 55% last year compared to 2023 and are trending even higher this year as farmers continue to grapple with depressed agricultural commodity prices and high input costs. And while much of the industrywide distress predates his second stint in the White House, Trump has quickly nudged more farmers closer to the brink of going under and created turbulence for producers trying to make ends meet.

Unpredictable tariffs, immigration overhauls, federal program cuts and frozen Agriculture Department funding are now part of the discussions farmers are having as they seek financial help.

“‘What’s going on in Washington?’ is the subject of almost every conversation that I have,” said North Carolina farm bankruptcy attorney David Mills of Narron Wenzel PA. “There’s a lot of anxiety.”