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Farmer who voted for Trump talks about impact of high costs of Iran war, tariffs: "We're all just in survival mode"
CBS News • • business
Key Points:
- Matt Bell, a 52-year-old farmer in North Carolina, is struggling with soaring costs for fuel, fertilizer, and equipment, which are threatening the viability of his farm after 34 years of operation.
- Diesel prices have nearly doubled nationwide due to geopolitical conflicts involving Iran, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the Russia-Ukraine war, with diesel in North Carolina reaching record highs of over $6 per gallon.
- President Trump's tariffs have increased costs for inputs like fertilizer, chemicals, and seed, while retaliatory tariffs from China on U.S. soybeans have kept market prices low, leaving farmers like Bell in a difficult financial position.
- Bell feels misled by the administration’s policies, criticizing the handling of the Iran conflict and agricultural support programs, and plans to vote for candidates he believes have "common sense" rather than strictly along party lines.
- Facing limited options and rising expenses, Bell acknowledges that some farmers have already quit, and he might be forced to close his own farm despite his deep personal connection to farming.
