Agriculture has long been a key part of Iowa’s economy. But the state is now facing escalating trouble, including the loss of more than 26,000 family farms since 1982. It’s a reflection of failed trade policies that have hurt thousands of U.S. farms nationwide. And now, the United States is running an unprecedented agricultural trade deficit.

Ironically, as Washington considers President Trump’s tariff proposals, some in his own party are opposed. They argue that tariffs will lead to retaliation against America’s farmers. They want the American public to believe they’re fighting for small family farms. However, it’s the very trade policies they’ve long championed that have devastated family farmers and led to America’s current, massive food trade deficit.

Federal government data reveals that America’s agricultural trade deficit hit a staggering $39 billion in 2024 — the largest in U.S. history. That means America now depends more than ever on food imports. In 2024 alone, the U.S. racked up huge deficits in fruits ($12 billion), meat and seafood ($11 billion), and vegetables ($4.8 billion).

Instead of helping family farms, the “free trade” wing of the GOP that opposes new tariffs is instead pursuing the interests of a few agricultural conglomerates. They’re pushing for trade policies that will benefit a handful of multinational giants — the ones exporting corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton — at the expense of America’s broader food production.

Read the article.