(NewsNation) — U.S. farmers are already feeling adverse effects from President Donald Trump’s escalating trade war with China, the president of the National Black Farmers Association says.
John Boyd Jr. told “NewsNation Prime” on Sunday that Trump’s tariffs are a “national travesty” for America’s farmers, who typically sell billions in soybeans and other products to China each year.
“This week, China announced that it would be making a large purchase from Brazil, our top competitor for soybeans in this country,” he said.
Boyd said farmers currently face a myriad of challenges. He said banks are reluctant to make operating loans to farmers amid the recent market volatility triggered by the tariff policies.
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Meanwhile, he said, the Trump administration’s attempts to downsize government will make it more difficult for farmers to get assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Boyd said he supported Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, but many of his peers who supported Republican Trump are similarly hurting.
“The very population that put him into office in these highly populated ‘red’ states are the first to get punched in the face by the president,” he said.
Boyd, a fourth-generation family farmer who works 1,300 acres in Virginia, said he hopes the Trump administration will listen to farmers moving forward. He said he also hopes the banking sector will come through with emergency loans.
