Farmers struggle to cover expenses | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

For nearly 16 years, Iowa farmer Wendy Johnson has tried to build a resilient operation with diversified crops and livestock, direct-to-consumer sales, organic acreage, and minimal debt. But rising input costs have overwhelmed that planning. U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and war with Iran have pushed up fertilizer, fuel and machinery costs while weak crop prices limit revenue. Johnson, a fourth-generation farmer, estimates profits are down by as much as 50% and warns this could trigger another farm crisis. She argues Washington policies are squeezing rural communities and says a federal farm bill is outdated as Congress struggles to replace it.