President Donald Trump and his supporters have sent a tsunami of changes through the federal government, and Pennsylvania farmers could be on the receiving end of many of them.
For instance, Trump’s administration has cut a funding stream that kept Pennsylvania food banks stocked with produce from local farms. The intensifying international trade wars could have consequences for agricultural exports to other countries. And meanwhile, in Congress, agricultural funding is on the chopping block as lawmakers debate their budget reconciliation plans.
Here are three recent federal developments that could have trickle-down effects for Pennsylvania farmers.
Sustainability funding eyed for potential cuts
As part of the ongoing budget reconciliation process, House Republicans want to direct the Agriculture Committee to make $230 billion in funding cuts — and some have targeted conservation dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act for potential elimination.
One analysis, performed by Jonathan Coppess, a policy and law professor with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, estimated that farmers nationwide would lose out on $12.5 billion if the IRA cuts go through, including about $277 million that would likely go to Pennsylvania producers.
More: ‘Going to be a lot of hungry people’: Food banks, farmers across US decry federal cuts
Tom Croner, a seventh-generation Somerset County farmer who grows corn, soybeans and wheat, said the withdrawal of these funds would hurt, given the slim profit margins that many farmers face.
“Every little bit helps in that respect,” said Croner, who estimates he’s used about $10,000 of funding.
The benefit also encourages farmers to embrace sustainable practices they might otherwise avoid because of the cost, he said.
Croner said he’s used the money to plant radishes and other winter cover crops that hold down the soil and prevent wind or water erosion. These crops can also help loosen the ground and improve the quality of his soil, he said.
Funds pulled for food bank program
Earlier this month, the Trump administration yanked $13 million in federal funding for a Pennsylvania program that pays local farmers to grow produce for food banks and other nonprofit groups.
The program, state officials say, has a dual benefit: It opens up a source of revenue for Pennsylvania’s agricultural industry and gives struggling families access to healthy, locally sourced meals.
Through this partnership, more than $28 million in federal funding has flowed toward about 189 of the commonwealth’s farmers, who have supplied nearly 26 million pounds of food to people dealing with hunger. The state had recently signed an agreement for another $13 million in the next three years.
Tom McClure, general manager at Burch Farms Country Market, in North East Township, shows some of the Cortland Apples that are ready to be picked. He was photographed on Aug. 24, 2012. Burch Farms is one of the participants in a state program to provide local produce for food banks. ERIE TIMES-NEWS FILE
The program benefited eight farms in Erie County, five in York County and 12 in Wayne County.
Gov. Josh Shapiro has decried the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw this funding commitment and has challenged it.
“This will have a statewide impact, both on the people who are hungry who can’t access the food that they need and on farmers who try and deliver that food,” Shapiro said at a news conference announcing his appeal.
Trade war fallout
Pennsylvania farmers could also experience fallout from the recent escalation of trade wars between the U.S. and other nations.
The Trump administration has slapped tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada, the nation’s top three trading partners. In response, China announced it was retaliating with tariffs of up to 15% on American agricultural products, and Canada also added a 25% levy on many goods.
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump holds an executive order about tariffs increase, flanked by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 13, 2025. REUTERS/File Photo
Dairy comprises a major share of Pennsylvania’s agricultural industry, so tariffs on milk products could have a particularly deep effect in the Keystone State.
“Farmers support the goals of ensuring security and fair trade with other nations, but additional tariffs, along with expected retaliatory tariffs, will take a toll on rural America,” said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Bethany Rodgers is a USA TODAY Network Pennsylvania investigative journalist.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: How Trump’s tariffs, cuts could affect PA farmers
