Nebraska For Us, members of Congress & experts lead discussion on challenges facing state's ag industry

Midwest Congresswoman, local advocates and farmers discuss harms of tariffs and other economic policies on Nebraska’s agriculture industry.

OMAHA, Nebraska (April 6, 2026)—One year into harmful tariff policies, Illinois Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski joined Nebraska For Us, the Nebraska Farmers Union and a local family farmer for a virtual roundtable to discuss how the poor economy and skyrocketing costs are affecting Nebraska’s agricultural industry.

“The struggles that farmers and rural health care facilities experience in my state are similar to the experience of Nebraskans, along with people across the Midwest,” Illinois Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski said. “The voices of our rural communities and farmers matter. The uncertainty in the farm economy right now is crippling. Farm bankruptcies nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025, and now the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz will increase costs for farmers even more. All of these issues were preventable.”

“Farmers are unfairly being asked to make long-term financial decisions when policies are changing by the day and the week,” U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar said. “Just as farmers in rural areas face the rising costs of tariffs, they are also facing costs on other fronts like health care.”

From tariffs and trade uncertainty to rising fuel, fertilizer, and health care costs, Nebraska For Us brought together a range of experts to discuss the reality on the ground along with what they are experiencing day by day.

“This is the most serious and most painful downturn in agriculture since the 1980s,” Nebraska Farmers Union President John Hansen said. “Farmers and ranchers of all sizes across the state are calling our hotline for help. Established corn and soybean producers are losing as much as $100 to $150 per acre. Right now, the goal of our callers is to minimize the amount of losses per year.”

“On my farm, alone, fertilizer price hikes have led to $50,000 in new costs in the last month, and we were already operating in the red,” Steffen Ag Inc. President Ben Steffen said. “Last year, we spent $17,000 on our health insurance. This year, it is up to $32,000. It is a gut punch. We have spent decades trying to open up export markets, and now we are the supplier of last resort. Our competitors have stepped in to take advantage. It is just mind-boggling.”

For the last year, Nebraska For Us has called on Congressmen Don Bacon and Mike Flood to put an end to tariffs and now refund working Nebraskans who have been paying higher prices due to the erratic import taxes.

“The stories we are hearing from farmers and ranchers across the state and region are truly harrowing,” Nebraska For Us State Director Angie Lauritsen said. “Policy decisions are making an already challenging environment that much more difficult for an industry that serves as the backbone of Nebraska’s economy.”

Additionally, Nebraska For Us has regranted $5,000 to the Nebraska Rural Response Hotline to support Nebraska farmers who are experiencing financial hardship amid difficult and challenging economic conditions.