American farmers, who once fed the world, face a volatile global market with diminishing federal backing

The US government used to have American farmers’ backs, but that support has been dwindling for decades. New subsidies signal big changes for farmers.

By: Peter Simons, Hamilton College, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 16, 2026

Words: 1,285

Last Updated: 2 months ago

Body Text Preview

By Peter Simons, Hamilton College

President Donald Trump appears to have upended an 85-year relationship between American farmers and the United States’ global exercise of power. But that link has been fraying since the end of the Cold War, and Trump’s moves are just another big step.

During World War II, the U.S. government tied agriculture to foreign policy by using taxpayer dollars to buy food from American farmers and send it to hungry allies …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us