‘A slap in the face’: small farmers say Trump is turning his back on them

The president wooed farmers in his campaign, but now the USDA is yanking funding, citing ‘DEI’ and wasteful spending

Trump wooed farmers in the presidential election two years ago with promises to be their champion in Washington DC, only for the side-effects from his tariff regimen and the war with Iran to rock agriculture nationwide. Small-scale producers of livestock and food say they have been uniquely affected by policy shifts at the USDA, which has laid off staff and dismantled initiatives created under Joe Biden, fueling accusations that it is prioritizing large, corporate-owned farms over their businesses.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/11/iowa-farming-trump-cuts-usda