OKABENA, MINNESOTA– The rain came first, drenching the fields and delaying planting. Then 70 mph wind knocked down half their corn. Chinese tariffs sank the price of soybeans. And if that weren’t enough, demand for corn dropped after Washington gave oil refineries a pass on using ethanol.
For Rachel and Lance Daberkow, poor weather compounded by President Donald Trump’s trade and fuel policies has meant cutting costs as income from their 640-acre farm dwindled over the past two years. Like some other growers around Minnesota struggling with an uncertain farm economy, their faith in a president who carried rural America four years ago is being tested.
As the father of two young boys, Lance Daberkow, 37, sees Trump at least trying to resolve long-standing trade problems with China. He believes farmers will benefit long term if Trump is re-elected. Continue reading.