On Jan. 7, the day after Congress certified Donald J. Trump’s election as the next president of the United States, the U.S. “Border Patrol conducted unannounced raids throughout Bakersfield (California) … descending on businesses where day laborers and field workers gather…”
The impact of the raids was immediate. “’We’re in the middle of our citrus harvesting. This sent shock waves through the entire community,’ said Casey Creamer, president of the industry group California Citrus Mutual, on Thursday,” reported the non-profit, non-partisan news website CalMatters.
If this is the “’… the new normal, this is absolute economic devastation,’ said Richard S. Gearhart, an associate professor of economics at Cal State-Bakersfield.”
If these raids are the new normal, the resulting “panic and confusion, for both immigrants and local businesses that rely on their labor, foreshadow what awaits communities across California” — and the entire ag sector nationwide — “if Trump follows through on his promise to conduct mass deportations.”
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Rural America has a slew of problems in need of attention by Congress and the incoming administration. Creating new, widespread and unsolvable ones like massive labor shortages in the citrus, vegetable, meatpacking and dairy sectors is a reckless, ag recession-inducing act.
Still, don’t expect either branch of the federal government to focus on these immediate needs because most, like the still undone Farm Bill, require coordinated, sustained efforts by now-in-charge Republicans. Almost all of that majority muscle is already ticketed for the White House’s two biggest wants, tax cuts and immigration reform.
Besides, Congressional Republicans are already creating more problems for any Farm Bill to pass either chamber in 2025. The reason is the ageless GOP effort to slice food assistance programs like SNAP, the Supplement Food Assistance Program. The now-dead 2024 bill included deep cuts.
In fact, those House-proposed cuts were the key reason last year’s bill, after clearing the chamber’s Ag Committee, was never presented to the entire House for a vote: it would not have passed because House GOP conservatives thought the cuts too small and House Dems thought them too big.
That joint left/right opposition guaranteed the 2024 committee bill could not pass the House and that failure would have handed the majority GOP another embarrassing legislative failure.
But rather than admit that SNAP is an almost bulletproof Farm Bill element, GOP House ag members blamed Senate Dems for not passing the 2024 bill when, in fact, the GOP itself couldn’t even get it out of the House.
But here they come again. “House Republicans are passing around a list of potential cuts they could use to offset President-elect Donald Trump’s top priorities…” Politico reported on Monday. “One option on the table? Cutting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program…”
Insisting on these cuts when both right-wing Repubs and almost all Dems are loath to vote for them just creates more needless delays for all Americans, rural and urban alike. Besides, no American voted for more hungry fellow citizens last November.
But creating political issues where none exist is something of a parlor game for the incoming administration, especially when it comes to the two largest ag trading partners and continental neighbors, Canada and Mexico. Each is a $29-billion-a-year U.S. ag export market and each has been singled out during the presidential transition as likely tariff targets.
Also singled out is America’s third-largest ag export market last year, China, which imported nearly $28 billion worth of American farm production.
Together, the three nations bought almost 40% of all U.S. ag exports last year. Any politically induced stumble in any of those markets will carry deep and costly consequences across rural America.
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Top Journal Star photos for January 2025
Two parkgoers fish through the ice of Holmes Lake on Monday at Holmes Lake Park in Lincoln. Nebraska Game and Parks is reminding people to use caution and test the ice before venturing out onto frozen lakes or ponds.
OLIVIA ANDERSON, Journal Star
Members of the media record Gov. Jim Pillen (bottom right) as he delivers his State of the State address Wednesday at the Capitol.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Nebraska’s Christopher Minto reacts after defeating Minnesota’s Andrew Sparks at 165 pounds Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
People attend a Lancaster County Board meeting Tuesday at the County-City Building. Opponents and supporters of a large solar farm planned for southern Lancaster County offered testimony for six hours on the proposed $600 million, 304-megawatt solar project, which Florida company NextEra Energy wants to build on 2,400 acres east of Hallam.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Zoe, 6, (left) and Betsy, 7, (right) spend time on the floor with their mother, Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln (center), during the first day of the legislative session Wednesday at the Capitol.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Volunteer Olivia Guynan takes Teddy the cat out of his cage on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, at the Capital Humane Society Pieloch Pet Adoption Center.
KATY COWELL,Journal Star
Nebraska State Board of Education member Deborah Neary (left) listens as her colleague Elizabeth Tegtmeier discusses her qualifications to be board president during a board orientation meeting Thursday at the Nebraska Department of Education’s Lincoln office.
OLIVIA ANDERSON, Journal Star
Lincoln Southwest’s Jayven Mitchell (left) rebounds the ball next to Lincoln Southeast’s Uzziah Sanders on Friday at Lincoln Southwest High School.
OLIVIA ANDERSON, Journal Star
Jordyn Bahl (center) is greeted by fellow Husker athlete Rebekah Allick after she leaves the podium in the Governor’s Hearing Room on Friday at the Capitol. At left is Hannah Holtmeier, a UNL student. They spoke in support of a bill introduced by Sen. Kathleen Kauth (right) that would ban transgender individuals from certain bathrooms and locker rooms in the state.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Kevin Stocker (bottom right)a Nebraska Public Service commissioner, takes a phone call on the first day of the legislative session Wednesday at the Capitol.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Logan Sweet, a newly graduated firefighter recruit at Lincoln Fire and Rescue, introduces his 10-month-old daughter Lennon to Archie, a golden lab, and his handler Samantha Wilkins, an LFR firefighter and EMT, following an LFR badge ceremony for firefighter recruits Tuesday at Lincoln Firefighters Reception Hall. Eleven recruits and three canine teams received badges in the ceremony.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
In addition to taking another run at property tax cuts this year, Gov. Jim Pillen said he will seek to ban Nebraska children from social media until they are 16 years old and bar cellphones from K-12 schools.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Penn State’s Jayla Oden (12) and Nebraska’s Britt Prince (23) battle for the ball during the first quarter of the game on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
KATY COWELL,Journal Star
Casey Manka with The Tree Guys works to haul a Christmas tree into a chipper at Holmes Lake Park in the parking lot west of the north softball fields on Tuesday. The city of Lincoln is providing drop-off areas for anyone wishing to dispose of their trees.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Nebraska’s Logan Nissley (2) and Amiah Hargrove (33) celebrate in the fourth quarter of the game against Michigan State on Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
KATY COWELL, Journal Star
Milford’s Ayla Roth (4) dives to save the ball amid Malcolm defenders on Thursday at Malcolm High School.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Brandon Lenners snow blows the sidewalk outside of an apartment complex near Old Cheney and 84th street on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025.
KATY COWELL,Journal Star
Pius X’s Austen Davis (24) gains possession of a rebound against Omaha Skutt’s Libby Shotkoski (12) and Kamryn Kasner (34) in the first half on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at Lincoln Pius X High School.
KENNETH FERRIERA,Journal Star
Quentin Shaw, assistant coordinator of legislative services, changes the nameplates in the Norris Chamber Friday. Senators return to the Capitol for the first session of the 109th Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Lincoln North Star’s Jakeyce Fowler (left) and Rieal Acin (5) celebrate during the fourth quarter of the game against Lincoln Southwest on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, at Lincoln North Star High School.
KATY COWELL,Journal Star
The Farm and Food File is published weekly throughout the U.S. and Canada. Past columns, supporting documents, and contact information are posted at farmandfoodfile.com.
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Publish date : 2025-01-18 15:00:00
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