Rebecca Carlson planned to use a USDA grant to hire overseas workers for her cherry harvest. A funding freeze has left her in debt and unsure whether she can hire the workers.

Summary

Michigan farmer Rebecca Carlson, a longtime Trump supporter, faces bankruptcy as Trump’s funding freezes stall a $400,000 USDA grant for hiring temporary workers.

Carlson, who hoped Trump’s second term would revive her struggling cherry farm, already spent $200,000 preparing for labor under the H-2A visa program.

With funding halted, she risks losing $200,000 more and can’t move forward with critical hires.

Trump’s new tariffs and immigration crackdowns threaten agriculture costs and labor availability, leaving farmers uncertain and frustrated with unmet promises.

  • @Blum0108@lemmy.world
    40•1 day ago

    That is literally what will happen if small farms go under. This would make our food supply chain even more homogeneous and less resilient. And probably increase costs at the supermarket as a result. It’s too bad so many of these farmers are actively voting against their actual interests instead. For many of them the “find out” phase will hit them like a semi truck and they will never recover.

    • @tourist@lemmy.world
      23•1 day ago

      If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.

      Lyndon B Johnson

      (Why did I think it was Steinbeck)

      • @catloaf@lemm.eeEnglish
        5•20 hours ago

        LBJ and Steinbeck were contemporaries. LBJ was born and died a few years after Steinbeck.