Derrick Van Orden Is Ignoring Concerns from Wisconsin Farmers
MADISON, Wis. — When asked during a telephone town hall yesterday what he would do to help farmers who are facing instability from Donald Trump’s tariffs, Derrick Van Orden blew off the very real concerns farmers in Wisconsin are facing and told his constituents to “quit listening to the media.”
Derrick Van Orden is bowing down to Donald Trump’s tariff wars, claiming that Trump has a master plan to bring down costs for farmers even while Wisconsin farmers are staring down uncertainty ahead of the summer growing season.
“By shuttering USAID, gutting jobs at the USDA, implementing sky-high tariffs on our biggest agricultural trade partners, and going after migrant farm workers, Donald Trump is playing games with farmers’ lives—and Derrick Van Orden is letting it happen,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Deputy Communications Director Haley McCoy. “It’s disgraceful that the so-called Cheese King of Congress would enable Donald Trump’s tariff wars and turn a blind eye as Wisconsin farmers suffer.”
See more coverage of the very real concerns Derrick Van Orden is ignoring:
UpNorthNews: “Many Wisconsin farmers voted for US Rep. Derrick Van Orden and President Donald Trump because they were promised less regulation and greater prosperity. The hard truth is that Trump’s DOGE efforts, tariff wars and the USAID shutdown are all hurting Wisconsin farmers. […] Trump and Van Orden are instead making it easier for big businesses to rip farmers off even more. For example, the Trump Administration is removing safeguards to protect farmers from predatory lenders and rolling back rules that would have increased transparency around credit access for family farms. And while input expenses keep going up for ordinary farmers, Trump and Van Orden are laser-focused on giving a tax cut to millionaires like John Deere’s CEO. That’s not building an economy that works for farmers — it’s maintaining an economy that works for the very people that have destroyed our rural Wisconsin way of life.”
WEAU 13 News: “As an ongoing trade war with China continues, Wisconsin farmers are bracing for the possible impacts. With farmers ready to enter the fields, planting season starts with concerns over how tariffs will affect soybean exports. […] The top three countries that buy Wisconsin soybeans are China, Canada and Mexico. So, if there are ongoing tariffs against these countries, the farmers will feel it.
WPR: “Becker said the uncertainty surrounding funds and costs is taking a toll on farmers in her community. ‘As farmers, we know the weather will be uncertain. We know there are things we can and cannot control. But being in a landscape where we aren’t sure what’s happening on a week to week basis, it is hard to make responsible and consistent economic choices,’ Becker said. ‘It’s difficult to be a good business person when you don’t have clear information.’ Becker said rapidly changing economic conditions make it difficult to invest in her farm.”
La Crosse Tribune: “‘There is uncertainty right now, and I understand it completely,’ said Van Orden. ‘When America has a level playing field, we will dominate any industry — so that’s what’s taking place.’ Van Orden said a framework is being established regarding foreign trade. […] ‘That framework is getting set up so we can export them dairy products, lentils, wheat. … I want to sell them Wisconsin cheese, I want to sell them cranberries, I want to sell them lentils, but right now, the Indian government has not been willing to open up their markets.’”
WISN 12 News: “Malchine, referring to the market volatility farmers are currently faced with, thanks in part, to tariffs. He said it’s impacting both market share and revenue. ‘I don’t care if you’re talking about fertilizer, if you’re talking about what our crop prices are, come fall. It’s made things much more volatile,’ Malchine said. Much of the thousand acres of Malchine’s soybean crop exports to China. He said tariff increases hit farmers on imports, like fertilizer, and on exports when selling their crops.”
WBAY Action 2 News: “We want to continue our look at how farmers in Northeast Wisconsin are dealing with the ongoing tariff war during the early stages of President Trump’s second administration. […] This time around, Wisconsin farmers are already looking at losses for some commodities. According to the UW Extension Outagamie County, for 2025, farmers are projected to lose $200 per acre for corn, about $175 per acre for soybeans, and $227 per acre for winter wheat.”
Chippewa Herald: “‘My phone isn’t fun to answer right now because farmers are scared. Farmers are scared and we’re nervous,’ George told those gathered Friday. ‘I’m worried about opening my email every morning that we’re going to hear that a grant has ended today, and we have many federal grants that we’re working through with Renewing the Countryside.’ Seven people in the room raised their hands when asked if federal funding freezes had impacted their farms and businesses.”
WPR: “Since Trump’s tariffs were announced, U.S. stock prices have swung wildly and the Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen by around 4,000 points in five days. Democrats among Wisconsin’s congressional delegation have accused the president of tanking the American economy, while Republicans have been mostly quiet or supportive of Trump’s plan. […] The same day, U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, shared a tweet mocking Wall Street traders of being surprised by the tariffs after Trump campaigned on them.”
###
