Trump Touts Farm Policies, Trade, and Rural Priorities During Wisconsin Visit

President Donald Trump used a visit to Kuster Farms in Wisconsin to highlight his administration’s farm policies, trade efforts, energy agenda, and support for rural communities during a roundtable-style event with farmers, elected officials, and agricultural leaders.

Speaking inside a barn during rainy weather, Trump praised Wisconsin farmers and said his administration is focused on lowering costs for producers, expanding markets, and protecting family farms. He was joined by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, members of Congress, farmers, and other invited guests.

“We love the farmers,” Trump said. “We love everything about your state.”

Much of the discussion centered on the pressures facing farmers, including fertilizer prices, energy costs, trade access, equipment rules, crop insurance, and estate taxes. Trump said fertilizer and energy prices had risen during the recent international conflict involving Iran, but predicted they would come down.

“Your fertilizer prices are going to go way down just like they were four months ago,” Trump said. “Your fertilizer is down, your energy is down, your oil, your gas is all coming way down.”

Trump also pointed to job numbers, manufacturing growth, and construction activity as signs of broader economic strength. He said new jobs had exceeded expectations and argued that investment in the United States is driving growth.

The president repeatedly criticized Democrats and former President Joe Biden, blaming the previous administration for inflation, border problems, and weak trade policies. He said his administration has worked to reverse those policies, including through tax changes, trade deals, and regulatory rollbacks.

Trump told farmers that one of the most important steps his administration took was extending tax provisions he said benefit farms and small businesses. He said the “big beautiful bill” made the small business tax deduction permanent, allowed 100% expensing and bonus depreciation for equipment purchases, and protected family farms by addressing the estate tax, which he referred to as the death tax.

“If you have a farm like this, someday it’s going to come the time,” Trump said, speaking about passing farms to the next generation. “So you have no estate tax or no, we call it the death tax on a farm or a small business.”

He also praised farmers for preferring fair trade over subsidies, recalling earlier conversations with producers during his first term.

“They said, ‘We don’t want a subsidy. We just want an even playing field,’” Trump said. “They just wanted to be treated fairly. And nobody else has said that but the farmers.”

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the administration inherited an agricultural trade deficit and has worked to open new markets.

“In just a little over one year, 19 new trade deals have been struck,” Rollins said. “The markets have opened around the world.”

Rollins said American farmers are facing high input costs, including fuel, fertilizer, labor, interest rates, and seed, but said those costs had been coming down and would continue to improve.

Sen. Ron Johnson thanked Trump for paying attention to Wisconsin and said farmers he spoke with during the event recognize that Trump is fighting for them.

“They love farming,” Johnson said. “They face numerous challenges. But what I thought was very common in all the comments speaking to me is they realize that you are going to fight for them.”

Rep. Tom Tiffany thanked Trump for signing the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, saying there is no reason children should not have whole milk in schools. Other speakers also praised the milk policy, including dairy farmer Jamie Witz Pollock, who said whole milk provides nutrients for children’s growth and development.

“As a dairy farmer and a mom, I see how important it is for these policies to be put in place, not only for the families that are growing the food, but for the people who are consuming it every day,” Pollock said.

Trump also discussed ethanol, saying his administration eliminated restrictions on E15 sales and supports making E15 available year-round. He said the policy is important to farmers and the ethanol industry.

The event also included a discussion of right-to-repair issues for farm equipment. Trump said farmers should be able to repair their own tractors and equipment without being forced to rely on manufacturers.

“Some of you are better mechanics than the people at John Deere,” Trump said. “You’d like to fix it.”

Several farmers raised concerns about agricultural consolidation. One speaker said a small number of seed, chemical, fertilizer, and beef companies control large shares of those markets, making it difficult for farmers when input costs rise.

Ken Kuster, owner of Kuster Farms, thanked Trump for visiting and said farmers need fair trade.

“We American farmers risk a lot and count on God’s blessing,” Kuster said. “We can compete with anybody in the world. We need fair trade.”

Trump closed by thanking the farmers in attendance and saying they helped build the country.

“You’re the ones that made America great,” Trump said. “And we’re making it greater than ever before.”