U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) met with more than a dozen Granite State farmers in Londonderry on March 3 to hear their concerns about the new tariffs and cuts in agricultural funding. Courtesy photo/Office of U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen

LONDONDERRY – U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) recently met with more than a dozen farmers who are fearing for their livelihoods.

Their concerns stem from a Republican budget resolution, passed on Feb. 25 by the U.S. House of Representatives, to cut agriculture funding by $230 billion over the next 10 years.

“The House has passed a significant reduction in the farm bill,” Shaheen said during the March 3 meeting at Sunnycrest Farm. “This is really an uncertain time, our farms are so important to our quality of life.”

Shaheen is now the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies. The subcommittee is tasked with overseeing funding for much of the Department of Agriculture and the FDA.

Robert Johnson II, policy director of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation, said several of his member farms have signed contracts that promised federal reimbursement for project expenses. However, they are now finding out that those contracts may no longer be valid under President Donald Trump.

Bethany Hodge, co-owner of Echo Farm Puddings in Hinsdale, said she purchases a considerable amount of products from Canadian companies whose prices have climbed by 25 percent under Trump’s tariffs.

“Ingredient costs are going up, we have to gauge what those impacts are going to be,” said Hodge. “We’re all struggling financially, we can’t just press pause for four years.”

Like other Granite State farmers, Trevor Hardy, business manager at Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis, said he partners with the National Resource Conservation Service. Although the NRCS has been a major funding source for several years, it could be significantly reduced by the Trump Administration.

“We have to be better about farming,” said Hardy. “All of these programs we’ve put forth to do better are now on hold.”

Regarding the tariffs, he said the cost of John Deere equipment is also expected to rise as the company has moved some of its manufacturing operations to Mexico.

“All these tariff threats have just ruined the market,” he said.

In addition, Hardy said his farm received a grant that would match 50 percent of the cost to construct a solar array. However, the cost match has since been reduced to 25 percent, which no longer makes the project financially feasible.

“We had to back out of that contract,” he said.

Hardy also called attention to the H-2A visa program which allows foreign nationals to reside in the U.S. while filling temporary farm jobs. That program, which is being targeted by Trump’s mass deportation order, is crucial to farming operations.

“We cannot farm without these folks,” said Hardy.

Shaheen said immigration continues to be a “polarizing hot topic.”

“I share your frustration and outrage,” she said.