MARYLAND (WBFF) — Maryland farmers say rising equipment costs and weaker markets for some crops are squeezing their businesses, pressures they attribute in part to federal tariff policies.
President Donald Trump last year imposed tariffs, or direct taxes, on goods from more than 80 countries, raising costs for some imported products. Retaliatory tariffs and shifts in global trade have also affected markets for some U.S. agricultural exports.
Charles Wright, a Wicomico County farmer who raises crops and livestock, said rising costs have forced him to lay off workers. Gov. Wes Moore has also increased vehicle registration fees, Wright said, pushing him to spend twice as much on registration for trucks he uses on his farm.
“One truck used to cost $1,000 a year, and now it’s $2,000,” Wright said. “I use 10 trucks on my farm.”
Read the full story on the Baltimore Sun.
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