Montana barley farmer Mitch Konen highlights the precarious situation faced by barley growers amid rising tariffs, latently increasing costs and dwindling demand due to declining U.S. beer consumption. With half of Konen's barley destined for Mexico, which has imposed tariffs against U.S. crops, concerns mount regarding the viability of export markets. Experts underscore the economic repercussions of potential tariff retaliation that could plague American farmers, with crop economist Frayne Olson noting that tariffs risk decimating U.S. barley exports, primarily because farmers are unable to consume their own production volumes.
Roughly half of Konen's barley is destined for Mexico, where it will be turned into beer. If tariffs on exports are enacted, farmers could face dire financial consequences.
The people who pay for tariffs are the farmers. We grow way more barley than we can possibly consume, so if those markets go away, then farmers will suffer.
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