Rep. Carson: I stand with Indiana farmers

By U.S. Rep. Andre Carson (D-Dist. 7) 

I stand with Indiana farmers as they navigate increasingly challenging market conditions, especially for major commodities like corn and soybeans. 

This administration’s tariff policies have created chaotic conditions for American farmers, who need reliable markets. Nowhere is this clearer than in our agricultural exports to China. China purchased $12.8 billion in U.S. soybeans in 2024 but purchased only $3.1 billion in 2025 because of President Trump’s trade war – a 75 percent decline that hit Indiana farmers hard. 

That’s why I have consistently opposed the Trump administration’s broad and unpredictable tariff policies, particularly when they put U.S. exports at risk of retaliation. Farmers should not be collateral damage in an endless series of haphazard trade fights. 

I support a more stable, rules-based approach that keeps foreign markets open to American producers – and gives farmers the certainty they need to plan ahead. 

I am also pushing to protect Food for Peace, the United States’ oldest and largest international food assistance program. Established by President Eisenhower in 1954, the program supports domestic farm products and feeds people who desperately need assistance. 

But under President Trump, this crucial funding for our farmers has fallen by more than $400 million, and the administration has now tried twice to eliminate the program entirely. I know how important Food for Peace is for American agriculture, so I offered an amendment with my colleague, Rep. Jim Costa, to partially restore funding for this lifesaving program. 

American agriculture is the most productive in the world, in large part because of continued innovation in crop science, animal health, biotechnology, precision agriculture and farming practices. But this administration is now proposing another cut that would hurt our farmers: Hatch Act funding, which supports agricultural research at universities and state agricultural experiment stations. 

Indiana is well-positioned to lead this research, with Purdue University and companies like Elanco, which recently opened its new global headquarters in Indianapolis. I oppose these cuts, and I support federal investment that keeps American agriculture competitive and brings research dollars – including hundreds-of-millions from the CHIPS and Sciences Act – back to Indiana. 

Bringing investment back to Indiana is always at top of mind for me. Federal dollars shouldn’t be spent on tax breaks for billionaires. They should be invested in the people and communities at the heart of our country, including Indiana. 

Every day in the Hoosier State, farmers, researchers, universities and companies are moving our country forward. American agriculture is the best in the world because our farmers and researchers continue to innovate. 

Hoosier farmers face many challenges, but I’m confident in their future. I will keep fighting against harmful tariffs and for federal investments that strengthen this vital industry. 

To Hoosier farmers: I will continue to support you today and in the years to come.