American ranchers wrestle with soaring costs - and their loyalty to Trump
Nebraska ranchers are facing financial strain due to rising costs, trade policies, and the impact of the Iran war on fuel prices. Despite their historical support for Donald Trump, some are reconsidering their political loyalty due to policies like duty-free beef imports that they feel undermine domestic producers.
Why it matters
This highlights the tension between populist political rhetoric and the economic realities faced by rural voters, potentially impacting electoral support.
Image source, Yvette Mannon Image caption, Rancher Yvette Mannon was already dealing with a destructive wildfire and rising fuel costs before the US announced new foreign beef imports
Nebraska rancher Yvette Mannon was already having a rough year.
In April, a wildfire destroyed 1,600 grazing acres and 13 miles (21 km) of fence along the ranch she bought in 2002. The ranch is nestled in a corner of Nebraska that's home to rolling green hills under sweeping Midwestern skies, the landscape dotted with grain silos and feedlots alongside fields and fields of bovines.
Mannon's 300 cattle survived the blaze - but the fencing needed to be replaced, and the herd still needed to be fed.
With steel prices at their highest levels in years, heavily affected by tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, that meant spending $4.89 a foot - for a total exceeding $300,000.
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