South Carolina Farmers Caught in the Crossfire of Tariffs and a Shifting Global Economy
- CUBNSC
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Federal Policies, a Lack of Young Farmers, and Unprecedented Population Growth Negatively Affect South Carolina’s Agricultural Future
By Rep. Robert Reese - (Contributor) South Carolina Agriculture, Natural Resources & Environmental Affairs Committee
During a recent update to the South Carolina House Agriculture Committee, Department of Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers warned lawmakers of the increasingly dire circumstances facing the state’s agricultural industry.
The loss of foreign trading markets, workforce shortages driven by federal immigration policy, the precipitous sale of farmland to commercial developers, and a shrinking pipeline of young farmers are now converging into a systemic threat to food production in the Palmetto State.
Federal trade policy has played a significant role in this decline. The Trump-era tariffs, particularly those imposed during the U.S.–China trade war, caused an immediate and lasting disruption to South Carolina’s export markets.
China was a major trading partner and purchaser of South Carolina-grown soybeans. Following the imposition of tariffs, those exports dropped sharply, and the state has yet to recover lost ground in that market. South Carolina farmers were hit twice. First through the loss of buyers and second through rising costs tied to imported fertilizer, equipment, and essential farm inputs.
What is often missing from this conversation is the global context. While American farmers struggle to regain lost markets, other regions of the world are actively restructuring trade relationships in response to U.S. policy uncertainty.
The European Union is currently moving forward with the long-delayed Mercosur trade agreement with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. If finalized, the deal will significantly expand agricultural trade flows between South America and Europe, particularly in soybeans, beef, poultry, and other staple commodities.
As global markets realign, those supply chains do not pause to wait for the United States to re-enter the conversation. Once buyers and logistics networks are established elsewhere, American farmers, including those in South Carolina, face long-term displacement rather than temporary disruption.
This global shift underscores how federal trade decisions ripple directly into local farm viability.
Unless new foreign markets are secured or existing ones meaningfully restored, South Carolina farmers face mounting economic instability. The threat is not theoretical. It is already unfolding.
Compounding these trade pressures is the impact of federal immigration enforcement on the agricultural workforce.
The labor-intensive nature of farming means that without a reliable workforce, growers are forced to scale back or avoid higher-value crops such as peaches, peppers, eggplants, and tobacco.
The existing H-2A visa program, while widely used, remains costly, inflexible, and burdened by complex requirements that many farmers struggle to meet.
As a result, fewer workers are willing or able to fill agricultural jobs, and farmers are left with limited options.
The cumulative effect of lost markets, labor shortages, and rising costs has created a perfect storm for South Carolina agriculture. This crisis is intensified by unprecedented population growth and development pressure.
Productive farmland is increasingly targeted by developers, particularly when farming no longer offers a viable return and there is no clear successor to carry the operation forward.
Young people are not stepping into multi-generational farming roles at the rate necessary to sustain the industry. Investments in beginning farmer initiatives, modernization, and advanced production technologies remain insufficient or nonexistent.
Commissioner Weathers has acknowledged that South Carolina’s nearly $50 billion agricultural industry is in jeopardy. The Department of Agriculture is seeking $40 million this fiscal year to support the Growing Agribusiness Fund, which would help farmers reinvest in their operations and increase productivity.
Today, only about two percent of South Carolina’s population is responsible for producing the state’s food supply. Similar patterns are emerging across the region.
If we lose our local farmers, the consequences will extend far beyond rural communities. Food prices will rise. Supply chains will weaken. Our dependence on external markets will deepen.
These are difficult questions, but they are unavoidable. South Carolina must confront them now.
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