Tangle Podcast Summary

Episode: PREVIEW – Will Kaback talks with Claire Carlson about how farmers are impacted by the government shutdown and trade wars
Date: November 15, 2025
Host: Will Kaback (Senior Editor, Tangle)
Guest: Claire Carlson (Reporter, Daily Yonder)
Duration: Preview (partial episode)

Episode Overview

This episode of Tangle dives into the critical issue of how U.S. farmers are being affected by both the recent federal government shutdown and ongoing trade wars. Host Will Kaback interviews Claire Carlson, an agriculture reporter for the Daily Yonder, drawing upon her latest article and interviews with farmers. Together, they discuss the real-world consequences of policy fights in Washington, including disruption of essential services farmers rely on and broad economic uncertainty in rural America.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Immediate Impact of the Government Shutdown

[02:08–05:04]

• Claire describes how the federal shutdown has “exacerbated some problems that farmers have already been facing,” especially in relation to tariffs and staffing shortages at the Department of Agriculture (USDA).
• She points out that over 2,000 USDA employees were laid off earlier in the year, and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offices, which provide critical contracts and grants to farmers, have been closed since October 1st.
• Seasonal Timing: The shutdown’s timing is particularly damaging because October-November is when farmers finalize last season’s work and plan for the next year, often involving contract fulfillment and application for new funding.

Notable Quote:
“Farmers, they kind of work by the season. So October and November is when they plan for the next year…they’ll often go to their NRCS offices and say, ‘Hey, this is the work I did…’ But they haven’t been able to do that because the government [is] shut down. So a lot of people just don’t really know what’s going on at the moment.”
— Claire Carlson, [05:04]

What is the NRCS and Why Does it Matter?

[06:20–08:12]

• Will prompts Claire to explain the NRCS’s role: The NRCS funds conservation efforts like solar panel installation, wetland conservation, and soil health programs.
• Some programs incentivize ecological practices (like no-till farming) essential for long-term soil and ecosystem health.
• The NRCS pays farmers for keeping portions of their land as wetlands, which helps with ecosystem stability and prevents issues like soil erosion and dust storms.

Notable Quote:
“Implementing conservation efforts like no-till farming…prevents erosion. Erosion is really bad on farms because…that’s where you see dust storms occur. I mean, Chicago earlier this year had a horrible dust storm, and a lot of that was because of highly eroded farmland.”
— Claire Carlson, [07:27]

Biden-Era Conservation Programs and Political Uncertainty

[08:12–08:53]

• Some conservation initiatives predate the Biden administration, but “a lot of it is Biden era funding, especially through the Inflation Reduction Act.”
• She notes recent efforts under the Trump administration to “reverse those Biden era programs,” particularly those that directly reference climate change.

Farmers’ Real-World Experience: Frustration, Apoliticism, and Communication Gaps

[11:08–12:12]

• Will asks how farmers are interpreting the Trump administration's efforts to reverse some conservation programs.
• Claire notes most farmers she interviews want to keep politics out of it:
  • “It’s not about politics to them. It’s mainly just they want to be able to continue operating their business, and if there’s a program that can maybe help them run it a little more efficiently, they’ll do that.”
• Communication from the USDA has been poor, leaving many farmers in the dark amid layoffs and the shutdown:
  • “They have no idea what’s going on at USDA right now, and that’s difficult for them.”
    — Claire Carlson, [11:50]

Financial Implications: Delays, Uncertainty, and Program Cuts

[12:12–13:18]

• Will asks whether government funding is simply delayed or potentially lost entirely.
• Claire clarifies: It’s both—some contracts have been frozen and could still be paid if the government reopens, but “a lot of the programs have just been cut over the past few months,” compounding uncertainty.

Trade Wars and Tariffs: The Double Whammy

[13:18–15:26]

• Will shifts to the impact of tariffs and recent trade developments, referencing Claire's reporting on soybean farmers and U.S.-China relations.
• Claire details:
  • Tariffs have “removed the global marketplace” for U.S. produce, most acutely for soybean farmers who lost China as a key customer.
  • Recent U.S.-China agreements may restore this market, but in the interim, farmers have been forced to store their crops and wait for commodity prices to rise.
  • Tariffs were intended to encourage domestic purchases, but rising input costs (fertilizer, machinery, etc.) due to tariffs, combined with low commodity prices, have left farmers simultaneously with higher costs and lower profits:
    • “So that’s kind of the double whammy that’s happening right now with tariffs.”
      — Claire Carlson, [14:55]

On-the-Ground Farmer Voices

[15:26–16:03]

• Claire references conversations with individual soybean farmers in South Dakota, planning to share more direct stories in the full episode.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On conservation and climate programs:
  “We’ve been seeing a lot of effort from the Trump administration to reverse those Biden era programs, especially within the Inflation Reduction Act, and a lot of conservation programs, especially ones that will name drop climate change…being targeted.”
  — Claire Carlson, [08:19]

• On government confusion:
  “There hasn’t been much communication with these staff layoffs and especially with the government shutdown…They have no idea what’s going on at USDA right now, and that’s difficult for them.”
  — Claire Carlson, [11:50]

• Summary of current situation:
  “It’s simultaneously more expensive to run their business, and they’re making less profit from it. So that’s kind of the double whammy that’s happening right now with tariffs.”
  — Claire Carlson, [14:55]

Important Timestamps

• [02:08] – Will introduces Claire Carlson and frames the discussion around her recent reporting.
• [05:04] – Claire lays out the immediate effects of the shutdown on rural support offices and farmers’ seasonal planning.
• [06:36] – Claire explains conservation contracts and their significance.
• [08:12] – Will and Claire discuss how Biden-era funding and programs are under threat from the current administration.
• [11:08] – Will probes the communication and political dimension; Claire reports on farmers’ frustration and confusion.
• [13:18] – Conversation shifts to the macroeconomic effect of tariffs and the trade war.
• [15:45] – Claire references first-hand accounts from South Dakota soybean farmers.

Episode Tone and Style

• The episode has a clear, informative, and empathetic tone, with both host and guest striving to give voice to often-overlooked rural perspectives.
• Claire’s responses fuse immediate reporting with accessible explanations of policy and practice, making complex subjects approachable.

Summary

This episode preview provides an in-depth look at the intersection of federal shutdown politics, trade wars, and their tangible effects on American farmers. Essential services have been disrupted at a critical time in the agricultural calendar, compounding anxieties already heightened by unstable market conditions and administrative upheaval. Farmers, often trying to remain apolitical, are left in the crossfire—facing policy changes, poor communication from agencies, and a market squeeze from both sides. The episode promises further exploration of these personal narratives and broader ramifications in the full version.