Scott Detrow

So after more than half a century, going back to the moon, it feels long overdue.

This episode was produced by Michael Levitt, Mark Rivers, and Connor Donovan.

It was edited by Ashley Brown and Courtney Dorning.

And Pierre Scott Newman contributed to the episode.

Our executive producer is Sammy Yenigan.

It's Consider This from NPR.

I'm Scott Detrow.

America's farmers can't seem to catch a break.

Mark Mueller is a fourth-generation farmer from Iowa.

He mainly farms corn and soybeans.

He's also the president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association.

And this past year has been especially turbulent.

President Trump's tariffs and other trade policies have disrupted export markets, and his immigration crackdown has exacerbated an already serious labor crisis in agriculture.

Now, the war in Iran has caused a spike in fertilizer prices because half of the world's nitrogen fertilizer exports come through the Strait of Hormuz.

If the pain persists for farmers, Mueller says it might bleed into the midterms.

Consider this.

Some of President Trump's policies are testing the support of farmers, many of whom voted for him.

From NPR, I'm Scott Detrow.

A series of Trump administration policy decisions, deportations, tariffs, and the Iran war are ratcheting up the pressure on American farmers.

It's a group that tends to support the president, but persistent challenges may test their patience.