Farmers on both sides of the globe are facing mounting hardships, and the political responses are as varied as the challenges themselves. In Maharashtra, India, relentless rains since May 2025 have left fields flooded and livelihoods in jeopardy. Meanwhile, American farmers—particularly those growing soybeans—are again caught in the crossfire of international trade wars, this time with new promises of government bailouts. The common thread? Governments under fire for policies that, critics say, fail to address the root causes of farmers' distress.
On October 3, 2025, Maharashtra’s Congress party plans to launch a statewide protest. The reason, according to Devdiscourse: the state government’s aid for flood-hit farmers is woefully inadequate. Harshwardhan Sapkal, a prominent Congress leader, has been vocal in his criticism. During a recent tour of the battered farmlands, Sapkal observed that farmers "are not even getting Rs 3,000 per hectare in aid." For families whose lives revolve around the land, this sum is a drop in the ocean compared to their mounting losses.
Sapkal isn’t just criticizing; he’s making demands. He has called for a comprehensive compensation package: Rs 50,000 per hectare, Rs 2 lakh per acre for land losses, and free seeds and fertilizers for the upcoming Rabi season. These are not just numbers—they represent what Sapkal and his supporters believe is the bare minimum for survival and recovery. He’s also urging the government to declare a "wet drought," a term that might sound paradoxical but in Indian agricultural parlance refers to crop loss caused by excessive rainfall rather than a lack of it.
The Congress leader’s frustration is aimed squarely at Maharashtra’s BJP-led administration and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Sapkal accuses them of prioritizing industrial interests—specifically, the Surjagad iron ore mining project—over the urgent needs of struggling farmers. With the monsoon rains refusing to let up since May, the timing of these policy choices has only fueled the anger. "The government’s handling of the situation amidst continuous rainfall since May is unacceptable," Sapkal declared, vowing to intensify the agitation if the demands are not met.
This isn’t the first time Indian farmers have felt let down by those in power, nor is it the only place where agricultural workers are feeling the pinch. Across the ocean, American farmers are once again grappling with the fallout from tariffs and trade wars. According to Reason.com, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has been one of the Trump administration’s most enthusiastic proponents of tariffs, repeatedly insisting that they would "completely realign the American economy around putting America first" and open new markets for U.S. farm products.
But the reality on the ground has been far less rosy. The tariffs imposed during President Trump’s first term backfired for many in the agricultural sector. When China, one of the largest buyers of American soybeans, slashed its purchases in retaliation, U.S. farmers found themselves with unsellable crops. The government’s answer in 2018 was a massive $28 billion bailout. Fast forward to 2025, and the story is repeating itself—only this time, the numbers are even more daunting.
Prices for essentials like fertilizers, tractors, and farm equipment have been climbing, a trend exacerbated by tariffs on steel and aluminum. John Deere, the iconic American farm machinery manufacturer, recently announced that tariffs would cost the company $600 million this year alone. For farmers, the squeeze is real and immediate. Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association, painted a stark picture: "Farmers are standing at a trade and financial precipice" as they face "extreme financial stress" due to the ongoing trade war.
The competition is also getting fiercer. With Chinese buyers turning to South American soybeans, American growers are losing their edge in the global marketplace. The financial stress is not just a matter of balance sheets—it’s about the future of family farms, rural communities, and the broader agricultural economy.
Despite mounting evidence of harm, Secretary Rollins has doubled down on her support for tariffs. In April 2025, she praised President Trump’s "Liberation Day" tariff announcement, calling him the "ultimate dealmaker" and promising that tariffs would "level the playing field for American farmers and ranchers." Yet by September, she was floating the idea of another bailout—this time funded by tariff revenue. "There may be circumstances under which we will be very seriously looking to and announcing a package soon," Rollins told the Financial Times.
President Trump himself confirmed the administration’s intent to support farmers financially, stating, "We’re going to make sure that our farmers are in great shape, because we’re taking in a lot of money." The details of the bailout remain vague, but critics point out that such measures often end up benefiting the most well-connected rather than the most needy, a pattern seen during the previous round of aid.
The parallels between Maharashtra and the U.S. are striking. In both cases, farmers are caught between the unpredictability of nature and the unpredictability of politics. In Maharashtra, the issue is relentless rain and the perceived neglect by a government more focused on mining than on agriculture. In the U.S., it’s the whiplash of trade policy—tariffs meant to help farmers that instead leave them worse off, followed by bailouts that may not reach those most in need.
Underlying both stories is a sense of frustration and betrayal. In India, Sapkal’s Congress party has a long history of championing farmers’ rights and sees the current agitation as part of that legacy. "We have always fought for farmers, and we will intensify our agitation until their demands are met," Sapkal promised. In the U.S., farm groups and rural advocates are questioning whether government officials truly understand the realities on the ground—or if, as some suggest, they are more interested in political theater than practical solutions.
What’s clear is that the stakes could hardly be higher. For farmers in Maharashtra, the next few months will determine not just the success of the Rabi season but the survival of entire communities. For American farmers, the outcome of the latest round of tariffs, bailouts, and trade negotiations will shape the future of the country’s agricultural heartland for years to come.
As the world watches, the voices of those who work the land are growing louder. Whether governments will listen—and act in ways that truly address their needs—remains an open question.