America’s rural economy is powered by working vehicles like UTVs and ATVs that farmers and ranchers rely on daily to grow food, care for livestock, and keep operations running.
While these vehicles are essential tools of modern agriculture, rising tariffs are squeezing farmers and rural communities by driving up equipment costs by thousands of dollars, according to Save America’s Working Vehicles.
Key takeaways:
· Only one in three farmers say they can afford the fertilizer they need for this season and can’t afford any additional price hikes.
· 60% of farmers report their finances have worsened this year due to rising fertilizer and fuel costs.
· $4 billion is the expected decline of net farm income in 2026. This April, farm bankruptcies skyrocketed, jumping by 82%.
· Experts describe this as the toughest economy for farmers in nearly 50 years. This means thousands of dollars in new costs are hitting farm budgets before a single dollar of additional tariff-driven equipment expense is added on.
· Section 232 tariffs have imposed 25% tariffs on products that contain imported steel. A revised proclamation this week reduced the tariffs rate on ATVs to 15%, while leaving higher rates in place for other vehicles. Even at these levels, tariffs can still add up to $5,000 to the cost.
