Running a honey farm wasn’t supposed to come with this much uncertainty—at least not for Jim Hartman.
A lifelong Republican and proud Trump voter, Hartman thought he was doing the right thing at the ballot box.
But now, he says he’s paying a hefty price for those choices.
From his family-run business, Secret Garden Bees in Linden, North Carolina, Hartman shared that his income has taken a major hit thanks to policies introduced under Trump’s administration.
“I never thought I was going to lose this much money this fast,” he told CNN.
Tariffs and Budget Cuts Take a Bite Out of Beekeeping
The problem? Tariffs and sweeping federal budget cuts. Even though Trump has temporarily hit pause on imposing some of the harsher levies, a 10% baseline tariff still applies to goods from around 60 countries—and that includes the supplies Hartman depends on.
“We just bought our whole year’s supply of bottles from Taiwan and corks from Portugal,” he explained.
“That would have been another five or six thousand dollars out of my pocket if the timing had been different.”
A Vanished Program Leaves a $150,000 Hole
For Hartman, things went from bad to worse when a government program he relied on was abruptly canceled.
He used to sell his honey to the federal government, which distributed it to schools and food banks.
The steady income helped keep the business running.
Now, thanks to budget cuts under Trump, that income is gone.
“That was about $150,000 a year for me,” Hartman said. “That’s half my revenue.
It’s a massive hit.” He’s now repairing decades-old equipment instead of replacing it and has frozen hiring new workers.
Regret Sets In After Years of Loyalty at the Polls
Hartman has voted for Trump not once, not twice—but three times.
Still, after seeing what’s happened to his business, he’s starting to second-guess those decisions.
“I probably should’ve considered some other options,” he admitted.
Even with Trump announcing a 90-day delay on new tariffs for countries without retaliatory measures, Hartman says it’s hard to know what to believe.
“It’s flip-flopped so many times—you can’t take it to the bank.”
Trump Still Rallies Farmers, But Confidence Wavers
Despite stories like Hartman’s, Trump is still working to keep farmers in his corner.
Earlier this month, he posted on Truth Social, promising to protect American farmers.
He acknowledged that farmers often get caught in the crossfire of international trade negotiations—especially when facing off with countries like China.
“Because of their GREATNESS,” Trump wrote, “they are always put on the front line.”
He emphasized that during his first term, he stepped in with a $28 billion aid package to offset the damage caused by tariffs—something he blamed Joe Biden for failing to follow through on.
The Bigger Picture: Tariffs Stir Economic Pain Across Rural America
Farmers across the country are feeling the pressure. Tariffs raise prices on everything from bottles to tractors, and foreign nations often retaliate by slapping taxes on American crops.
Right now, the U.S. has a 145% tariff on Chinese imports—and China’s hit back with a 125% tax on American goods.
It’s not just an economic headache; it’s a full-blown financial migraine for those who grow and sell food for a living.
Even as the White House considers new ways to support struggling farmers, many—like Hartman—are stuck trying to figure out how to stay afloat.