{"id":485930,"date":"2026-10-05T17:22:27","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T17:22:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/485930\/"},"modified":"2026-10-05T17:22:27","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T17:22:27","slug":"tariffs-and-trade-shape-california-agriculture-votes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/485930\/","title":{"rendered":"Tariffs and trade shape California agriculture votes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Charley Mathews Jr. pursed his lips and turned to make eye contact with Jamie Johansson, a Republican running for the vacant 3rd Assembly District seat, when Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, said some immigrants shouldn\u2019t be deported. Mathews nodded when Democratic congressional candidate Eric Jones said the country needs a \u201ccompassionate immigration policy and reform.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mathews, a Yuba County rice grower who identifies as a Republican but is a long-time Thompson fan, said he was surprised and encouraged by Jones\u2019 performance at an August candidate forum hosted by the Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe fits a different mold,\u201d Mathews said, acknowledging that Jones \u201cneeds some refining\u201d on his farm bill talk.<\/p>\n

For the 4th Congressional District race<\/a> this fall, Mathews does not have a Republican candidate to choose from, as Thompson and Jones won the primary this summer.<\/p>\n

When Mathews thinks about who he is going to vote for, he said he doesn\u2019t focus on if they are a Republican or a Democrat. He thinks: Who is favorable to the agriculture industry?<\/p>\n

\"Charley Charley Mathews Jr., a fifth-generation rice farmer, stands in his rice field on his farm near Marysville on Tuesday. The Republican said he supports Democrat Mike Thompson in his district because the congressman has been a strong supporter of rice farmers for many years. REN\u00c9E C. BYER rbyer@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

That question is top of mind for others in California\u2019s $49 billion agriculture sector. While agriculture makes up a very small portion of the state\u2019s $4.25 trillion gross domestic product, California growers and producers are the main source of the country\u2019s domestic food and wine supply and are regularly caught in the crossfire of political decisions made at the federal level.<\/p>\n

The Sacramento Bee spoke with a few members of the agriculture community to get a sense of what they are thinking about ahead of the midterm elections and how those issues will translate as they cast their ballots. Growers and suppliers who spoke with The Bee agree on some of the obstacles before them, yet their agreement does not mean they are in lock step on the political front.<\/p>\n

Voters across the country, including in California\u2019s agriculture industry, highlight affordability challenges as their primary concern heading into the election. California growers and producers say they are facing never-before-seen burdens due to rising costs and falling commodity prices.<\/p>\n

Costs are increasing for farmers as a result of President Donald Trump\u2019s tariff<\/a> fights<\/a> and the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine. The tariff battles involve steel and aluminum, materials used for farm equipment and cans<\/a>, pushing prices higher, and the trade wars have led to skyrocketing fuel costs<\/a> and supply chain disruptions.<\/p>\n

\"Winemaker Winemaker Carol Shelton at her wine business in Santa Rosa on Wednesday. She said Trump has \u201cscrewed us royally in the wine business for years.\u201d Shelton said the cost of glass from China has increased 25%. REN\u00c9E C. BYER rbyer@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

The Trump administration has offered bailout programs to the agriculture sector in the last year, but the money mostly benefits Midwestern farmers growing row crops such as corn and soybeans. California farmers produce over 400 specialty commodities.<\/p>\n

And Congress has yet to pass a new farm bill \u2014 a measure that is intended to be revised about every five years to set agriculture policy but has been extended for the last three years. Democrats remain opposed to the current draft of the bill, primarily due to its significant cuts to SNAP<\/a>, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.<\/p>\n

Hilary Porter: Orchards, ag equipment<\/p>\n

Hilary Porter has been wrestling with the effects of Trump\u2019s trade wars and real wars.<\/p>\n

A fourth-generation tree crop grower with a roughly 200-acre farm in Glenn County, Porter also runs a custom orchard services business in the Central Valley. Her company provides equipment and operators during harvest season. She manufactures some equipment as well.<\/p>\n

When she looks at her invoices from the last year, she sees 40% to 100% increases in costs on items such as steel and rubber belting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel there is some short-term suffering for hopefully long-term gain,\u201d Porter said.<\/p>\n

With a crop such as nut trees, Porter is making a decades-long investment. With that, she wants stability in the market, which she has not seen recently due to the volatile tariffs.<\/p>\n

On top of the material costs, Porter has been hit with skyrocketing diesel prices \u2014 a product needed every step of the way in her operation from producing to harvesting to transporting. Since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz following conflict with the United States and Israel, diesel costs have hit record average highs,<\/a> with recent prices over $6 a gallon. California diesel costs are particularly high, with a recent average of more than $8 a gallon.<\/p>\n

\u201cWeathering the storms is harder for most in agriculture,\u201d Porter said.<\/p>\n

Despite the increasing costs and market volatility, Republicans still have Porter\u2019s vote. She is voting for James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, in his 1st Congressional District race<\/a> against state Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Santa Rosa. Gallagher beat McGuire and another Democrat in a special election held earlier this year to fill the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa\u2019s seat<\/a>. LaMalfa, a Republican, had held office since 2013 and was a rice farmer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Gallagher\u2019s got a really good connection with the agriculture community \u2026 and has worked hard to represent the agriculture community,\u201d Porter said.<\/p>\n

Carol Shelton: Wine<\/p>\n

Carol Shelton is preparing to close her 26-year-old Sonoma County winery.<\/p>\n

With no kids of her own and dwindling sales, she decided not to crush any new grapes this year and just sell her existing inventory. That left her wine grape growers without some long-term contracts. Her sales have dropped 25% to 30% over the winery\u2019s good years \u2014 about 17,000 cases annually.<\/p>\n

As she\u2019s winding down operations, every piece of equipment sold makes Shelton go: \u201cOw.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere goes all my history,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"Winemaker Winemaker Carol Shelton walks past empty wine barrels she has for sale in Santa Rosa on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. \u201cI\u2019m voting for Mike Thompson because he\u2019s done a lot for the wine industry. I\u2019m not going to vote for anything related to Trump. He has screwed us royally in the wine business for years,\u201d said Shelton, who has decided not to crush grapes after 26 years with her wine business. REN\u00c9E C. BYER rbyer@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

Shelton said she would have stayed in business for at least another five years if Trump had not been elected for a second term.<\/p>\n

Republicans are bowing to Trump, Shelton said, making \u201crich people richer\u201d and not helping small businesses. Economic uncertainty caused by Trump\u2019s tariffs<\/a> and the war in Iran are contributing to the challenges for small businesses such as her winery, she said. Consumers\u2019 drinking habits have changed, but Shelton said they also have less money to spend on wine \u2014 even cheaper bottles from her brand. Her \u201cWild Thing\u201d zinfandel, the label she is best known for, is sold for about $20 or less.<\/p>\n

At a recent meeting in Lodi with the U.S. Small Business Administration, winemakers and grape growers aired a slew of concerns: Canada\u2019s ban on American alcohol, regulatory burdens, imported bulk wine. One winery recently went up for sale<\/a> after taking hits from the loss of exports to Canada. U.S. alcohol is banned<\/a> in the majority of Canadian provinces following the increased tariffs on Canadian goods last year.<\/p>\n

\"Winemaker Winemaker Carol Shelton looks up at one of her walls of acclaim from her 26 years with her wine business in Santa Rosa on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. \u201cTrump\u2019s tariffs and trade deals have not helped my business,\u201d she said. She said his \u201cfake news\u201d and bad press about wine and health also were \u201cdamaging.\u201d REN\u00c9E C. BYER rbyer@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has contributed to the negative consumer sentiment toward alcohol, Shelton said, by leaning into the dialogue around the health risks associated with wine. Kennedy introduced<\/a> new federal guidelines on alcohol consumption in January. Shelton also isn\u2019t supportive of Trump\u2019s immigration policies, which affect people who make it possible for her to produce wine.<\/p>\n

Shelton votes down ballot for Democrats, including Mike Thompson, who she said does a good job for the wine industry.<\/p>\n

\u201c(I\u2019m voting for) anybody that will get Trump out of office,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Charley Mathews: Rice<\/p>\n

Mathews, a fifth-generation grower, farms 1,000 acres, 300 of which he owns. He also co-owns two rice drying facilities. His rice gets sold to the Farmers\u2019 Rice Cooperative, which distributes over 20% of all California rice, domestically and internationally, according to the cooperative website. Japan is a highlighted supply partner on the website.<\/p>\n

Having held various top roles within local and national rice industry groups, Mathews has traveled to D.C. for lobbying trips roughly 35 times, he said. His first trip was with his father in eighth grade around 1979. He meets with both Republicans and Democrats, typically those on the congressional agriculture committees. Conversations in Washington this year focused on trade and the farm bill, Mathews said.<\/p>\n

Business was better in 2023 Mathews said. But, he said, now is an \u201cunusual\u201d time. Prices for commodities<\/a> in his area are trending downwards. A lot of it has to do with trade, he said, with California commodities facing tough competition from cheaper imports. That\u2019s why trade is so crucial to Mathews when thinking about who gets his vote in any federal election.<\/p>\n

\"Charley Charley Mathews, a fifth-generation rice farmer, stands in one of his fields near Marysville on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. He said he will vote for Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson, who he believes has been a strong supporter of rice for many years. \u201cSo it shows a perfect example of why you vote for a person and not a party,\u201d Mathews said. REN\u00c9E C. BYER rbyer@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

Mathews views the Trump administration favorably. The United States and Japan signed a trade agreement<\/a> last year, a deal which Mathews said supports the U.S. rice industry. Trade deals are \u201cgoing to save us,\u201d Mathews said.<\/p>\n

In June, Mathews voted for conservative James Gallagher in the 1st Congressional District special election. Following that race, California redrew<\/a> its congressional districts, and now Mathews falls into the 4th District, the race with two Democrats.<\/p>\n

While newcomer Eric Jones piqued his interest at the candidate forum in August, Mathews is sticking with Mike Thompson \u2014 who Mathews has known for years and said has a \u201cstrong relationship\u201d with the rice industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll keep an eye on him,\u201d Mathews said of Jones. \u201c\u2026Everybody gets replaced at some point.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Charley Charley Mathews, a fifth-generation rice farmer, holds part of his rice crop as an insect flies in for a closer look on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, in a farm field near Marysville. REN\u00c9E C. BYER rbyer@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

This story was originally published October 5, 2026 at 6:00 AM.<\/p>\n

Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Lizzie Kane<\/a><\/p>\n

The Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n

Lizzie Kane covers California\u2019s agriculture sector as the Farm-to-Fork Reporter for The Sacramento Bee. Previously, she reported on housing for the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times. Her work has also appeared in Bloomberg, The Indianapolis Star, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Charlotte Observer.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Charley Mathews Jr. pursed his lips and turned to make eye contact with Jamie Johansson, a Republican running…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":485931,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[121,123,122],"class_list":["post-485930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sacramento","tag-sacramento","tag-sacramento-headlines","tag-sacramento-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/485930","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=485930"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/485930\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/485931"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=485930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=485930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=485930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}