NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
In the last two presidential elections, farmers voted overwhelmingly for President Donald Trump, but now some are saying his efforts to cut the government are causing major financial pressure. William Brangham reports and speaks with Nick Levendofsky, executive director of the Kansas Farmers Union, for more perspective.
View the transcript of the story.
Key terms
USAID — A federal government agency that provides food, medical and other aid across the world. USAID spending was nearly completely frozen in the early weeks of Trump administration
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- What are Trump administration actions that are affecting farmers?
- Where has the agency USAID purchased much of the food it distributes around the world?
- Who are some of the farmers interviewed in this story, and what are their worries?
- How does the funding freeze affect farmers permanently, even if the freeze is temporary?
- When did the Food for Peace program begin, and why?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Do you think the federal government should buy crops from farmers to distribute as aid around the world? Why or why not?
Media literacy: Who else would you want to hear from to understand how farms are impacted by federal spending? What other ways do you think federal spending supports rural America? How could you find out?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
As this segment explains, USAID benefits farmers in the U.S. by purchasing crops. But then where does it go? Watch the following segment about USAID and discuss — how does sending aid to other countries benefit the U.S., and how could it have more of an impact?
(Teachers: You can find a lesson on the segment above here.)
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