Nebraska

Nebraska is America's beef buckle — the state processes more red meat than any other, and retaliatory tariffs threaten the industry that defines its economy. The massive meatpacking plants in Lexington, Grand Island, and Omaha (operated by Tyson, JBS, Cargill, and Greater Omaha Packing) process cattle from across the Great Plains for export. Japan's 38.5% retaliatory tariff on US beef and China's 25% tariff directly target Nebraska's premium product. Corn and soybeans round out the agricultural triple threat — Nebraska is a top-5 producer of both, and China's retaliatory tariffs have been devastating. The state's ethanol industry (Nebraska is the #2 ethanol producer) faces trade barriers that reduce demand for 40% of its corn crop. Beyond agriculture, Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha hosts US Strategic Command, providing economic stability but no tariff shield for the private sector. Berkshire Hathaway's Omaha headquarters coordinates a global portfolio affected by trade uncertainty across dozens of subsidiaries. Union Pacific Railroad, also headquartered in Omaha, hauls the agricultural goods and consumer products that tariffs make more expensive.