Al Jazeera reports that South Carolina shrimp farmers are weighing issues such as fuel costs, tariffs, and the Trump administration's proposed budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which provides critical weather data, ahead of the midterm elections. Shrimp farmers stated that NOAA has lost approximately 20% of its staff since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, and the government's proposed FY2027 budget would further cut ocean monitoring funds and terminate a regional ocean observation support program. In addition, rising fuel prices, increased equipment costs, and competition from imported shrimp are also putting pressure on local shrimp farmers.