When Donald Trump first took the big seat in the White House in 2017, I remember feeling a sense of dread. With an unpredictable man leading one of the most powerful countries in the world, what would the impact be? How would it affect us here in Ireland?

During his term, there were tariffs, riots and some shocking comments about managing the COVID-19 pandemic, but we survived. So when he was re-elected last year, I wasn’t quite as anxious. We survived one Trump administration, let’s keep the head down for another.

It seems however, that his first term was just a warm-up act. The increase in tariffs introduced last week has dominated every paper headline, news bulletin and economic analysis for days now.

EU retaliation. Government in crisis mode. Public braced for a worldwide recession.

These are all headlines we have seen or heard in the last week, and as I listened to them I thought of our readers, the farmers working in an industry that is quite exposed.

So this column is not an analysis of Trump’s tariffs and the impact on farming – I’ll leave that to the experts in the agribusiness section of the paper. Instead, I’m asking, how is your head space with all this talk on tariffs?

Fatigued is one way to describe it. There was Brexit, then we had a worldwide pandemic followed swiftly by the war in the Ukraine. Closer to home, we had an atrocious spring last year where farmers were faced with depleting silage stock, added costs and animals stuck indoors, all of which impacted levels of profitability.

With a good spring and strong beef prices, many farmers may have felt like they were getting a bit of a break. That was until the announcement of the US tariffs. Now people are asking, how will it impact costs? Could it affect cash flow or access to credit? Could my off-farm job be on the line?

All of this can feel overwhelming but let’s take stock. First of all, Brexit, the pandemic, Ukraine – all of these presented challenges but farmers got through them, and the tariff situation will be the same.

Furthermore, there has been a lot of catastrophising about the tariffs but the reality is no one knows what the impact could be. So instead of letting our minds run away with ourselves, it is best to stay focused on the things that are in our control – getting the cows milked or making sure those newborn lambs are well fed, keeping the books in order or continuing with that fencing job. Ticking these jobs off your to-do list is important for your sense of purpose.

If you are particularly concerned about cash flow, don’t bury your head in the sand. A conversation with your accountant or adviser could help relieve the pressure and give you guidance on your next step forward.

Remember the power of the basics. Good nutrition, a decent night’s sleep, getting some exercise – these all make a difference in our ability to manage challenging situations.

And finally, block out the noise. If all these news reports feel overwhelming, then it’s OK to turn off the radio or skip the nightly news. But don’t miss a copy of the Irish Farmers Journal, that would be pure madness altogether.