AFBF: We Need More Access To Markets Not Less

Foreign retaliation against American agriculture over President Trump’s tariffs was a key immediate concern at a Senate hearing on the farm economy.  Farm leaders had many concerns amid a farm economy in trouble, including the lack of a new farm bill, expiring tax breaks, labor shortages, and access to pesticides.  But perhaps none drew the kind of immediate concern as President Trump’s tariffs and the loss of markets.

“We need more access, not less. We need more fair-trade deals, not less," American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall. told lawmakers this week.  "We need this administration, because we haven’t seen it for almost a decade now, really getting fair trade deals to be put in place and stick.”

That’s a possible reference to USMCA with Mexico and Canada, now under the shadow of threatened new tariffs.  The feared impact is not just on the export side but must-have imports.

“The real kind of experience out there that we’re hearing about suppliers of fertilizer and other goods already adding costs onto goods that we’re buying," said National Farmers Union head Rob Larew.  "We’re hearing some places that are not selling for delivery products beyond a certain date because of the threat.”

Farm leaders’ meantime said the farm bill baseline must be increased, reference price triggers raised, crop insurance expanded, labor needs met, and crop tool access protected.  But trade was tops with the agreement that farmers want markets, not a government check.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com