Agriculture

Our Farm Economy

As Republicans, we’ve embraced key principles like free trade, fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, fewer regulations, family values and fair treatment for all Americans. Well, 164 years after Abraham Lincoln co-founded the party, the policies and positions taken by today’s Republican-controlled Congress are violating too many of those principles.

With few exceptions, almost every American is being harmed. But, it is the farmers, ranchers, dairymen, the farm workers, equipment manufacturers, import/export brokers and others who make up the agriculture industry who are hardest hit….and ultimately, the consumers!

Now, many of the ag sector’s problems go way back, and they certainly cross party lines. Looking at the votes, however, we Republicans have to wince at what our Senators have recently done and are still doing.

To cite just a few examples:

Trade - Because the President instigated tariffs and the Senate refused to do their job and stop them, the ag sector is being pummeled by retaliatory tariffs – especially from China.

Immigration - A “zero-tolerance” plan for illegal immigration sounds terrific in rallies. But, in the fields, where crops are withering because farmers are losing their migrant workers, it’s another body-blow to the ag sector.

Global Warming - As the Earth’s average temperature rises, so does the damage to the ag sector. Imagine trying to grow crops, raise cattle or milk cows in the midst of worsening droughts, storms and floods – all of which are exacerbated by climate change and denied by almost all current Republican politicians.

The Farm Bill - Congress enacts a new Farm Bill only every 5 years. On May 18, 2018, the House of Representatives rejected the farm bill, because Speaker Ryan went against the Freedom Caucus and did not allow a vote on an immigration measure before the farm bill vote; because moderate Republicans found the bill to be fiscally irresponsible; and because Democrats were angry at being left out of the writing of the bill. This partisanship has to stop!

Gee-Whiz Facts

● According to the Center for Disease Control, farmers are committing suicide at 5 times the rate of the rest of the population

● Taxpayers for Common Sense says that the $867 billion Farm Bill was a missed opportunity for taxpayers and they identify billions of dollars in taxpayers’ subsidies including crop insurance, which has gone from a ‘safety net’ for natural disasters to a guaranteed income for the most profitable agri-businesses!!!

● About 20% of trade between the United States and China involves agriculture. Soybeans, the most valuable U.S. agricultural export, to top importer, China have plunged. Stockpiles grew, prices tumbled - putting more pressure on declining incomes for farmers. (Reuters 7/29/19)

● According to the USDA, the average farm’s income for 2018 was 35 percent below what it was in 2013. Joyce Kelly, executive director of the Colorado Pork Producers Council: "91% of all U.S. pork is exported. Unfortunately, when it comes to trade wars…pork becomes the tip of the spear.” The Chinese tariff on pork used to be 12%. Now it is 37%.

● Parts of Missouri are so dry that corn crops are suffering and water is becoming increasingly scarce. The drought has also hurt pastures, with about three-quarters in poor or very poor conditions. It's also hurt the hay crop, which is down about one-third from normal.

● Jerome Schwagerl farms in Minnesota. When Trump took office, he said, he was willing to give the president enough time to work on trade issues. But he's seen enough: "He's going to bankrupt agriculture trying to do it."