Ag’s place in the State of the Union

Feb 05, 2020

President Trump mentioned farmers when speaking about the USMCA

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Farmers were a small part of President Trump’s third State of the Union address on Tuesday.

Speaking before a joint session of Congress, the president outlined what his administration has done to improve life for Americans.

His message demonstrated “how we are building the world’s most prosperous and inclusive society – one where every citizen can join in America’s unparalleled success and where every community can take part in America’s extraordinary rise,” he said.

President Trump mentioned farmers directly when speaking about new trade agreements.

Highlighting the renegotiated USMCA with Canada and Mexico, the president noted the deal would create almost 100,000 jobs “and massively boost exports for our farmers, ranchers, and factory workers,” he said.

The president did mention the new trade agreement with China but didn’t speak to the Market Facilitation Program payments farmers received during the trade war between the two nations.

Trump made one reference to rural America as a whole when discussing rebuilding the country’s infrastructure.

“I’m also committed to ensuring that every citizen can have access to high-speed Internet, including and especially in rural America,” he said.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue thanked President Trump for his work and is optimistic about what the future holds for U.S. farmers.

“The president has rural America and agriculture close to his heart and has kept his promises when it comes to striking stronger trade agreements, eliminating burdensome regulations, strengthening the economy for all Americans, and making our country strong again,” he said in a statement Tuesday. “The great American comeback that he has been laying the groundwork for is in full force, and the best is yet to come.”

Multiple farmers attended the State of the Union as lawmakers are allowed to invite one or more guests to the address.

Les Danielson, a grain and dairy farmer from Cadott, Wis. and member of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, went as a guest of Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

David Fisher, a dairy farmer and president of the New York Farm Bureau, attended as a guest of Rep. Elise Stefanik.

And Jennifer Lewis, dairy farmer from Hillsdale County, Mich., was Rep. Tim Walberg’s guest.

Farms.com has reached out to the farmers in attendance for comment.

Patrick Semansky/AP Images photo

President Trump mentions farmers around the 17:20 mark of the video.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.