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Farmers evaluate Trump’s first year in office

Farmers evaluate Trump’s first year in office

Producers are concerned about the President’s stance on trade agreements

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

Jan. 20 marks a full calendar year since Donald Trump was officially sworn in as the 45th President of the United States.

After his victory, political analysts pointed to rural America’s support as one of the key factors leading to Trump’s presidency.

One year later, do farmers feel like the President is reciprocating this support?

“In some ways he is and in other ways he isn’t,” Karl Wedemeyer, a dairy farmer from Ohio’s Marion County, told Farms.com today. “The tax bill is going to be very beneficial to many farmers around the country. But he still scares me on trade and threatening to leave NAFTA, which would be very detrimental for all of U.S. agriculture.

“And he wants to (tighten) immigration, but we need immigrant labor to do ag jobs. Especially in the dairy industry, we need year-round labor.”

The United States exported more than $129 billion worth of ag goods in 2016, according to the USDA. That includes $25.4 billion worth of soybeans and related products.

Canada imported more than $20 billion of U.S. ag goods in 2016 and Mexico imported $17.7 billion worth of ag commodities.

And farmers are concerned that the President’s decisions surrounding trade agreements like NAFTA could hurt the industry.

“Trade is the key thing for us to move our products,” Brad Kremer, president of the Wisconsin Soybean Association, told Farms.com today. “The dollar is strong but commodities are struggling. We need to make sure we have proper market access for our products.”


Trending Video

US “Flash Drought” Worst in 133-160 Years + Disease taking a Bite out of US 2025 Corn/Soybean Crops

Video: US “Flash Drought” Worst in 133-160 Years + Disease taking a Bite out of US 2025 Corn/Soybean Crops


A dry August and a “flash drought” in the ECB (Eastern Corn Belt) the driest top 10 to 15 years in 150 to 160 years (Ohio the driest in 133 years) plus disease is taking a bite out of the 2025 U.S. corn and soybean crops.
It's going to be an early harvest. This could be the start of the 89-year drought cycle that may have been delayed until 2026 as La Nina maybe returning.
The USDA September crop report is all about record corn ears and record soybean counts but the October USDA crop report will be about pod and ear weights.
Stats Canada reported higher forecasts for the 2025 Canadian Prairies all wheat and canola crops vs. last year based on satellite imagery but are they overestimating production?
The 2025 Great ON Yield Tour and Quebec crop tours are projecting corn and soybean crops below the 10-year average.
China's Vice Commerce Ministry Li Chenggang visits Washington this week as we continue to connect the dots is a positive sign towards a China/U.S. trade deal. But will U.S. farmers have a winter without China as they buy more soybeans from Uruguay/Argentina? U.S. Northern Plain soybean farmers are seeing red with flat prices at $8.97/bu!
U.S. corn exports on record pace up 99% vs. last year.
Fund short covering continues in corn futures bottom is in!