Iowa Farm Bureau reacts to latest developments in trade dispute with China
Author
Published
8/6/2019
The following statement may be attributed to Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Craig Hill.
"Here in Iowa, where agriculture is responsible for one out of every five jobs, we think all Iowans should care about trade. We understand China is a bad actor and must be held accountable, but since Iowa farmers are on the front lines of this trade war, we urge both parties to sit down and reach an agreement that ends this dispute.
Farmers want to compete in an open market. We don’t want payments: we aren’t asking for special treatment or government intervention that escalates the situation. Since we grow food for our neighbors around the world and we live in a global economy, we simply want to sell our crops and livestock to consumers around the world.
American farmers grow the safest, highest quality, and most affordable food in the world. We know if given the chance to compete in an open market, the American farmer will be successful.
Foreign demand for U.S. farm goods plays a huge role in our farm sustainability. Farm exports make up a large portion of farmers’ and ranchers’ income.
Without trade certainty, farmers are going to continue to suffer under the pressure of these trade dispute; we need to pass USMCA to lessen the blow.
Resolving trade disputes with the E.U., Japan, and China would provide economic certainty that farmers need in order to be successful."
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