2018 Farm Outlook

2018 Logan County Farm Outlook Magazine LINCOLN DAILY NEWS Oct. 25, 2018 Page 19 The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service is managing “a Food Purchase and Distribution Program to purchase up to $1.2 billion in commodities unfairly targeted by unjustified retaliation.” The Foreign Agricultural Service’s Agricultural Trade Promotion Program will provide $200 million which will “be made available to develop foreign markets for U.S. agricultural products” [and] “will help U.S. agricultural exporters identify and access new markets and help mitigate the adverse effects of other countries’ restrictions.” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duval is “happy with the program’’ saying “it will help thousands of farmers who are in financial binds. “The administration’s tariff mitigation package is welcome relief from the battering our farmers and ranchers are taking in the ongoing trade war. There is no doubt that the tariffs from nations like China have led to lower crop and livestock prices,” Duvall said, [and] “The additional burden of tariffs on the goods we sell to China, Canada, Mexico and the European Union has been more than many farmers can bear.’ He also said, “Today’s aid announcement gives us some breathing room, but it will keep many of us going only a few months more. The real solution to this trade war is to take a tough stance at the negotiating table and quickly find a resolution with our trading partners. If we’re going to turn our farm economy around for the long-term, we need to open more export markets with fair trade deals, and the sooner, the better.” The concern over the plan only being a short-term solution is what has many feeling government payments are not the answer. They would rather be able to export more of their products. One who has expressed concern is Tom Schatz, president for Citizens against Government Waste. In the article, “Reactions mixed over new Trump farm aid proposal” Schatz said, “Instead of using taxpayer dollars to bail out victims of President Trump’s trade war, the administration should remove destructive tariffs and begin to engage in free and open trade, which will benefit farmers and all Americans.” There is some optimism that the government can negotiate some new trade agreements. CONTINUED