Decide for yourself if Donald Trump’s election was a good thing.
But as an ag journalist, I naturally wonder how agriculture, especially exports, will be affected. Exports are vital to U.S. ag - more than half of our wheat is exported, for example - so it’s fair, natural and necessary to ask whether his tough talk on trade is sincere, political theater or a combination of the two. His comments on China (the biggest market for U.S. ag products) and Mexico (a leading market) are especially important.
Since the election, I’ve asked a number of Upper Midwest ag leaders for their thoughts on ag exports under the Trump administration.
The aggies usually smile politely and say something along the lines of, “Well, we’re optimistic that President-elect Trump understands the importance of our ag exports.”
I translate that, in most cases anyway, as, “We’re not quite sure what to think.”
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Hey, I’m not praising Trump, I’m not bashing him. I’m just wondering, like other aggies, how ag exports will fare in his presidency.
What’s your best guess?
Read more of Knutson's columns at https://agright.areavoices.com/author/agwriter/ .
