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ASA on KORUS removal threat – enough is enough

The president of the American Soybean Association has bluntly stated the ASA does not want out of the U.S./South Korean free trade agreement which President Trump apparently wants to withdraw from.

Ron Moore, an Illinois grower, tells Brownfield this path the president has taken, pulling out of the TPP and other deals, is harmful to agriculture, “You know, he talked about getting out of NAFTA before he agreed to renegotiate it and this is just another in a series of attacks on trade. And, at some point we’re going to have to say ‘enough is enough’ and I think we’ve reached that point in agriculture, especially at ASA.”

And, Moore tells Brownfield U.S. soybean growers would be “in a world of hurt” if Trump blocks U.S. trade with countries that do business with North Korea, “Because 30% of the soybeans we raise in the United States go into the Chinese market. And, we understand the political ramifications of North Korea’s behavior but let’s not hurt our friends that we’ve created and nurtured over the last 30 years.”

Moore said the soybean association wants Secretary Perdue and others in the administration to get through to the president, “We’re pretty much exasperated with this and we want to make sure that the president understands that we need these trade agreements. We don’t need to be harming agriculture especially in these economic times that we are in with low commodity prices.” Moore says farmers have lost 50% of their net farm income over the last three or four years and MORE trading opportunities are needed, not fewer.

AUDIO: Interview with Ron Moore~