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Iowa ag secretary urges quick resolution to trade war

Iowa ag secretary Mike Naig is urging the Trump Administration to move quickly to resolve trade issues with China.

“We need to get the Chinese to the negotiating table to fix some of these issues—and hopefully we can restore some more normal trading relations,” says Naig.

The new Chinese tariffs on U.S. soybeans and pork could hit Iowa especially hard. Iowa battles Illinois for the top spot in soybean production and is the nation’s top pork producing state.

“I think there’s an appreciation that the administration is attempting to do something here,” Naig says. “However, I think there is a deep concern, and I share this concern, that tariffs will have a negative impact on our markets. We’re seeing that play out here now. That’s unfortunate, when agriculture is the target of retaliation.”

Naig discussed the trade/tariffs issue in this recent interview with Brownfield. He also talked about Scott Pruitt’s resignation, the availability of conservation cost-share funds in Iowa, and the importance of maintaining a strong safety net in the next farm bill.

AUDIO: Mike Naig