News

How will agriculture fare under Trump?

The rural vote was a big factor in the election of Donald Trump as the next President.  But there are still some questions about how rural America, and specifically agriculture, will fare under a President Trump.

Jenny Hopkinson, Washington, D.C.-based agricultural reporter for the news service Politico, says no one is quite sure what to expect.

“We have indications from him on things like immigration and trade that may not be what ag groups are hoping for. But we also have indications from him on regulatory reform and a few other areas that ag groups probably do like more,” Hopkinson says. “It just remains to be seen what direction he goes.”

Hopkinson says the fact that Trump continues to rely heavily on his campaign’s agricultural advisory committee is probably a positive.

“He does seem to be paying a lot of attention to his agricultural advisory committee, which is this 70-plus member board of a lot of big names on the Republican side of agriculture—very well-respected people,” she says. “They seem to have been somewhat of a moderating influence on some of these issues as far as agriculture goes. The administration does seem to be listening, so I think there’s some hope—at least from them—that there will be a structure that works for farmers.”

Hopkinson says it’s anyone’s guess right now as to who the next Secretary of Agriculture will be. She says she expects the USDA announcement within the next two weeks.

Hopkinson spoke to Nebraska corn and soybean growers at their annual meetings in Lincoln.

AUDIO: Jenny Hopkinson