Thursday, November 10, 2016

United States farmers concerned about trade but welcome Trump presidency policies on cutting Obama regulations

United States farmers have mixed feelings about Donald Trump's win in the country's presidential elections. While some have celebrated his victory and the impact it might have on cutting "onerous" regulations, others fear his anti-trade rhetoric will harm exports.Mr Trump's ascendency to presidency will likely kill off the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)...Steve Kaye, editor of the US Cattle Buyers Weekly, said Mr Trump's anti-trade rhetoric was concerning. "We are increasing beef production by 5 per cent this year or more and a surge in exports right now to Asia and Australia is helping us," he said. "But our beef production next year could be up 4 or 5 per cent so we really need more exports and tariff barriers to tumble. "That is what passage of the TPP would do. "The industry here says it is losing US$400,000 a day without the TPP and yet Donald Trump has strongly opposed it." The US is the largest cattle producer in the world and relies heavily on export. A United States agriculture broadcaster says a Donald Trump presidency would be good for American farmers, who have struggled with "onerous" regulations under the Obama administration. Max Armstrong is an agriculture journalist in Chicago and the host of This Week in Agribusiness with 40 years' experience in the farm sector. Despite his trade concerns, Mr Armstrong said for many rural Americans, the election outcome made perfect sense. "I know how much of difference he can make to the agriculture community," he said. "The president in this White House was forcing through environmental regulation, tying the hands of our farmers and ranchers and there is no recourse." Mr Armstrong criticised the Obama administration's handling of the Waters of the United States Rule, which was seen by many US farmers as a "power grab" by Washington...more

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