(Radio Iowa) President Trump’s approach to trade is being debated on the Iowa campaign trail. Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson points to a potential deal with China later this week and Josh Turek, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate, says Trump’s tariffs and the decision to import Argentine beef are causing a “farmageddon” in rural Iowa.
“Our farmers are the very best in the world here in Iowa,” Turek said during an online news conference. “We’ve got a long history of feeding the world, doing it better than anybody else and it is due to these chaotic tarrifs that we’re seeing our farmers having an inability to make a living for themselves. They want markets, not handouts.”
On Monday, Congressman Zach Nunn and U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, both Republicans, sent a letter to Trump Administration officials, calling for swift, coordinated action to restore access to foreign soybean markets. Congresswoman Hinson, who’s running for the U.S. Senate, did not sign the letter. During her weekly conference call with Iowa reporters, Hinson said Trump’s trip to China this week shows his commitment to American farmers. “It’s great to see things moving in the right direction for our soybean farmers, promising news when China’s potentially agreeing to buy substantial amounts of our soybeans,” Hinson said. “And as we wait for more details on that deal, I will continue working with the administration to expand market access for our Iowa farmers and secure new trade deals.”
Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks sent a letter to President Trump and the U.S. ag secretary last week, warning any trade deal with China must have strong enforcement mechanisms to sanction bad actors. During Trump’s first term, he negotiated a deal in which China promised to buy $200 billion worth of U.S. exports. While the deal ended trade tensions between the two countries, China only bought 58% of the U.S. goods and commodities it had promised to buy.
China, formerly to the top buyer of U.S. soybeans, has not made any purchases since May and has instead purchased soybeans from Argentina and Brazil.
