Ag Policy in New Administration Pt 3
I’m Bob Larson. The agriculture industry did make some in-roads during the Trump Administration, but President Biden brings a set of new challenges.Jay Truitt, with Policy Solutions, says one big change will be the loss of three big voices for agriculture …
TRUITT … “But, there is no way that you can deny that the voids created by Collin Peterson and Pat Robertson not being in the room, Mr. Conaway as well, and a handful of other members, that’ll be a game-changer for some people.”
The GOP gained a few seats in the House, but, Mike Torrey, with Michael Torrey Associates, says they lost a few on the other side …
TORREY … “Going over to the Senate side, you know, I don’t see as much of a change. A lot of those folks, obviously, a little bit more steady and seasoned, and have been around for a while, and they all have a little bit higher priority for agriculture and rural America because all of their states have it. So, the challenge is going to be there.”
And, Torrey says the urban members bring a different voice than those from rural America …
TORREY … “If you look at, kind of, the constituency for the Democratic party, normally they come at these issues, and we saw this during the Obama Administration and I believe we’ll see it during the Biden Administration, they come at these issues more nutrition focused.”
Torrey says that becomes more difficult because the nutrition community tends to be more critical of production agriculture.