New Administration and Trade Pt 2

New Administration and Trade Pt 2

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
From the Ag Information Network, this is today’s Fruit Grower Report. As the Trump Administration takes office, many in agriculture are watching very closely where trade is concerned.

Pear Bureau Northwest President and CEO, CarrieAnn Arias says when it comes to things like tariffs, ag needs to get in front of this right now …

ARIAS … “This idea of having tariffs, it’s going to become retaliatory, and we’ve seen that happen with other countries. And, in this instance, it’s really going to hurt the ag industry, and I don’t think that that lens has crossed anybody’s mind yet. I understand why they want to do it with cars, but how about with food?”

Arias says our two biggest trading partners need us for much of their food …

ARIAS … “Canada, what are they going to grow right now? I know like they, they that do greenhouse growing, right, but they don’t have year-round production of things. But Mexico does grow a lot, and we have to be mindful of that. But there are still things that they can’t get. I’m just worried that we become such a specialty item that we can be part of the sacrificial, you know, group of commodities. That worries me.”

Bottom line, Arias says ‘we need trade’ …

ARIAS … “This country needs it just as much as others do too. Yeah, I think our only chance is being in front of it. We cannot wait. I think it has to happen now. And certainly, there’s lots of organizations that are already ringing those bells, so I hope that that just continues.”

Arias says if you eat food or wear clothes, you’re involved in agriculture. This is an every citizen problem not just a farmer problem.

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