What does Trump mean for Ag?

Americans’ reactions to the 2016 presidential race outcome were… mixed. This tumultuous campaign has left some jumping for joy, some scratching their heads and some packing their bags to head to Canada. Politics are typically divisive, so it’s no surprise that some industries are praising the glory of President-elect Trump, while others are approaching the news with trepidation. Banking, construction and defense are among the industries that are making a checkmark in the “win’ column, while the media industry has some very serious concerns regarding freedom of the press and problematic fake news stories.

What does a President-elect Trump mean for farmers and agriculture? Although he spoke little about agriculture while campaigning, farmers lean GOP regardless. A poll conducted by The Progressive Farmer showed 42 percent of rural subscribers identified themselves as Republican, 25 percent Democrat and 33 percent Independent. Trump received nearly twice the number of rural votes as Clinton, where his promises of reduced regulation and lower taxes resonated with areas rich in farmland. With GOP wins in the House and Senate, issues affecting agriculture, like water regulations, land management and climate change, are likely to see quick action favorable to farmers.

Trump does have various factions in agriculture worried about his purported immigration policies as there are farmers who rely on immigrant workers. Agriculture (along with forestry, fishing and hunting) has the highest number of undocumented workers among private sector industries – that’s over 16 percent of the total farm labor. Should Trump follow through on his plans to deport all undocumented workers, agriculture could feel a massive blow to its infrastructure. Trump also opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact, which the National Corn Growers Association has pushed to get passed before Trump takes office in January. TPP would provide new market export opportunities for farmers across the U.S., expanding the demand for U.S. food and agriculture products.

Tom Nassif, CEO of Western Growers and one of Trump’s agriculture advisers, insists that Trump will not harm the agriculture industry.

Though it remains unclear which of Trump’s campaign promises he intends to keep after his inauguration, it’s clear that agriculture will pay close attention to the issues that could have major impacts on farming across the nation.