A top ten
What has Trump done for his farmers?
Most of the American population is not yet full of praise for the first 100 days of the new American president. However, Trump has already taken a number of important steps for agriculture.
An example of this is the invocation of 'Agriculture Day'. Trump also canceled the petition from environmental organizations to ban the active ingredient chlorpyrifos (an insecticide). Below is a top 10 of the most radical actions for (American) agriculture:
1. Abolish WOTUS (Waters of the United States)
Donald Trump canceled Obama's WOTUS water directive in March. That was one of his key election promises to American farmers. The water directive made farmers afraid that when plowing or spreading fertilizer near surface water, they would have to apply for a permit in Washington every time.
Trump: 'This is one of the worst examples of federal law. It is one of the rules that has met the most opposition from farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers across our country. It was a complete disaster.' Last week, Week 18, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) submitted a proposal to the White House to roll back the WOTUS.
2. Ban on chlorpyrifos is rejected
The same EPA also managed to reject a petition from several environmental groups. In that petition, environmental groups called for a ban on chlorpyrifos. That insecticide is used on at least 40.000 US farms and on about 50 different crops.
The choice for that rejection caused quite a stir in America. The insecticide is known, according to environmental groups, to cause neurological damage in children. 'If this product is taken off the market, without an alternative solution, it will cause a lot of damage to the crops. All in all, that costs the American farmer a lot of money," said Ray Starling, Trump's special adviser.
3. Interagency Task Force established
Deregulation has been a priority for the US president since day one. He reaffirmed this by setting up a 180-day review. In that assessment, the rules that have an effect on agriculture must be examined. The Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity, in conjunction with EPA, the U.S. Department of the Interior and DOL, will examine which regulations do and do not make sense.
4. Farmers are heard
On April 25, Trump hosted a roundtable with 15 farmers. That hasn't happened so soon after the election since President Reagan's term. President Trump and Secretary Perdue discussed the following topics with the farmers: agricultural trade, regulation and reform, rural investment and infrastructure and labor issues. It remains to be seen what will happen with that input.
5. Agriculture Day Introduced
For the first time in 16 years, the US president has made an official proclamation (announcement) for Agriculture Day. Although the day was previously instituted by the secretary, the president has never made an official announcement.
Trump wants to show his love for agriculture with this. "American farmers are essential to the world's food supply, fuel our economy and lead global markets." Agriculture Day is now on March 21 every year.
6. Trump finally recognizes the importance of agriculture
For many, Agriculture Day also marks Trump's recognition of the importance of American agriculture and the importance of commerce. It is the largest positive contributor to the nation's net trade balance. That generates millions of jobs for Americans.
On his first day of work, Trump cut 8 years of negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership. That was a huge setback for many American farmers.
7. NAFTA is not currently being terminated
Earlier, the US president wanted to end the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This created a lot of uncertainty among American farmers. 'Mexico is extremely important for my products. Free access to this market is therefore essential', says an American arable farmer.
Donald Trump has now decided not to end NAFTA. The three countries involved, according to Trump, "started immediately with the resumption of negotiations." The ruling brought great relief to American farmers.
8. Big Tax Cuts
Trump's top officials have been quite vocal recently about a comprehensive tax reform. This should be the "biggest tax cut in America's history."
The plan is designed to serve as the basis for the comprehensive reform package later this year. Unlike previous proposals, which set a separation date for property taxes, this proposal would suspend the tax immediately. This is beneficial for American farmers, because they have wanted to get rid of real estate taxes for years.
9. Reversed Planning 2.0 Rule
In line with promises to roll back the regulations, Congress sent a resolution to President Trump in March to circumvent the Bureau of Land Management's planning 2.0 rule. Under the Congressional Review Act, the U.S. House and Senate have 60 days to pass a joint resolution of censure, immediately repealing the rule.
The Planning 2.0 rule was an attempt to engage the public and stakeholders to improve decisions that could influence Western American countries.
10. Examining National Monuments
Trump has also ordered the so-called national monuments to be examined. This research should show which protected areas could lose their special status or be reduced in size. During the Obama administration, approximately 265 million acres were designated a national monument. "That's bigger than the entire state of Texas," Trump said.
Trump says the investigation is intended to end "the blatant abuse of federal power." The president believes that US states should have a leading role in designating protected areas.
Kimberly Baker
© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.