By Scout Nelson
The Nebraska Farm Bureau, represented by President Mark McHargue, recently voiced concerns regarding the escalating trade tariffs and their implications for Nebraska’s agricultural sector. Nebraska, reliant on international markets for a significant portion of its farm income, faces severe challenges due to new tariffs in Canada, Mexico, and China, and the resulting retaliatory measures.
Impact on Nebraska Agriculture:
“As we’ve said time and again, Nebraska’s farm and ranch families are heavily dependent upon international customers for one third of their annual income. Nebraska, more than many other states, will also likely be heavily impacted by any prolonged trade dispute.
The recently announced tariffs and subsequent retaliatory tariffs being placed on U.S. agricultural goods and inputs, adds to the downward pressure on commodity prices, higher costs of inputs, and overall economic uncertainty which remains the top concern for farms and ranches across our state and nation,” McHargue stated.
Call for Action:
McHargue also emphasized the complexity of trading relationships and the imperfections that exist. He called upon President Trump and his administration to resolve these disputes promptly: “However, these trading relationships are complex and are far from perfect.
We call upon President Trump and his administration to quickly work through any disagreements to help prevent significant and long-term harm to some of our more important trading relationships and to these huge export markets for Nebraska agriculture.”
Support for Policy Goals:
Despite the challenges, the Nebraska Farm Bureau acknowledges alignment with many of President Trump’s broader policy objectives, particularly those aiming to expand market access for U.S. agricultural products.
“Farmers and ranchers share many of President Trump’s broader policy goals, including expanding market access for U.S. agricultural products around the globe. We stand ready to work with the Trump administration to secure a bright economic future for our state’s number one industry agriculture,” McHargue added.
The Nebraska Farm Bureau, with over 56,000 family members, remains dedicated to supporting Nebraska’s agricultural community through educational, service, and advocacy efforts. For more details about their initiatives and the impact of agriculture on Nebraska’s economy, visit www.nefb.org.
Photo Credits:nebraska-farm-bureau
Categories: Nebraska, General