Agriculture’s response to Trump’s re-election as president
Republican candidate Donald J. Trump is now the president-elect after securing a victory over Vice President Kamala Harris to become the 47th president of the United States. Trump is the second president to be elected to a second, non-consecutive presidential term. Grover Cleveland was elected to the highest office in the U.S. in 1885 and 1893 to serve as the nation’s 22nd and 24th president.
Trump won 312 electoral votes in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Alaska, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and West Virginia.
He also won the popular vote with more than 75,000,000 individual votes, amounting to more than 50% of votes. In addition to the presidency, Republicans will have controlling power of the Senate, with 53 GOP members—four gained in 2024. Although the Republicans also have the majority in the House of Representatives.
Agricultural feedback
Numerous agricultural organizations responded to the election results, including the National Association of Wheat Growers, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Association of Manufacturers and National Corn Growers Association.
“Congratulations to President-elect Trump and the incoming members of the 119th Congress,” NAWG President Keeff Felty said in press release. “American agriculture faces many challenges, and we look forward to working with the House and Senate leadership and the new Senate agriculture committee chair and ranking member in a bipartisan manner to support our farmers. However, there is work yet to be done this year. Wheat growers are seeking action during the lame duck (session) to enact a farm bill and economic assistance by the end of the year that supports growers as we continue to face increased input costs, depressed prices and weather-related disasters. It is critical that we continue to advance those policy initiatives immediately and work with everyone in the 119th Congress to foster public policy initiatives that help our farmers and rural communities thrive.”
American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall agreed that a new farm bill is the highest priority for the ag sector.
“Among the most pressing issues in rural America is the need for a new, modernized farm bill,” Duvall said. “The two-year delay is unacceptable. The new administration must also address the impending tax hikes, which would crush many of America’s farmers and ranchers when stacked on top of inflation, high supply costs and market instability.”
The NAM put out a statement expressing its satisfaction with Trump’s presidential win and its anticipation of rolling back regulations and restoring the economy.
“We believe that we can build on the successes of our previous work together to roll back burdensome regulations, unleash American energy security, power the economy of the future with an all-of-the-above energy strategy and restore the dignity of manufacturing work,” the NAM statement said.
Many in the biofuels and energy industries have applauded Trump’s victory as well. Kenneth Hartman Jr., NCGA president, said the corn industry is looking forward to working with the Trump-Vance administration and advancing policy that favors corn producers and the ethanol industry.
“We especially appreciate President Trump’s recognition that homegrown fuels, like ethanol, are important for our nation’s energy security and rural economies,” Hartman said. “We are also eager to work with his administration and Congress to enact improved farm policies and programs, expand market opportunities and build on the tax policies enacted during President Trump’s first term that are beneficial to corn farmers as they face a challenging financial outlook with low prices and high costs.”
NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane did not mince words in his enthusiasm for Trump’s appointment.
“NCBA is excited to work with the president-elect to undo the harm which cattle producers have endured under four years of ’Bidenomics’ and restore the free-market principles which have made U.S. cattle and beef the finest and safest in the world,” Lane said. “Despite cattle prices soaring to record highs over the previous years, producers have been squeezed by exceptionally high input costs, record inflation and the Biden administration’s so-called competition agenda. This is the perfect opportunity to execute a hard reset on all of these failed policies.”
Although most of agriculture’s responses are positive, other organizations, such as The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Union of Concerned Scientists, Center for Food Safety and Food & Water Watch expressed disappointment in Trump’s re-election.
“The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy anticipates that the incoming Trump administration will pose immediate and serious threats to our food and trade systems, relations with international partners and efforts to slow harms caused by climate change,” read a statement from IATP.
President-elect Trump is currently in the process of selecting individuals to serve in his cabinet as he awaits his Jan. 20 inauguration.
Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].
