The roundtable, held on Wednesday, May 30, at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station, featured Wisconsin agribusiness owners, farmers, including Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Jim Holte, and Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Sheila Harsdorf.
During the event roundtable participants discussed the need for certainty and predictability of trade policies. In 2017, Wisconsin exported $3.5 billion of agricultural products to 147 countries, an increase of 3.6% compared to the previous year.
“Wisconsin farmers greatly benefit from trade,” said Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Jim Holte. “Wisconsin ranks 12th nationally for the value of agricultural exports. It’s important to our state’s economy.”
Farmers for Free Trade also had representation at the roundtable to discuss the importance of trade not just for Wisconsin but on a national level. Our Assistant Farm Director Jenna Lee was able to chat with Angela Marshall Hofmann, co-founder and Deputy Director for the Farmers for Free Trade about the importance of trade to agriculture.
“We are a part of the roundtable in Wisconsin because Wisconsin is very timely, said Hofmann. NAFTA is being discussed there is a lot happening with China and all of those effect the great economy of Wisconsin that rely so heavily on exports.”
A large topic of discussion during the event was NAFTA and the importance to Wisconsin agriculture. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau and Farmers for Farmers for Free Trade have stressed the importance of a mutually beneficial NAFTA agreement.
“We are really focused in staying in NAFTA and not just staying in but also modernizing. We also want to get back to making trade deals, said Hofmann.”
When it comes to reaching legislators and the assembly on the importance of trade the Farmers for Free Trade believe that the farmers are the best voice to do so. They have created the Voice of Farmers campaign to get the stories of farmers and ranchers heard.
“The real story of the impact of trade on our producers will be weighed the most with the administration. What’s happening with crops, sales, their long term planning and how it affects their family and community it what they need to hear, said Hofmann.”
The Farmers for Free Trade Voice of Farmers campaign, allows farmers and ranchers the platform to share their story. Producers create 30 second videos on the importance of trade to their operation and post it to the Farmers for Free Trade website. Through these videos the organization aims to show legislators why we need trade agreements.
To emphasize the importance of free and fair trade even further at the event Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Jim Holte signed-on to a letter with other state Farm Bureau presidents across the Midwest. The letter, dated May 15, was addressed to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue asking him to work with President Donald Trump to end the escalation of trade disputes with China that have and continue to threaten market opportunities for agricultural commodities and products.
The letter also asked Secretary Perdue to develop a plan to provide monetary compensation to farmers who may be hurt by retaliatory measures China may take in response to proposed U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. While the letter asked for monetary compensation, an emphasis was made to the Secretary that farmers would first and foremost like access to markets, not checks from the government in lieu of trade opportunities.
Farmers for Free Trade informs the public about the benefits of free trade and mobilizes farmers and ranchers to take action to support beneficial trade agreements. Farmers for Free Trade is supported by thousands of farmers and agricultural businesses as well as numerous U.S. ag organizations, including American Farm Bureau Federation. For more information, visit farmersforfreetrade.com
Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general farm organization. Made up of 61 county Farm Bureaus, it represents agriculturists and farms of every size, commodity and management style. For more information, visit wfbf.com