Short-term business assistance including operating loans, deferring payments to create bridges so farms can operate are among help a Wisconsin congressman says can provide some help to farmers as the coronavirus pandemic creates economic problems.
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-WI, told WAXX farm director Bob Bosold that House of Representatives legislation should help the economic conditions during the need for social distancing because of the pandemic.
“One way to help agriculture is to make sure people have their disposable income,” he said.
Farmers, as with any businesses or individuals, have bills to pay, and shouldn’t be overlooked during the situation, according to Kind. He said people and businesses need money in-hand to keep the economy – including the farm economy – stay alive.
“Farmers have bills to pay, as well,” he said.
Besides the programs that could most directly assist farmers, proposed cash payments to consumers and businesses, along with requiring paid sick leave, could indirectly help farmers, according to the congressman.
Kind also said it’s time for the Trump Administration to reconsider upholding tariffs against China. The representative said he met last week with Trump Administration trade leader Robert Lighthizer to back off on the trade wars and try to re-open those markets for farmers. He said the “tit-for-tat” in tariffs isn’t accomplishing anything, and has become a sort of tax on goods that Americans purchase.
Tariffs and trade issues aren’t the only reasons farmers had been facing economic difficulties even before the pandemic, but the timing isn’t good for tariffs, he added. Kind said working to quickly re-open the trade markets would be helpful as China starts to rebound from the pandemic.
“People are going to need their food products; we’re going to need our food security system across the world, that need is going to exist,” Kind said.
Kind said the need for social distancing will continue to make for new challenges, but that it’s important for people to practice so the pandemic is shortened.
“This is going to get uncomfortable for us for some time,” he said.
The fact that — in his words — we’re all in this together, will help, Kind said.
— Scott Schultz
Leave a Reply