AFBF: Short-term Pain for Long-term Gain?

The president of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) says ongoing tariffs could impact the viability of the agriculture industry. Zippy Duvall says producers can’t sustain the uncertainty much longer.

“If it stretches out 18 months or two years, we will have a disaster,” he says. “But, if we can get it done we could bring them to the table, find solutions, and move forward. It just can’t take forever.”

He shares that AFBF continues to have discussions with key administration stakeholders. “We do see adjustments,” says Duvall. “Because we know what we’re saying to them and the things we’re concerned about. If we continue to be the voice and let them know how things might affect us positively or negatively, I think they are hearing it and they are considering them.”

Duvall says he’s optimistic the administration’s trade strategy will benefit the ag industry in the long run.

EDITOR’S TAKE:

Tariffs and trade policy have become lightening rods for the Trump Administration. There seems to be very strong opinions over whether they will provide positive or negative results. The answer might not appear for some time in the future, but that is exactly the point – we won’t know and it will take some time for this strategy to play out completely. Yes, it creates some uncertainty in the interim, but we have no way of judging the effectiveness of this strategy until we see where it ultimately leads us.

You can help farmers/ranchers overcome that sense of uncertainty. Emphasize AgPack® with up to $45,000 in exclusive rebates and discounts. On average, based on actual redemptions, farmers/ranchers are realizing an average savings of nearly $15,000. Who else can offer these incentives and results?