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AUSTIN, Texas — He might have exited the stage, as he has before, to the strains of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by the Rolling Stones, but President Donald Trump was able to take a victory lap for some promises kept to U.S. farmers and ranchers.
“We did it. We did it,” Trump celebrated with the opening words of his address to members of the American Farm Bureau Federation at its annual meeting in Austin.
Trump was able to celebrate not only the completion of Phase 1 of a trade deal with China, but the passage by the House and Senate of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement.
“I’ve told everybody you’ve got to buy a lot of land and you’ve got to get bigger tractors now because we did a great deal with China, great for our country. We’re going to sell them the greatest product you’ve ever seen,” Trump said.
The president would sign the USMCA into law after he spoke to the gathered Farm Bureau members, but he pointed out the benefits for the nation’s ag producers.
“It will massively boost exports for farmers, ranchers, growers and agricultural producers from north to south and from sea to shining sea. It also has tremendous impacts on manufacturers and all of the other things good for everybody,” he said.
Trump reminded the audience of the trade aid program, the Market Facilitation Program, that has resulted in $28 billion being distributed to farmers and ranchers impacted by tariffs on U.S. agricultural products going into China. He also addressed criticism that the largest farms were the primary recipients of the payments.
“We’re getting that money, Sonny, to the small farmers, also. There were some statements, big farmers, no, we get them to the small farmers, we get them to everybody, big farmers, small farmers,” said Trump, referencing Sonny Perdue, U.S. secretary of agriculture, who traveled with Trump and a handful of Republican federal and state lawmakers to the Farm Bureau convention.
Trump gained a laugh from the audience when he discussed the MFP payment formula.
“We have a formula that, I think, Sonny, has been working very well. If it’s not, call me directly, and I’ll call Sonny and give him hell, OK?” Trump said to laughter from the audience.
The Environmental Protection Agency has been under fire from the U.S. ethanol industry for its handling of small refinery exemptions or SREs, which allow small oil refineries to not blend ethanol into gasoline due to economic hardship. The Trump EPA has granted over 80 SREs since 2017.
“We are proudly promoting American ethanol. I recently approved E15 to be used all year round instead of eight months, and that’s a big thing for the American farmer. We’re providing unprecedented support to ethanol, support like you’ve never had before,” Trump said.
He also didn’t miss a chance, in a presidential election year, to criticize his Democratic opponents.
“The far left, they want to massively raise your taxes, crush your businesses with regulations, take away your health care and send bureaucrats in to interfere with your property and second guess every decision you make,” he said.
Trump gave some indication of his confidence in the 2020 presidential race as he made a promise to the audience.
“This is my third time in a row, and I promise I’ll be here next year, too. We’ll be here next year,” the president said with a smile.
Trump showed why he remains popular among a majority of U.S. farmers and ranchers as he echoed their sentiments to continued and sustained applause and cheers from the Farm Bureau audience.
“There are no better stewards of our precious natural resources than the American farmers who depend on the land and the environment for their very livelihood. You love your land. You’re going to take care of your land. You don’t need some bureaucrat in Washington telling everybody what the hell to do with your land, you love your land. When it comes to the environment, I will always trust a farmer over a Washington bureaucrat or a left-wing extremist,” Trump said.
He also celebrated victories on two of the AFBF’s major issues — the federal estate tax and the Waters of the U.S. rule.
In the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, that the president signed in December 2017, the federal estate tax exemption doubled, from $5.5 million to $11 million for single filers and from $11 million to $22 million for married couples. That exemption is in effect until 2025.
In September 2019, Trump announced the repeal of the 2015 rule that expanded the definition of “Waters of the United States” as part of the Clean Water Act.
“I terminated one of the most ridiculous regulations of all, the last administration’s disastrous Waters of the United States rule,” said Trump to loud and sustained applause.
Trump echoed some of the AFBF’s concerns over the reach of the expanded WOTUS definition.
“This rule gave bureaucrats virtually unlimited authority to regulate stock tanks, drainage ditches and isolated ponds as navigable waterways and navigable water. Sometimes you’d have a puddle, a little puddle and they considered that a lake,” Trump said.
As he has done twice before at the AFBF annual meeting, Trump finished by celebrating U.S. farmers and ranchers.
“Farmers have always been the keepers of our great American values. You champion the love of family, the dignity of work, and the glory of God. You teach your children to celebrate our nation, defend our freedom, honor our values and to always respect and cherish our great American flag,” said Trump as loud chants of “USA! USA! USA!” broke out along with applause.
“I want to thank everybody. This has been such an incredible turnout, and I appreciate everybody for being here. Thank you all very much, this is a great honor and I’m glad we’ve been successful. We got those deals done,” the president said.