Unintended Consequences

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 ICYMI: Unintended Consequences

(BISMARCK, ND) – The Administration’s new $16B farm bailout could further hurt the agricultural community. As many farmers are in the process of deciding what to plant, their decisions could be influenced by which crops receive greater payouts, such as soybeans. This would add to already record supplies and further reduce prices that have been dropping for half a decade. Even worse, it doesn’t solve the actual problem: the Administration’s inability to reach a deal with China.

Tyler Stafslien, a North-Dakota based farmer spoke with Adriana Belmonte of Yahoo Finance stating, “I would prefer we had the trade we used to have with China. I don’t want to have to rely on the federal government to be able to survive out here as a farmer. My fear is there will be another payment here, but is this sustainable? At what point will the federal government stop paying farmers? Will we have the trade deal in place at that point to pick up where the federal government leaves off?”

“Bottom line is farmers need trade, not aid,” said Alison Jones, Communication Director for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party. “There is too much talk about ‘what could have been done.’ Farmers are the backbone of this country and it’s time the Administration gets serious, stops making empty promises, and does whatever it takes to make farms great again.”

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