{Peeling back the many layers of one IslandBucs-supported, Trump economic CON)
Farmers flourish under Biden, see recovery from Trump-era trade wars
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump often espoused his love for America's farmers during his presidency.
But after a year under President Joe Biden, farmers say they're actually feeling the love.
"Well, certainly the difference between 2019 and 2021 is the differences in administrations," Montana Farmers Union President Walter Schweitzer said in an interview. "In 2019, our administration was at war with all of our customers." Under Biden, he said, the nation is "rebuilding our relationships with our customers.
Trump courted support from farmers during his failed re-election campaign in 2020 and touted his administration’s trade relief, saying they were better off with government payments than relying solely on sales.
"Net farm income, a broad measure of profits, is estimated to have increased by $15.7 billion in 2020 relative to 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. The agency also forecast net farm income at $116.8 billion in 2021, the highest level since 2013.
Schweitzer points out that in 2021, the majority of net farm income came from commodity sales and actual production "off the farm." Whereas in 2019, a "big chunk" of the income was coming from Market Facilitation Program payments, which were at the core of the Trump administration's effort to mitigate losses from its disputes with China and other trading partners.
The cost of the second round of tariff aid was estimated to be about $16 billion and came with added provisions that aimed to address allegations that large corporations had disproportionately benefited over smaller farms in the initial phase.
Vincent Smith, a visiting fellow at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, said the Trump administration "severely disadvantaged" farmers with an ill-advised trade policy.
WORTH REPEATING THAT LAST PART, FROM A "RIGHT-LEANING AMERICAN ENTERPISE INSTITUTE:"
"Vincent Smith, a visiting fellow at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, said the Trump administration "severely disadvantaged" farmers with an ill-advised trade policy.
ONE MORE TIME FOR THE MAGA IN THE BACK
"the Trump administration "severely disadvantaged" farmers with an ill-advised trade policy"
