Nebraska's senators spoke out Tuesday about President Trump's plans to help farmers cope with the fallout from tariffs.
"Farmers don't want bailouts. What they want is less trade war," Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., said on Tuesday's edition of Tuesday's edition of the CBS EveningNews.
Ahead of Trump's announcement to get $12 billion in aid to farmers hurt by global tradetensions, Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., issued this statement: “I appreciate that the president is recognizing the economic hardship our farmers and ranchers are facing, but I believe we need a solution that provides certainty by protecting and expanding market access for our ag producers."
Sen. Sasse also added: “This trade war is cutting the legs out from under farmers and White House’s ‘plan’ is to spend $12 billion on gold crutches,".
"America’s farmers don’t want to be paid to lose — they want to win by feeding the world. This administration’s tariffs and bailouts aren’t going to make America great again, they’re just going to make it 1929 again," Sasse said.
Gov. Pete Ricketts said he sees the measure as temporary.
“International trade is critical to growing Nebraska agriculture and our entire state. President Trump continues to deliver on his promise to seek fairer trade deals, and we view this aid as a short term measure during this transitional period," Ricketts said in an email Tuesday. "We continue to urge the administration to conclude negotiations in a timely manner and to finalize agreements that will expand overseas markets for Nebraska’s quality ag products.”
Iowa's governor echoed the sentiments of the Nebraska senators.
The $12B in farm aid announced today will provide a short-term fix, but it’s not a long-term solution. As I've said all along, nobody wins in a trade war. We must continue to expand & open markets, protect the #RFS & allow Iowa products to be sold across the globe. #iagov
— Gov. Kim Reynolds (@IAGovernor) July 24, 2018
Iowa farmers are the most productive in the world & will always win when they have unrestricted access to markets. I will never stop fighting for Iowa families affected by this trade war.
— Gov. Kim Reynolds (@IAGovernor) July 24, 2018
Jane Raybould, who is running against Fischer in the upcoming election, also responded to the proposed bailout:
"While I support short-term assistance for those hurting like young family farmers, the only long-term fix is for D.C. politicians to keep their meddling hands out of the way of Nebraska farmers proudly trying to feed the world by bringing their food to market."
