MORSE BLUFF, Nebraska (KMTV) — The National Corn Growers Association recently released a study concluding that tariffs are bad for farmers.
- "Unfortunately, it's a good election strategy. It's not a good economic strategy," said Creighton economist and professor, Ernie Goss.
- "It would just be a trade war and just be battling back and forth,” Saunders County farmer, Dan Wesley, said. “And somebody has to pay for those tariffs and guess who that is. That's all of us."
- Wesley, who farms near Morse Bluff, Nebraska is on the board of the National Corn Growers Association. The organization warns about the potential of a trade war. If the U.S. imposes tariffs other countries will, too. Gain producers in Argentina and Brazil would benefit.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Tariffs. We've heard a lot about them during this presidential race, but what are they really?
I'm neighborhood reporter Katrina in Saunders County.
I'm here because a few weeks ago the National Corn Growers Association released a study concluding that tariffs are bad for farmers.
"Unfortunately, it's a good election strategy. It's not a good economic strategy."
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss doesn't like tariffs and neither does farmer Dan Wesley.
"Just the talk of tariffs could cause a negative price effect," Wesley said.
If the U.S. imposes a tariff on an imported good, let's say solar panels from China, it's the U.S. company importing the solar panels that pays the tariff, basically a sales tax. That cost is passed along to customers.
"It would just be a trade war and just be battling back and forth,” Wesley said. “And somebody has to pay for those tariffs and guess who that is. That's all of us."
"And this is not good. It will slow down growth," said Goss.
Wesley, who farms near Morse Bluff, Nebraska is on the board of the National Corn Growers Association. The organization warns about the potential of a trade war. If the U.S. imposes tariffs other countries will, too. Gain producers in Argentina and Brazil would benefit.
Oct. 15 Trade Study, National Corn Growers Association: "In short, South America would gain on all fronts at the expense of U.S. farmers and the U.S. economy."
"If you have to get into any trade wars, that's very, very bad for the farmer," Goss said.
Once the business goes to another country, it may not come back.
"Nebraska's an ag state so it's going to affect everybody," said Wesley.
He wants to see the international demand for American corn grow: "Corn is such a magical product. So much can be made out of it."
He told me when he meets with members of Congress, he encourages them to negotiate a trade deal before tariffs even enter the discussion.
