President Trump thanked America's farmers for their political support on Monday and unveiled a plan designed to help revive fortunes in struggling rural areas. At the same time, the president is pursuing trade and immigration policies that could be harmful to farmers' bottom lines.
In a speech to the American Farm Bureau Federation in Nashville, Tenn., Trump took note of farmers' role in the economy and social fabric of the country.
"We are fighting for our farmers ... and we're fighting for our country, and for our great American flag," Trump said. "In every decision we make, we are honoring America's proud farming legacy."
President Trump speaks at the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual convention in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday.
It was a friendly audience. Exit polls in 2016 found Trump had broader support among rural voters than in cities and suburbs. The GOP share of the vote in rural areas was 9 percent higher that year than in 2008 — a margin that helped propel Trump to his Electoral College victory.
"Farmers are the president's people," Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in an interview with Morning Edition on Monday. "These are the people that elected the president. The president knows that. These are the people the president cares about. And he wants them to enjoy the American Dream just like all the people in the cities."
Farm income has suffered in recent years from sagging commodity prices. Net farm income in 2017 was up modestly from the previous year, but still only about half what it was in 2013.
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January 08, 2018
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