Should voters back a former president or the current vice president if their priorities are tied to the future of farmland? Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, and Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, don’t make agricultural policy a focus in most of their campaign rallies or political ads.
But they have discussed ideas that will impact farmland.
We have collected a series of stories that examine how the two candidates could impact farmers, ranchers, investors, and rural communities if voters send them to the White House.
American Farm Bureau – The two candidates (more likely their campaigns) answered questions from the organization regarding various issues: farmer resiliency, farm policy programs, state regulations, international trade, and tax policy.
Investigate Midwest – The non-profit examined what the candidates might do when it comes to dealing with future extreme weather and consolidation in agriculture.
Here is the piece on their contrasting plans for climate change.
And here is the article that looks at what they might do following consolidation in the agricultural sector.
Agriculture Dive – Higher food prices, trade relations (especially China), and tariffs are part of Agriculture Dive’s piece into the two candidates. The article looks at what Harris has said to combat price gouging and what Trump’s pledge to further escalate tariffs could mean for agriculture.
S & P Global – Harris and Trump may have similar policies to compensate farmers as they deal with falling grain prices, oilseed threats, and biofuels policy, according to Argentina’s Ministry of Agriculture Javier Preciado’s interview with S & P Global Commodity Insights.
World Grain – Both candidates have a track record when it comes to agriculture since one was president and the other is vice president. World Grain looked at several aspects of farm policy, including a survey of economists that found Trump’s ideas (fueled by an escalated trade war) would be more harmful to agriculture.
L.A. Times – The newspaper talked with New Mexico farmers who looked at what challenges their communities, including immigration policies, small business development, food production, poverty, and farm ownership.
Minn Post – The nonprofit newsroom organization talked to Minnesota farmers about the two candidates. Farmers have dealt with weather challenges, input costs, lower commodity prices, and how farmers can feel left out of the campaign conversation.
See what Minnesota farmers had to say about the candidates here.
National Hog Farmer – The hog industry isn’t just watching what presidential candidates think in terms of federal policy. But pork producers also want to know want they think about state matters impacting agriculture.
California Proposition 12, also known as the Farm Animal Confinement Initiative, is one of those state policies. It prohibits the sale of certain animal products – like egg-laying hens, breeding pigs, and calves -- unless they meet specific housing requirements.
National Hog Farmer has the candidates’ positions on Prop 12 here.
In case you somehow forgot: the 2024 election is Tuesday, November 5.
