Naig: Farmers Want Long-Term Trade Agreement

DES MOINES, Iowa (May 23, 2019) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig issued the following statement today in response to the USDA’s announcement that farmers will receive another round of financial aid to help with the damages sustained from unjustified retaliation and trade disruption.

“We appreciate President Trump and the USDA offering an interim solution to assist farmers affected by trade disruption,” said Secretary Naig. “However, farmers want trade not aid. Farmers need markets to sell their products. This current situation is not sustainable. We need long-term trade agreements, and I believe we can get there, but we need China to come to the table to negotiate. It’s also imperative that Congress takes action to pass USMCA as quickly as possible to provide certainty for our farmers and businesses.”