By Clint Thompson
A new administration in the White House beginning in 2025 provides a fresh start for the agricultural community.
Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C., discussed the ramifications of the November election and what can be expected in the agricultural industry moving forward.
“I think from a production Ag perspective, when you change administrations, whatever happens, you have energy and hope relative to issues that have been hanging for a while. Ag issues are big issues, and it typically takes a while to resolve them,” Redding said.
For specialty crop producers, those issues largely center on trade and labor.
“I think from a specialty crop perspective, you have had a very friendly administration with the Trump Administration, 1.0,” Redding said. “His first term you’ll remember, speaking specifically with seasonal imports and the problems they’ve had with Mexico, Chile, Canada on blueberries, squash, cucumbers, peppers for years and trying to resolve it. Bob Lighthizer as U.S. Trade Rep. tried to negotiate language in the USMCA deal that would have protected our guys. It didn’t work. Then Rep. Lighthizer and his team worked with blueberry folks in Georgia and other states on that Section 201 case. The election came, the case didn’t turn out well. We didn’t move forward with any kind of resolution on the issue.”
Two Important Positions
President-elect Donald Trump’s appointments for two specific positions will impact the progress being made on both issues. These include the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Ag Secretary and U.S. Trade Representative.
“The nomination process is a unique process, so we’re watching and waiting. For Southeast commodities across the board, trade is huge. It’s only going to get bigger. To have someone that recognizes the importance of U.S. commodities, (producers) selling their products and protecting U.S. interests, I think it could be very helpful to the groups that we are familiar with,” Redding said.
Brooke Rollins was nominated earlier this week to lead the USDA.