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NEWS BlueMountainEagle.com Wednesday, January 16, 2019 Trump touts wall at Farm Bureau convention By Mateusz Perkowski EO Media Group Shortly after taking the podium at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual convention, Presi- dent Donald Trump asked the assembled farmers and ranchers to sit down. If they remained stand- ing for the duration of his speech, Trump said, the “fake news” would report that he hadn’t received a sin- gle standing ovation. “They can make any- thing you do look bad,” he said. The president need not have worried. His com- ments on a variety of topics, from border security to the farm bill, inspired the audi- ence to get to its feet mul- tiple times and engage in uproarious applause. At the end, Trump praised the men and women in the crowd for working hard, respecting the Amer- ican fl ag and teaching their children right from wrong. “Now you have a gov- ernment that is loyal to you, fi nally, in return,” he said at the convention, which cel- ebrated the AFBF’s 100th year. Much of Trump’s Jan. 14 speech in New Orleans was devoted to the subject that has gripped the nation’s attention in recent weeks: the proposed border wall and the associated partial government shutdown. Trump emphasized the humanitarian concerns of migrants crossing the south- ern border as well as the national security risks. A wall or barrier is needed to stop human traf- fi ckers who avoid normal ports of entry while trans- porting bound and gagged women, he said. “They drive right in and have no problem.” Due to the need for for- eign labor in some agricul- tural sectors, Trump said he had no problem with immi- grants coming in “legally through a process.” “You need people to help you with the farms, and I’m not going to rule that out,” he said, adding that he aims to make it easier for guest- workers to enter the country. Nonetheless, Trump criticized the “catch and Contributed photo/AFBF President Donald Trump addresses the 100th Annual American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in New Orleans on Jan. 14. release” policy of allowing undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S. while awaiting adjudication under immigration laws. Only 2 to 3 percent of them bother showing up for the proceedings, he said. “Those people you almost don’t want because they can’t be very smart.” The president also com- plained that the govern- ments of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala haven’t done more to stop immigrant “caravans” from heading north even as these countries receive humani- tarian aid from the U.S. “Like so many nations, we help them, they don’t help us,” he said. At one point, Trump invited Arizona rancher Jim Chilton to the stage, explaining that a border patrol agent was shot on his property along the Mexican border, which is used for drug smuggling. Chilton said a border wall was was not immoral, point- ing to the wall surrounding the Vatican. “Mr. President, we need a wall,” Chilton said. Trump mentioned other accomplishments of his administration — increasing the exemption to the federal estate tax, buttressing pro- tections for growers in the farm bill and scaling back Clean Water Act jurisdiction over farmland— without dwelling on them at length. “We’re going to get the government off your back so you can make a living doing what you love,” he said. The president also addressed a subject that’s touchy for many farmers affected by retaliatory tariffs on their crops— the ongoing trade confl ict with China. The U.S. tariffs are nec- essary to resolve unfair practices on that country’s part, such as stealing agri- cultural trade secrets and implementing “arbitrary” bans on U.S. farm products, he said. Trump said he doesn’t blame Chinese offi cials for policies that have resulted in a trade imbalance with the U.S. “It’s our fault for allow- ing it to happen,” he said. The audience cheered when Trump brought up his low approval ratings in the European Union, with which the U.S. also has trade tensions over steel and aluminum. “I’m representing our country, I’m not represent- ing those countries,” he said. As an example of what his trade approach could achieve, Trump touted the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, which is intended to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. Trump said he’s confi - dent the new agreement will be ratifi ed by Congress. “This landmark trade deal will increase exports of wheat from Montana, dairy from Wisconsin, chickens from Georgia and products from farmers and ranchers all across our country,” he said. Though farmers and ranchers clapped enthusias- tically when Trump charac- terized his trade measures as an example of the U.S. standing up for itself, the topic was discussed with less enthusiasm during other portions of the convention. In welcoming the Farm Bureau to Louisiana, state offi cials noted the impor- tance of trade to New Orle- ans, whose ports handle roughly 60 percent of U.S. grain exports. “It’s imperative we wrap this up so we have reliable markets for our ag prod- ucts,” said Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards. Zippy Duvall, the Farm Bureau’s president, com- mended the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill and the Trump administra- tion’s proposed revision of the “Waters of U.S.” rules, which aim to reduce the fed- eral government’s Clean Water Act authority that had been expanded under Obama. The agricultural commu- nity must defend the change from environmentalists who are “going to come out in force and try to defeat this new rule,” Duvall said. “Let’s not lose this war in the last battle,” he said. Duvall also expressed gratitude for the USDA’s tariff relief program for farmers, which helps mit- igate the fi nancial strain on farmers but “in no way makes us whole.” China’s predatory trade tactics have hurt not only the U.S. but other countries, which is why the agriculture industry has been willing to stand behind the Trump administration’s approach, he said. However, the ability of farmers to withstand retal- iatory tariffs is undermined by crop prices that were low even before the trade dis- pute, Duvall said. “We went into this battle very weak.” Farmers are patriotic and want to end China’s misbe- havior, but unfortunately “agriculture is bearing the brunt of this,” said Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. Moran said he supports the Trump administration’s willingness to stand fi rm against China but doesn’t agree with its methods. “When we take on China on our own, there are places like Argentina and Brazil who take advantage of it” by exporting more of their crops to that country, Moran said. Not only are tariffs hurt- ing crop prices by reduc- ing U.S. exports, but grow- ers are paying more for farm machinery due to U.S. tar- iffs on foreign steel and alu- minum, said Brian Kuehl, executive director of the Farmers for Free Trade organization. “Our (crop) prices are going down and our prod- uct prices are going up, and that’s not a good situ- ation for farmers,” Kuehl said. Kuehl said he’d prefer if the U.S. tried to resolve its disagreements with China through the “rules-based system” overseen by the World Trade Organization. The U.S. also made a mistake by getting involved in disputes with other trad- ing partners over steel and aluminum instead of form- ing a coalition to confront China, he said. “How do we stand up to them, is the question,” Kuehl said. “That’s kind of backwards.” While the U.S. has reached an agreement to replace NAFTA with Mex- ico and Canada, it’s still possible that Congress may “waffl e” in approv- ing the deal, said former Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Louisiana. At that point, farmers would face the danger of having the U.S. withdraw from NAFTA — which has paved the way for agricul- tural exports — without having anything to replace it, he said. “We may end up with nothing,” Boustany said. “That’s a real risk.” Three weeks into shutdown, government weathering the storm By Aubrey Wieber Oregon Capital Bureau Oregon state government has yet to see deep impacts from a three-week federal government shutdown, but some Oregonians are feeling the pinch. Saturday the shutdown became the longest in U.S. history at 22 days. With Pres- ident Donald Trump and con- gressional Democrats unwill- ing to budge over funding for a wall on the southern border, there does not appear to be an easy exit in sight. In late December, about a week into the shutdown, Eliz- abeth Craig, spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Administrative Services, said state agencies that receive funding from their shuttered federal counterparts could weather the storm for about another week without mak- ing any adjustments. But some federal pay- ments have continued during the shutdown, and the state has reserves to keep others afl oat. This week, Craig sent the Oregon Capital Bureau an update on agencies and programs that rely on federal dollars. Craig has previously said the state would seek to recoup any extra money it has to shell out during the shutdown. The partial government shutdown has frozen opera- tions for the federal depart- ments of Agriculture, Com- merce, Justice, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, State, Transportation and Treasury. Some state programs should be fi ne through the federal fi scal year, which ends Sept. 30, as long as the closed agencies keep making payments. Oth- ers could be impacted ear- lier, possibly at the end of the month. One area of concern is the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, also called welfare. That pro- gram provides cash payments for low-income families with children to pay for things like high rent costs. Thinking of Launching a digital display Campaign? A TTENTION G RANT C OUNTY V ETERANS : Come to the Outpost for the Monthly Chamber meeting this Thursday January 17, 2019 for a special guest speaker, Greg Swanson, from ITZonTarget. Are you using or interested in learning about Choice Card Medical Care? Katee See your Grant County Veteran Services Hoffman Officer today for more information. Monday through Friday 10 am – 4 pm. Call 541-620-8057 for an appointment 99995 530 E. Main, Ste. 5, John Day, OR. 100000 A7 Join the Blue Mountain Eagle, GC Chamber and GC Economics to learn more about ITZonTarget at Noon.