
Rechenberg: Iowa Farms Have Suffered from Years of Free Trade Failures
Agriculture has long been a key part of Iowa’s economy. But the state is now facing escalating trouble, including the loss of more than 26,000 family farms since 1982.
CPA supports reforming trade policy to enable the creation of an agro-industry strategy that increases the prosperity of those producing food and fiber across America.
Trade agreements and World Trade Organization rules have prevented the United States from adopting a domestic agro-industry strategy that helps increase prosperity and prices for farmers and ranchers. Excessive growth of imports in the produce, seafood and meat sectors have impoverished rural communities which rely heavily upon agricultural production. Pursuit of export market opportunities in row crops and grains has benefitted multinational traders but not increased prices or farm income.
CPA supports reforming trade policy to enable the creation of an agro-industry strategy that increases the prosperity of those producing food and fiber across America as well as their communities. Prices and net farm income should be the measures of success rather than volume of cross border trade.
Agriculture has long been a key part of Iowa’s economy. But the state is now facing escalating trouble, including the loss of more than 26,000 family farms since 1982.
Jamieson Greer seems certain to be approved as the next United States Trade Representative (USTR), but the Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee proved once again that they are anti-tariff—unless the target is China.
It’s past time for Washington to implement a trade policy that rebuilds independence and prosperity for America’s domestic farmers and manufacturers.
Trump’s Commerce Secretary pick Howard Lutnick, former head of Cantor Fitzgerald in Manhattan, faced off with the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday in his nomination hearing.
Decades of free trade agreements have led to a record $39 billion agricultural trade deficit in 2024, undermining the broader U.S. agricultural industry.
This new CPA economic report is a damning indictment of how decades of free trade policies have hollowed out America’s agricultural sector, benefiting a handful of corporate giants while leaving family farms to bear the brunt of a failed experiment.
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