Many U.S. farmers fume at Washington, not Trump, over biofuel, trade policies

[riversedge]

For a long time I had a lot of empathy for farmers but not anymore. Enough!
Trump is not only hurting the individual families who live on the farms but the surrounding towns as well. Farmers support these towns-buy their groceries, their machinery, etc.


Business News
September 10, 2019 / 5:07 AM / Updated 4 hours ago

Many U.S. farmers fume at Washington, not Trump, over biofuel, trade policies

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-farmers/many-u-s-farmers-fume-at-washington-not-trump-over-biofuel-trade-policies-idUSKCN1VV11U


P.J. Huffstutter, Tom Polansek

7 Min Read

ROCHESTER, Minn./CHICAGO (Reuters) - American farmers helped elect President Donald Trump in 2016 on hopes he would shake up Washington and turn around a struggling agricultural economy, but many of his policies have actually stung farmers, notably his trade war with China and biofuel waivers for oil refiners.


Many farmers are angry, and some are directing their anger not at the Republican president, but at Washington’s bureaucracy.

Trump has faced backlash from agricultural groups, ethanol producers and Midwestern politicians upset that his trade war with China has slashed export sales of U.S. soybeans and other crops. Also, Corn futures tumbled after the government forecast a big crop when a flood-ridden spring stalled plantings. Corn-based ethanol plants shuttered after the administration granted waivers to dozens of exempting oil refineries.

Yet polls show that while Trump’s support in farm country has slipped, it remains substantial.

Instead of directing their anger at Trump, dozens of farmers interviewed by Reuters blasted the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other Washington institutions they believe are thwarting his true agenda. Unsubstantiated conspiracy theories involving USDA staff are circulating in farm country and gaining traction online.

USDA did not respond to Reuters’ questions on Monday.

Farmers are struggling with how to emotionally process their pain from the Trump administration’s policies, and anger at the USDA may be a coping mechanism, said Ted Matthews, a Minnesota psychologist who has spent 30 years counseling farmers and rural residents across the Midwest.

“The question I hear from farmers who voted for (Trump) is, ‘We believed him when he said he would help make the farm economy better, that we could save our farms. Now, who do we blame?’” Matthews said.

Many farmers told Reuters they intend to support Trump again in his re-election bid in 2020. .............................

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. Then screw them.

No second chances, boys. You got what you voted for.

[Newest Reality]

4. Well,

screw us, too!

I don't have sympathy for their ignorance, but somehow, as an eater of food, I get the impression we get screwed on the receiving end of this. Oh, I know eating is a habit, but I can't seem to quit.

It's a circle of screwing and it is not easy to opt-out. I guess we will find out.

[Bradical79]

7. I suppose it depends on what they're farming

Just how much corn do we need? Exporting soybeans doesn't feed us, does it?

[dalton99a]

9. Well, we need MORE corn to make E15 gasoline

to ruin your engine

The EPA told us E15 fuel can be used in car models after 2001, light trucks, and medium-duty vehicles, but AAA says more than 90 percent of cars on the road could see serious engine and fuel system damage from E15 fuel. The organization is urging the industry to get rid of E15 because of confusion.

https://www.abc27.com/news/is-e15-gasoline-safe-for-your-car/

[Dirty Socialist]

2. From "Animal House"

“ThankyousirmayIhaveanother!”

[CanonRay]

3. Idiots

Yesterday, today, and forever idiots.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

5. Farmers in the Rochester area who vote for Trump in 2020,

have no right to bitch about what is happening to them because of Trump.

The Letters To The Editors in the Post-Bulletin have not been Trump or Hagedorn friendly.

[Wellstone ruled]

8. Oh yes,thanks.

Said this in 2018 one only needs to watch the Letters to the Editor pages for real clues as to how the Farm Vote moves in 2020.

Yesterdays announcement by Kuhn Manufacturing laying of more that a third of their shop people because of a sales slump,well,not good for those in the Wis,Iowa,and Minnesota as well as northern Illinois,were there has been a major shift in farming practices in order to improve bottom line operating profits. And Kuhn has been on the leading edge of providing equipment that makes that happen. So if Kuhn's shoes are feeling the pinch,well,there is more there than we are seeing in the media.

[BruceWane]

6. A common mentality

Acknowledging that Trump is entirely responsible for screwing them over is acknowledging that they were wrong to vote for him. And they'd sooner vote for him again and destroy their own entire life than admit that they were wrong.

Deeply, pathologically incapable of admitting they were wrong. Sound like anybody we know? This is something that they identify with in Trump, they see him as like themselves in this behavior, something that compels them to support him no matter what........... even as that support assures their own suffering.

They'll vote for the guy that is destroying their own lives in order to avoid admitting a mistake.

Kinda like a guy who will go to utterly ridiculous lengths to avoid admitting that he mistakenly read "Bahamas" as "Alabama" in a weather report.

[SWBTATTReg]

10. Biggest group of socialists in the country by now and the biggest hypocrites too. nt

[Coventina]

11. No empathy or sympathy for these morons.

[a kennedy]

12. I never really understood these mega farms anyway, why can't the local farmers

just remain a reasonable size?? Or ok, I just don’t get the bigger is ALWAYS better theory.

[Vinca]

13. If they support Trump again in 2020, I'll root for their bankruptcies.

I had been sympathetic, but fuck them.