President Trump wants Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to implement a plan to protect farmers and agricultural interests hurt by Chinese tariffs. North Dakota Senator John Hoeven says this could happen through Commodity Credit Corporation funding. “To Secretary Perdue’s credit, he came to me as agriculture appropriations (committee) chair and said, ‘hey, can you include this funding to help farmers if we get into these negotiations.’ I said absolutely. We worked to do that. That’s one example of what he can do to help.”
During a stop at the Red River Farm Network studios Friday, Hoeven said lawmakers will do everything possible to make sure farmers don’t see retaliatory tariffs on agricultural exports. The dollars are available in crop insurance, but in writing the farm bill five years ago, lawmakers included language to make sure USDA can’t take money out of crop insurance. “Crop insurance is our number one risk management tool. We’ll continue to do everything we can to make sure it’s there. It’s an absolute priority as we write the next farm bill.”