With the March 1st deadline looming, Pro Farmer policy consultant Jim Wiesemeyer says both the U.S. and China need a deal. China’s economy is weakening, hurt by the current trade spat. “For the U.S., Trump needs some successes and it could potentially come from the trade policy arena; agriculture could be a shining star for him.” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer have been at odds in this trade dispute. Wiesemeyer says Mnuchin is a moderate that is concerned about the economic consequences of increased tariffs. “Bob Lighthizer used to work for Senator Bob Dole and when you work for Dole, you know agriculture. He’s very smart and he knows what he wants. He will fight until the very end. I think agriculture is the low-hanging fruit in this China-U.S. agreement.”
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