U.S. trade policy has been somewhat chaotic with the on-again, off-again tariffs. The Red River Farm Network asked the outgoing president and chief executive officer of the National Federation of Farmer Cooperatives, Chuck Conner, what that means for the U.S.’s reputation as a reliable supplier. “I don’t think our worldwide reputation is very good right now, honestly,” replied Conner. “I think the world is seeing a lot of mixed signals coming from the United States government right now. I can say that, as someone who is sort of at the end of their career, and be a little more forthright than would otherwise be the case, but I think clearly a lot of buyers around the globe are wondering if they can really rely upon the United States going forward.” Conner served as deputy agriculture secretary from 2005 to 2009. When Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns resigned, Conner was the acting secretary until President Bush’s nominee, former North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer, was confirmed. Conner has led the NFCF for the past 17 years. In the RRFN interview, Conner discusses the new populist attitude in politics, the future of farm bills and more. Click here to listen.
