Public Comment

Iowa farmers must be suffering from buyer’s remorse. Trump’s initial foray into launching a trade war has been a big flop. The “man who can do no wrong” rushed to Iowa with a promised bailout of $12 billion to provide emergency relief to farmers caught in the trade crossfire, a problem that he created. If he was so sure of the wisdom of his trade policies he should have persuaded farmers to be patient not bail them out with taxpayer money. 

Senator Sasse, Republican of Nebraska, aptly described President Trump’s $12 billion as “gold crutches.” Stung by Trump’s trade war, our former trading nations are seeking more reliable partners. Canada is negotiating an alliance with China Mexico and the European Union which in turn is enhancing its trade with Japan and Russia. Farmers should remember the old karma adage, “what you sow so shall you reap.”