This op-ed was signed by Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell, Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture & Consumer Services Wilton Simpson, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper, Idaho Director of Agriculture Chanel Tewalt, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture & Commerce Andy Gipson, Nebraska Director of Agriculture Sherry Vinton, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur, South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers, Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture Charlie Hatcher, and Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller.
Prosperity in rural America requires strong advocacy for agriculture. Nobody knows that better than us. As your leaders of state departments of agriculture, we are the primary individuals tasked with advancing and defending our state and regional agricultural interests, all of which contribute to a robust domestic food supply and economy. Our success is dependent on aggressive and innovative advocacy for the American farmer. As such, we are enthused to support the America First Policy Institute’s (AFPI) launch of the Farmers First Agenda.
Specifically, it’s our understanding that AFPI will utilize the Farmers First Agenda to craft and command policies that achieve our shared mutual goals of restoring long term rural prosperity, increasing trade and export opportunities, ending misguided social policies across the federal government, restoring the dignity of work, and working to make Americans, especially children, healthier again. Further, it’s our understanding that these policies will be developed through strong collaboration with rural policymakers and rural stakeholders—those of us on the frontlines in farm country.
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Farming has never been easy, but in recent years, America’s producers have faced mounting challenges that threaten their livelihoods. Unfortunately, farmers have had to deal with Uncle Sam’s additional burdens these past four years. Specifically, the Biden administration smothered our farmers with needless regulations and Green New Deal boondoggles that sacrificed agricultural industry prosperity at the altar of climate hysterics. Compounding the calamity of collapsing commodity prices after 30-year highs and avian flu outbreaks were the misguided priorities at the U.S. Department of Agriculture under Secretary Tom Vilsack, which led to 30% higher input costs and a projected $49 billion 2025 agricultural trade deficit.
However, there is reason for optimism: President Donald J. Trump. Trump, who has yet to be in office for 100 days, is already pursuing U.S. energy dominance, closing the border, prioritizing deregulation, commanding respect on the global stage, and tackling animal disease outbreaks. But there is more work to be done, and the executive branch isn’t alone. Congress must tend to expiring tax measures and a farm bill. Fortunately, we have a federal government receptive to a Farmers First Agenda, as mandated by the American people last November.
Therefore, this is the opportunity to reset the conversation, reassert the importance of America’s agricultural heritage, and implement policies that put American farmers first. AFPI’s commitment to working on policies on behalf of rural America and the American farmer could not come at a more critical time.
Among those leading AFPI’s Farmers First Agenda and rural policy are Christie Mullin and Ambassador Kip Tom—each bringing a shared dedication to advancing strong policies for our agricultural communities. Their leadership will help bridge the gap between policymakers in Washington and the real-world needs of rural communities, ensuring that sound, practical solutions take precedence over bureaucratic, non-sensical red tape.
The establishment of AFPI’s Farmers First Agenda represents a significant step toward restoring rural prosperity. It will provide a much-needed platform for policy discussions that prioritize the well-being of our farmers and ranchers, reinforcing the principles of self-reliance, responsible stewardship, and economic opportunity.
We already know that AFPI is adept in translating grassroots knowledge into effective policy. Therefore, we have no doubt it will now help rural America and the hardworking farming families that live there.
We look forward to working alongside AFPI to advance policies that uphold the values of rural America. The stakes are too high to do anything less.