Vice President Pence and Cramer Discuss Tariff Impacts to ND Agriculture

 

Yesterday, Congressman Kevin Cramer welcomed Vice President Mike Pence to Grand Forks and discussed North Dakota impacts of the administration’s tariffs. Several state ag producers also had the opportunity to discuss the issue with the vice president.   

“I wanted to take the opportunity to stress to the administration the importance of the current trade situation, particularly as it relates to tariffs,” Cramer said. “In agriculture, the short term is the long term and one season can ruin a farmer.  The Trump team has our back for the long term as we witnessed yesterday when they announced billions of dollars in aid to farmers hurt by trade retaliation.  To move this forward quickly, I wanted the vice president to hear our concerns first hand. The president will be successful with this strategy at some point in the future but we need some assistance in this interim period.”

Kevin Skunes grows corn and soybeans in North Dakota and also serves as president of the National Corn Growers Association. Skunes appreciated the opportunity to talk with Vice President Pence about tariffs. “While we want to hold our trading partners accountable for bad behavior, farmers are disproportionately bearing the brunt of retaliatory tariffs. I appreciated the opportunity to share with the vice president the additional challenges tariffs and trade uncertainty are placing on farmers already struggling with their fifth consecutive year of low prices, and our preference for broader market access.”

Also discussing tariffs with Vice President Pence was Rick Burgum, chairman of The Arthur Companies, a North Dakota company offering a line of diverse agribusinesses including grain elevators and global commodity marketing. “We definitely need to create a level playing field with our international trading partners,” he said. “Our discussion was right on point and we stressed the risks we face as the negotiations continue. We need a timely resolution. I agree with Kevin, there are short-term dangers that we need to mitigate but in the long-term I see significant gains. We need to hang tough and get this done.”

Vice President Pence flew into the Grand Forks Air Force Base and attended a Cramer campaign event at a hotel in the city. “I was pleased the Vice President could spend time at the base. The strategic importance of this northern tier base cannot be understated,” Cramer said. “The Grand Forks Air Force Base has embraced the technology of the future and is poised to continue its important role as a key defender of our freedom.”