Rural America was key to electing Donald Trump as president and it wants him to prevent over-regulation from growing back like a weed, said the president of the largest U.S. farm organization on the opening day of the group’s annual convention. The American Farm Bureau Federation’s Zippy Duvall also told reporters that the Trump team knows producers are frustrated by the lack of a nominee for agriculture secretary.
“To make real progress, we have to reform the regulatory process,” Duvall said during the opening session of the convention in Phoenix, Ariz. “We can’t just pull up the weeds. We have to get right down to the roots that allow those weeds to keep coming back again and again.”
Trump has said he will ditch the EPA’s Waters of the United States rule, anathema in rural areas, in one of his first acts in office. To help Trump make broad changes, Duvall asked convention attendees to “take out your phones” and email their U.S. representatives in support of regulatory reform. “I did that before I got on stage and it only took me 20 seconds,” he said. “Give yourself a round of applause.”
At a news conference, Duvall said 1,500 communications were generated from the convention floor. Typically, 3,000 or 4,000 people attend an AFBF convention. “We’re excited by that exercise,” he said, adding the farm group wanted to match or exceed other organizations in responding to Congress via social media.
The first question at the news conference was about the wait for the nomination of a new agriculture secretary. “I have full faith in the new president picking the right person. We just think he’s doing a thorough review,” said Duvall. Later, he said, “I do get frustrated” by the delay. “We think this should have been the first position filled instead of the last [along with Veterans Affairs] … They [Trump’s transition team] know that frustration is out there and I have expressed that.”
Exit polls showed rural Americans voted 2-to-1 for Trump. “The election should send a message — loud and clear — to our politicians: Ignore rural America at your own risk!” said Duvall said during his speech. “We expect to make real progress on a whole range of issues: Tax reform; growing markets and trade; regulatory reform and ag labor.”
“We must have a new agricultural visa system that works for farmers and farm laborers. We must find a way for experienced farmworkers to legally remain in the United States, working on our farms.” The Trump team “has promised us agriculture will have a seat at the table” for immigration reform, said Duvall. “So there is hope, if we take action and make our voices heard.”
Up to two-thirds of farmworkers are undocumented. Trump campaigned on a pledge to remove illegal immigrants but aides also said there would be accommodations to prevent harm to agriculture. “We would like to have a way to adjust their status,” Duvall told reporters, referring to farmworkers who are undocumented.
The Farm Bureau and other farm groups supported comprehensive immigration reform in 2013, when the Senate passed a bipartisan reform bill. It died in the House due to opposition by conservative Republicans.
To read Duvall’s speech, click here.