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Minnesota Soybean reacts to USDA trade aid announcement

The Minnesota Soybean Growers is thanking the Trump Administration for crafting another round of trade aid, but CEO Joe Smentek says the Association is frustrated another bailout is necessary.

“We were really looking forward to a deal with China being done. We were told a couple months ago to (give the Administration) a month, then another month (they said) a couple weeks now. And to have those deadlines pass without having any deal with China and the market we worked to create over 40 years back, is really frustrating.”

He tells Brownfield their grower-members want trade, not aid.

Smentek is also concerned the package could influence some farmers to plant crops that shouldn’t be planted.

“Hopefully some of the prevented plant programs can help some people make a decision so they’re not trying to put themselves at risk trying to get something out there just in order to take advantage of these programs.”

Smentek says he’s looking forward to normalized trade with China, Canada, Mexico and Japan as opposed to another bailout program.