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Perdue: Trump taking wait and see approach on trade

 

U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue is reassuring pork producers agriculture will not bear the brunt of retaliatory measures in trade disputes.

Secretary Sonny Perdue tells Brownfield the administration is planning on taking a “wait and see” approach with trade retaliation before mediation measures are made.  “I’ve had personal conversations with the President and he’s convinced not to let agriculture bear the brunt of any kind of retaliatory measures.”  During Perdue’s “Back to Our Roots” tour stop at the Clemens Pork Processing Plant in Coldwater, Michigan, he told producers he’s hopeful China and the U.S. can come to a resolution.

AUDIO: Secretary Sonny Perdue press interview

Michigan pork producer Harley Sietsema says he’s been significantly impacted financially after China announced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. pork.  “We market about 15,000 pigs a week and the market value of my pigs went down somewhere in the area of $20-$25 per head in just the last several days.”  He says his financial success will be in serious trouble if trade disputes don’t get corrected soon.  “Our business will not survive if we cannot maintain an adequate export business.”

AUDIO: Interview with Harley Sietsema

Chairmen of Clemons Food Group Doug Clemens tells Brownfield he’s anxious to see how trade deals will impact the pork industry.  “Almost 30 percent of the pork produced in the U.S. is exported throughout the rest of the world so it’s a very, very critical part of pork processing and pork production throughout the whole chain.”

AUDIO: Interview with Doug Clemens