Ag Industry Worried About Trump Effect On Farms

One week after Donald Trump’s stunning presidential election victory, farmers and agriculture groups are still trying to figure out what’s going to happen down on the farm, especially, who might lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  Bob Hanson, president of the Montana Farm Bureau Federation, said [quote] “We were completely caught off guard about who won.”[end quote]
There was plenty of buzz about the election on Monday as the Federation gathered in Billings for its annual meeting.  Trump and Hillary Clinton both denounced the Trans Pacific Partnership, which the Farm Bureau considers crucial to lowering trade barriers for American farm and ranch products, particularly from Montana, which exports roughly 80 percent of the wheat, mostly to nations in the Asian Pacific.  Ranchers have been hopeful a TPP deal would lower Japanese tariffs on beef and open Vietnam to U.S. beef sales.  Trump said the TPP was a bad deal.