The U.S. agriculture industry has started talks with Donald Trump’s transition team in a bid to advocate for the sector as the president-elect pledges tariffs and mass deportations. Groups including the National Grain and Feed Association and the International Fresh Produce Association were among those involved in the discussions, people with the situation told Bloomberg. The National Council of Agricultural Employers also has a meeting scheduled. Some industry advocates are lobbying for the expansion of a visa program for temporary workers, and others want China to stick to crop purchases pledged during the Phase One trade deal negotiated by Trump in his previous term, the sources noted. One possible solution being touted by industry groups is convincing China to stick to the $50 billion a year in ag purchases it pledged during the Phase One deal, while also having the Asian country approve crop traits that would give U.S. supplies better access to the Chinese market. Railroad inspection delays at the border with Mexico and the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation are also among topics of interest for the industry.
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