Jim Wiesemeyer, a Washington, D.C.-based policy analyst, says this past year has brought renewed turbulence in trade and farm support, and for the year ahead, farmers can expect more of the same in terms of how policies interact within disciplines and in an accelerated fashion.
“You can’t just look at ‘ag’ or ‘farm policy’ any longer,” he says. “It’s interrelated.”
He points to examples in animal health and border policy, as well as biofuels and tax credits.
That’s one big takeaway from the past year in how agricultural policy (and politics) have evolved. Here are a handful more from Wiesemeyer’s recent appearance on “AgriTalk” with Chip Flory:
1. Domestic Ag Policy Expands Into Geopolitical Issues
“Look at when Treasury Secretary [Scott] Bessent announced the bond swap with Argentina. It zapped soybeans and affected the timing of Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans,” Wiesemeyer says. “That was almost an off-the-cuff statement, and it had major implications.”
Regarding trade, he says while international outreach has to continue, the disconnect in U.S.-China trade relations will continue to unfold with repercussions.
“With U.S. and China trade, it’s a truce. I tell farmers don’t think this won’t linger for multiple years. We are in a geopolitical war with China,” he says.
The impact will be twofold:
- First, U.S. officials need to continue to do market development to expand market share in other countries, and this includes ag goods beyond soybeans.
- Second, it increases even more in the need for domestic utilization. That includes food policy and ag energy policy, but Wiesemeyer adds he doesn’t expect to see renewable fuels mandates announced until late next year.
2. There Are Question Marks Around Additional Farmer Aid
Wiesemeyer says legislators have said they are talking about more financial assistance programs for farmers, however, he doesn’t see a frictionless discussion surrounding the topic.
“Because not only of Republicans, but also a number of Democrats who say there are other issues to resolve before we sign off on this. But the verdict is out if they’ll succeed,” he says.
3. Consumer Pricing Directs a Lot of Dialogue
From the president’s comments about beef prices being too high to the repetitive use of “affordability” around food prices, Wiesemeyer sees the subject of consumer pricing continuing to garner attention.
4. The Brouhaha About MAHA
Wiesemeyer has a bit of a warning about the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. While the latest report showed a more “practical” approach to the use of pesticides and modern ag technologies, he says there is more to come from a policy standpoint.
“We’re going to get the first serious definition of ultra-processed food. We’ve had legal cases in California, where some companies are being challenged on the impacts of ultra-processed food in children. The next commission report will be important,” he says.
5. Will Government Deregulation Equal Economic Growth?
“Federal government deregulation will hit overdrive in 2026,” Wiesemeyer says.
He says Trump’s approach to simplifying permitting processes, led by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, could bring lower energy prices — a continuation of the trend in gasoline prices plus the promise of lowering or tempering the run-up in electricity prices.
“That combination plus the One Big Beautiful Bill being implemented in ’26, I think we’re going to have a good economy and GDP,” he says.
