In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Agricultural Competition, Durbin Criticizes Trump Administration For Prioritizing South America Over American Farmers

In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Agricultural Competition, Durbin Criticizes Trump Administration For Prioritizing South America Over American Farmers

"[President Trump's] tariffs on China, even as they change from one week to the next, are bad news for Illinois farmers and good news for Brazilian farmers…Farmers need help. No amount of financial relief can replace lost markets, especially if payments simply go from farmers straight to a handful of seed, fertilizer, and equipment companies," Durbin said during his opening statement in today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, delivered opening remarks in today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Pressure Cooker: Competition Issues in the Seed & Fertilizer Industries." In his remarks, Durbin criticized the Trump Administration's inconsistent trade policies which have created an uncertain market for Illinois' farmers. Rather than providing economic certainty for American farmers struggling as a result of the President's decisions, the President offered a $40 billion bailout to Argentina, helping Argentinian farmers replace American exports to China.

Key Quotes:

"His [President Trump's] tariffs on China, even as they change from one week to the next, are bad news for Illinois farmers and good news for Brazilian farmers, who have seen their sales of soybeans to China increase by $2 billion this year."

"Tariffs are also good news for Argentina, which has sold $708 million more in soybeans to China this year. Yet President Trump is propping up Argentina's government with a $40 billion lifeline when American farmers are struggling to stay in business."

"The President is in Asia for trade discussions with China. I hope they will be positive. But China is now investing heavily in South American farming, even building megaports there to manage massive shipments of soybeans, corn, and sugar."

"Illinois farmers are concerned about the increasing cost of doing business, especially the cost of seed, fertilizer, and equipment."

"One problem is that there are just a few big corporations in these sectors, where market concentration reduces competition. The Committee has examined these dynamics in other parts of the food industry, such as meat packing and groceries."

"It's a complex issue, which is why I joined Chairman Grassley back in April to question why the Department of Justice planned to close its Chicago field office that specializes in agricultural antitrust issues. The Administration has not provided a response."

"Farmers need policy certainty from Washington. But these past ten months, that's not what we've given them."

"The Chairman and I cosponsored a bill to allow for year-round E15 ethanol sales. It almost passed Congress, until Donald Trump and Elon Musk stopped it and opposed the bill."

"Farmers also face severe workforce shortages-70 percent of farmworkers in the United States are foreign born-but the way this Administration has targeted immigrant farmworkers is another sign of how this Administration values farmers. USDA has forced out more than 15,000 employees since January, and farmers are seeing widespread delays in services."

"My farmers, all farmers need help. No amount of financial relief can replace lost markets, especially if relief payments simply go from farmers straight to a handful of seed, fertilizer, and equipment companies."

"Big companies say their size helps them compete and survive while providing consumers with a consistent, reliable product. Farmers disagree, saying seed and fertilizer are not affordable, come with strict contracts and requirements that prevent farmers from exploring alternatives, pressure tactics that keep farmers trapped as customers, and zero transparency on how personal farming data gets collected and sent to who-knows-where, for who-knows-what."

"This month, the Nobel Prize for Economics was awarded to three economists who believe that economic growth happens when conditions exist that allow new innovations and technologies to rise up to replace old ones. Today's witnesses will report on whether that is actually happening."

Video of Durbin's opening statement is available here.

Audio of Durbin's opening statement is available here.

Footage of Durbin's opening statement is available herefor TV Stations.

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