Latest news with #ZippyDuvall
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump pledges protection for farmworkers as raids hit SoCal fields
OXNARD, Calif. - President Donald Trump is slightly changing course on his immigration policy, now saying "we must protect our farmworkers". "They're not citizens, but they've turned out to be, you know, great. And we're going to have to do something about that. We cant take farmers and take all their people and send them back because they don't have maybe what they're supposed to have, maybe not. So we're going to have an order on that pretty soon. We can't do that to our farmers," the president said Thursday. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said he appreciated Trump's comments and expressed the vital role farmworkers play in the supply chain. "Farm employees work hard every day to help produce healthy, American-grown food. If these workers are not present in fields and barns, there is a risk of supply chain disruptions similar to those experienced during the pandemic. We look forward to working with the President on solutions that ensure continuity in the food supply in the short term, and we call on Congress to follow the President's lead to develop a permanent solution that fixes outdated and broken farmworker programs," Duvall said in a statement. Gov. Gavin Newsom also commented on Trump's announcement, calling it a major win. Local perspective Meanwhile, many farmworkers in Ventura County say they are terrified of going to work due to the ICE raids. According to the Mexican Consulate and the Farm Bureau of Ventura County, in the last 48 hours at least 40 farmworkers have been taken. ICE agents tried to enter five local packing facilities without warrants, and conducted operations in at least 10 fields. They also reportedly initiated random vehicle stops on roads that are frequented by immigrants going to work. In video posted online, agents can be heard using a megaphone to ask workers if they are citizens and have proper documents. In another video, an agent was heard saying, "yeah they know their rights, they've been here for 30 years. I get it, we are doing our job." What they're saying Local politicians and farmworker advocates at the Ventura County government center condemned the arrests, regardless of the immigration status of those being detained. "The raid on Tuesday, the consulate confirmed that every single person picked up had been here for at least 10 years," said immigration attorney Vanessa Frank. "This past week, our communities on the central coast in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties have been terrorized," Santa Maria councilmember Gloria Soto mentioned during a press conference. The Source Information for this story came from community members who spoke at a Ventura County press conference. A statement was provided by American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall, and President Donald Trump.
Axios
07-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
Farmers are freaked by Trump tariffs
President Trump's tariffs on nearly every trading partner but Russia are rattling farmers across the country, especially in Illinois. Why it matters: As the nation's third-biggest ag exporter — registering $13.7 billion in farm exports in 2023 — Illinois could lose a lot under new trade barriers. Flashback: In the wake of the 2018-19 Trump tariffs, American farmers lost $27 billion in sales as China shifted its purchases from the Midwest to South America. Farmers say they had only recently rebuilt those market relationships. What they're saying: "Increased tariffs threaten the economic sustainability of farmers who have lost money on most major crops for the past three years," said Zippy Duvall, president of American Farm Bureau Federation, in a Wednesday night statement. Duvall predicts retaliatory tariffs will hurt sales while raising costs on machinery and fertilizer, "a combination that not only threatens farmers' competitiveness in the short-term, but it may cause long-term damage by leading to losses in market share." Meanwhile economists expect tariffs to boost the cost of produce by 4% and overall food by 2.8%. The intrigue: Some of Trump's farm supporters assumed his threats were a bluff. "I think everybody was expecting that it was just a lot of talk to bring people to the table and work a few things out," farmer and Illinois Soybean Association official Brady Holst told Axios last month.
Axios
04-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
Trump tariffs win support from Texas' top ag official
President Trump's tariffs on nearly every trading partner but Russia are rattling farmers across the country, including in Texas. Why it matters: As the nation's sixth-biggest ag exporter — registering $6.6 billion in farm exports in 2023 — Texas could lose a lot under new trade barriers. Zoom in: Per the latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Texas' top exports are beef ($1.3 billion in 2023) and cotton (also $1.3 billion in 2023). Flashback: In the wake of the 2018-19 Trump tariffs, American farmers lost $27 billion in sales as China shifted its purchases to Latin America. Farmers say they had only recently rebuilt those market relationships. What they're saying: "Increased tariffs threaten the economic sustainability of farmers who have lost money on most major crops for the past three years," said Zippy Duvall, president of American Farm Bureau Federation, in a statement Wednesday. Duvall predicts that retaliatory tariffs will hurt sales while raising costs on machinery and fertilizer, "a combination that not only threatens farmers' competitiveness in the short-term, but it may cause long-term damage by leading to losses in market share." Economists expect tariffs to boost the cost of produce by 4% and overall food by 2.8%. The other side: "I won't sugarcoat the reality that there will be short-term challenges for our agricultural community," Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, a Trump loyalist, said Thursday. "However, this trade war is about something bigger: securing lasting, fair agreements that protect the American farmer." "I have full confidence that this administration will continue to equip our farmers and ranchers with the resources they need to weather this storm." What we're watching: In 2019, Trump offered a $28 billion farm bailout to make up for losses, but one farmer told NPR he "wouldn't bet five cents" on another one given recent government cuts.
