Agricultural News
President Donald Trump Addresses AFBF Convention - Promises to Defend Ag's "Noble Tradition"
Mon, 14 Jan 2019 16:48:51 CST
President of the United States Donald Trump addressed members of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Monday afternoon, in New Orleans during the general farm organization's 100th Annual Convention. This is the second time in a row since the President took office that he has joined farmers and ranchers at the AFBF Convention. The President was preceded on stage during the Convention's Closing General Session by US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, who introduced him with enthusiastic praise for all that the President has strived for on behalf of American agriculture and our rural communities. President Trump took roughly an hour, speaking on a variety of topics that have directly impacted the ag industry and the people engaged in it. You can listen to the full remarks delivered by the President at the AFBF Convention, by clicking or tapping the LISTEN BAR below at the bottom of the page.
After taking to the podium, Trump spent nearly the first thirty minutes expressing his appreciation of certain individuals, but also addressed border security - and made his case for why funding should be appropriated to construct a wall at the southern border of the United States.
"As you all know there is currently a tremendous humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border. We're going to get that stopped. We're going to have a wall," Trump said. "I want people to come into our country, but they have to come in legally - they have to come in through a process. As President, the defense of our nation is my highest and most important duty. When it comes to keeping the American people safe, I will never ever back down. Where a barrier exists, illegal crossings plummet. They say, 'it's medieval a wall.' It is medieval, so is a wheel. But every time I look out they all have wheels. They may have gone electric and they may have done a lot of different things, but every car I've seen still has wheels. Wheels work and walls work - ya know there are some things you can't beat."
During this portion of his speech, Trump introduced Jim Chilton, an Arizona rancher whose property lies near the US-Mexican border. According to Trump, Chilton deals with the illegal entry of drug traffickers via his own land on a daily basis and has personally been affected in many ways. Taking to the podium for a moment, Chilton remarked plainly to the audience: "Mr. President, we need a wall."
Trump used this opportunity to call upon opposing Democrats, to end the ongoing government shutdown by appropriating funding for a border wall.
Over the course of the next half hour, the President addressed other issues that his administration has worked on over the past two years. Fronting that list was the ongoing matter of trade and the disputes that have remained unresolved. Trump thanked the audience for farmers' continued support as his administration works to secure better trade terms with our nation's trading partners. He assured that the USDA was working diligently to help producers through these lean economic times that have resulted and continued to bullet point the accomplishments that his policy agenda has yielded for American farmers and ranchers.
"We are fixing broken trade deals that are horrible and opening up new markets to export," he said. "We've eliminated a record number of job-killing regulations. We're reversing harmful federal intrusion and to keep family farms in the family we have virtually eliminated the Estate Tax, also known as the Death Tax. We're ensuring that ethanol remains a vital part of America's energy future with E15 and making it available year-round.
"In December, just a few days before Christmas, I was proud to sign the Farm Bill. We got it done. Last year when I spoke to you, we had just passed our historic tax cuts. Many families will save upwards of four thousand dollars in taxes alone. We're also leading the most sweeping regulatory reform at any time in our history. We're saving farmers and ranchers from one of the most ridiculous regulations ever imposed on anyone in our nation - the Waters of the United States rule."
The President concluded his speech, reiterating that his administration is focused on the interests of the American people, its farmers and ranchers included.
"We are fighting for the American farmer and we are fighting for the American dream and for the products made and grown with pride right here in the USA," Trump concluded. "We are defending a cherished legacy and preserving a beautiful way of life passed down generation to generation. You are the keepers of this noble tradition. You are the guardians of this majestic heritage. We are standing up for the men and women who work the fields, till the soil and harvest the land. We are protecting your rights and freedoms and our glorious Constitution. And we are doing it all with love in hearts, joy in our souls and trust in our God."
Listen to Trump's full speech by clicking or tapping the LISTEN BAR below.
Our Coverage of the 2019 American Farm Bureau Convention and Trade Show is powered by the Oklahoma Farm Bureau- proud to rural all 77 counties and dedicated to imoproving the Lives of Rural Oklahomans. Click here for the Ok Farm Bureau website to learn more about being a part of Farm Bureau family.
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