With the election finally decided, America’s commodity and policy organizations can focus their attention on reaching out to the incoming Trump administration about major agricultural issues. Regulatory overreach by EPA in its Waters of the U.S. Rule has been an ongoing concern where Chairman of American Soybean Association Wade Cowan looks forward to positive change coming from Washington and President-elect Donald Trump.
“I’m very optimistic about that,” he told HAT. “You know when you’ve got a President-elect who comes out and that’s one of the things he says, we’ve got to get a handle on that, boy that’s a nice thing. I think we’re not only going to see a pulling back on the WOTUS rule, I think regulation as a whole, we’re going to see a lot less pressure. I think we’ll get a little between now and the end of the year of regulations that come out, but I think after the inauguration we’re going to get a pull back. And I get the feeling that maybe in Congress we’re going to get some relief. We’re going to set some guidelines so that maybe we don’t have to worry about this in the future.”
Cowan said he doesn’t think the same luxury would be realized if the presidential election had gone the other way.
Prior to the election ag groups were concerned about both candidates’ stance opposing the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement. But Cowan is confidant and optimistic that the Trump presidency will be open to hearing agriculture’s positions on trade, “because as a businessman he knows that trade is important. What I’ve always heard him say is he doesn’t like bad trade deals. You know what? I don’t like bad trade deals either, but I’ve looked at TPP and I’ve looked at what it does for soybean producers, and for most of the producers in the U.S. that are in agriculture, very good program for us. I think it’s going to be our job as ASA, as members of the farm community to send that message to the new administration, that yes there are good things in here. It was negotiated right. Yes, maybe there are some things that need to be fixed, but let’s get this thing done, get it implemented. Let’s fix the problems after we get it implemented.”
Cowan added we’re all about to embark on a ride different than any other when it comes to national politics. He farms in Texas and was president of ASA last year.