President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs and China's retaliation has Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, concerned for American farmers.
"We appreciate the president and his stance against China but, for the meantime, it is hurting our farmers and ranchers," Ernst told Sunday's "The Cats Roundtable" on 970 AM-N.Y., per The Hill.
President Trump's negotiating tactic in trying to balance trade with China included employing tariffs on Chinese imports and has led to a reciprocal tariffs threats from China. It started with a 25 percent tariff on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum, which has ginned up fears of a trade war.
"When we hear about tariffs out in the news, the markets drop," Ernst told host John Catsimatidis, per The Hill. "When you see lean hog futures going down, when we see the price of soybeans in the market going down, corn — whatever it might be — that really hurts our farmers."
President Trump's tariffs are intended to encourage American businesses to do their work in the United States and become less reliant on other countries for cheaper labor, like China. Ernst is not convinced tariffs are a fool-proof answer.
"We do get concerned when we talk about tariffs," Ernst said, per The Hill. "I understand the need to protect American jobs, but American farmers are holding American jobs. We need to find a pathway forward, and I do hope the president can do that."
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