Political Quotes

“Mr. President, like most other sectors of our economy, agriculture has taken a huge hit from the coronavirus. The pandemic has caused significant market volatility, sending many commodity futures prices plummeting. Increased consumer demand for beef led to significant increases in boxed beef prices, while cattle prices plummeted, which led to significant gaps between cattle producer and packer profit margins. To make the situation worse, temporary closures and reduced processing capacity at U.S. meatpacking plants as a result of the virus further diminished demand for livestock and depressed prices. This has aggravated an already difficult situation for farmers and ranchers. Unlike the majority of the economy, which was thriving before the coronavirus pandemic, the agricultural economy has been struggling for a while. Low prices, extended trade disputes, and natural disasters have meant a tough few years for farmers and ranchers even before the coronavirus hit. Now things are even more challenging. Agriculture is the lifeblood of my State of South Dakota. So supporting farmers and ranchers during the crisis has been one of my top priorities. I fought to get agriculture relief money included in the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act, or the CARES Act, which was signed into law in late March.…”