USA Today Op-Ed: Illinois Farmer Explains Trade War’s Threat to Agriculture

In an op-ed published Monday in USA Today, Illinois farmer and Farm Bureau member Krista Swanson describes how her family could personally be affected by the ongoing trade war. She also taps into her expertise as a research specialist with the University of Illinois’ Gardner Agriculture Policy Program to explain how retaliatory tariffs threaten farmers and ranchers throughout the country.
 
“Like our trade officials, I want fair trade that fits the needs of our country as a whole. I support the notion that some trade policies need to be reviewed and updated — with a well-planned and effective approach. But I also question whether using tit-for-tat tariffs will be effective and the potentially dire consequences of this strategy,” she wrote.