Harris and Trump Outline Agricultural Priorities

Washington, DC (September 12, 2024) - Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump revealed their priorities for American agriculture in responses provided by their campaigns to a questionnaire distributed by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Farm Bureau asked the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees to respond with their stances on several topics that directly affect farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. Topics include crop insurance, taxes, labor, and rural infrastructure.

“The challenges facing America’s farmers and ranchers continue to mount, from falling commodity prices to stubbornly high supply costs,” says AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “The next president will set the agenda for trade, regulatory reform, labor and sustainability. It is important that our members, and others in rural America, know where the presidential candidates stand on issues that will affect the vibrancy of their communities and their ability to pass farms to the next generation.”

The questionnaire includes 14 questions. In addition to the topics listed above, it covers food system resiliency, regulatory reform, international trade, sustainability, energy, and biotechnology.

The answers are presented unedited, to give members an unfiltered look at each candidate’s platform. AFBF has invited candidates from both parties to respond to election questionnaires for more than 40 years. The survey responses are available at FB.org/election2024.

Candidate Responses

Here is how the candidates responded to some of the key issues of interest to the seed industry.

Sustainability and Climate

Using innovative farm equipment, better seeds, green energy and climate-smart practices, U.S. farmers and ranchers are producing more food, renewable fuel and fiber than ever before, while using less water, protecting against erosion and conserving more soil, avoiding nutrient loss, increasing wildlife habitat and improving biodiversity. New data from the Environmental Protection Agency found that while greenhouse gas emissions from all sources increased by 1.3 percent between 2021 and 2022, agricultural emissions dropped 1.8 percent -- the largest decrease of any economic sector. Less than 10% of total U.S. GHG emissions stem from agriculture. In fact, efficiency gains are so significant that U.S. agriculture would have needed nearly 100 million more acres in 1990 to match modern production levels. At the same time, farmers’ commitment to conservation is clear. Conservation efforts play an active role on roughly one-third of U.S. farmland. As president, how would you ensure that climate regulations do not hamper American productivity and competitiveness?

Kamala Harris (D)

Vice President Harris and Governor Walz know that voluntary, collaborative partnerships with farmers are key to addressing the climate crisis. That’s why Vice President Harris fought tirelessly for the Inflation Reduction Act, which included a $20 billion investment to help the agricultural community adopt and expand conservation strategies through climate-smart agriculture—all while saving money, ensuring the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes, and increasing productivity.

The Harris-Walz campaign responded to American Farm Bureau’s questionnaire in the form of a letter. The response above is an unedited excerpt of the letter. Click here to read the full Harris-Walz letter.

Donald Trump (R)

The American farmers are the Climate Champions of the world. With the voluntary, locally-led and incentive-based conservation tools I signed into law in 2018, they sequester far more greenhouse gases than what they emit while increasing their productivity. No one does it better. My support of our farmers provides food security, a stronger economy and a cleaner climate.

I pledge to terminate the Green New Deal, dismantle root and branch the lunatic Biden-Harris “net zero” policy of high cost energy that is a millstone around the future of the American economy, and restore American Energy Independence and American Energy Dominance so the United States will once again have the lowest cost of energy and electricity of any economy in the world, which will be a boon to American Agricultural and to economic growth in general. Innovation and economic growth will allow us to unleash the technologies and processes that make the environment better while reshoring production away from foreign polluters, and back to American soil. I renew my commitment to ensuring America has among the very cleanest air and cleanest water on the planet. My administration set the new global standard for environmental protections with unprecedented provisions in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Every day of my presidency, we will fight for a cleaner environment and a better quality of life for every one of our citizens.

Biotechnology

Protecting farmers’ access to modern farming technology, veterinary medications and crop protection tools is important for farmers and ranchers. Our future food security will depend on science, technology and innovation to increase efficiency, adapt to droughts and fight plant diseases. Agricultural biotechnology and other new crop development techniques will prove vital. As president, how would you ensure that new traits are reviewed expeditiously, that USDA’s GMO disclosure rules are focused on science, and that solutions from science and technology are harnessed to meet the challenge of feeding a growing world?

Kamala Harris (D)

Vice President Harris and Governor Walz know that biotechnology and biomanufacturing are poised to expand at a rapid pace over the coming decades, adding thousands of good-paying jobs across many sectors of the economy. Vice President Harris has fought to expand biotech education and job training programs. In addition, the Biden-Harris Administration is reinvesting in agricultural research at land-grant universities, including 1890 land-grant institutions, bringing the benefits of innovation and progress to farmers and communities across the country.

The Harris-Walz campaign responded to American Farm Bureau’s questionnaire in the form of a letter. The response above is an unedited excerpt of the letter. Click here to read the full Harris-Walz letter.

Donald Trump (R)

In office, I strongly supported access to agriculture biotechnology. The USMCA allowed American farmers and ranchers expanded accesses to cutting-edge biotechnology and eliminated non-scientific barriers. I also signed an executive order that brought innovative new technologies to market in American farming and agriculture. I took action to expedite the review of biotechnology so that farmers can get access to critical scientific advances faster and reap the full benefits of American innovation for years to come.

The full survey responses are available at FB.org/election2024.