[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 57 (Tuesday, April 2, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H2943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LET MY FARMERS GROW

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Cleaver) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I seldom come to this floor to stand in 
this well. To me, it is almost a sacred place where the great orators 
like Webster debated. But I have got to talk about this because it is 
something that is impacting thousands and thousands of people I 
represent in my district.
  In a recent letter from the President of the Missouri Soybean 
Association, farmers expressed their concerns regarding President 
Trump's ongoing statements on tariffs and the U.S.-China trade 
relationships, stating: ``Missouri farmers have invested time away from 
their farm, family, and millions of dollars in developing their foreign 
markets, and it's imperative that we don't jeopardize these 
investments. . . .''
  At what point do we call on one another to address the inevitable 
detriment these farmers are routinely placed in under this 
administration?
  In Missouri alone, the restricted access to China, which is the 
number one trading partner for U.S. soybean farmers, has created a $2 
drop in soybean prices, resulting in nearly $212 million in lost 
earnings, over 3,000 fewer jobs, and an estimated $726.6 million annual 
reduction in State and local economic activity--for the State of 
Missouri alone. Imagine the combined impact this has had on other 
States that are major producers and exporters.

  Using America's farmers as collateral in a trade war is wrong, and 
hardworking farmers, their families, and our communities deserve much 
better.
  Farmers in Missouri and across this country working to not only 
provide for their families deserve market stability and access to the 
opportunity to forge trade relationships abroad. They deserve to have 
the backing of a Federal Government that supports and advocates for 
their success.
  Simply put, farmers deserve not to be caught in the crossfire or 
become collateral damage in an imposed and impractical trade war.
  Farming is a risky endeavor, and Mother Nature may at any time bring 
drought, flooding, hail, and other disasters. The last thing farmers 
should worry about is a reactionary trade and policy decision made by 
the President, whom most of the farmers supported.
  Moreover, though farmers have been patient holding out for the 
situation to improve, each passing day that we fail to take into 
consideration the interest of American farmers only contributes to a 
mounting problem that we must not ignore any longer. Enough is enough.
  As the Representative of a geographically diverse district that 
encompasses several rural communities, I fear what a continued, 
retaliatory imposition of tariffs on China would mean for the farmers 
in my district: that this is going to hurt.
  Now, making a bad decision, Mr. President, is understandable, but not 
correcting it is untenable and unfertile.
  Last Friday, the President decided to hit below the belt with his 
threats to shut down the southern border with Mexico. A border shutdown 
would wreak havoc on the U.S. economy. I didn't say this. This comes 
from just about every major economist in the country.
  A border shutdown is not in the best interests of the Midwest or this 
country. This is another blow to our farmers, and they cannot afford 
it. They will be forced to tap out.
  Missouri farmers depend on foreign trade to market their crops. In my 
State, we have an $80 billion industry called agriculture. When it is 
disrupted, the whole State is disrupted.
  We have the largest export market, after China and Canada, to Mexico. 
The U.S. shipped $19 billion worth of agricultural products to Mexico 
in 2018. Mexico is our top market for corn and our third largest market 
for U.S. beef.
  Missouri pork producers cannot afford the loss of the Mexican market 
on top of all the financial losses from retaliatory tariffs from Mexico 
and China.
  The very threat of a border closure creates uncertainty and depresses 
the trade of $1.7 billion in goods and services, daily, that cross the 
border.
  Missouri's economy has a direct connection to Mexico through Kansas 
City Southern Railroad.
  Mr. Speaker, let me conclude by just saying we have a 2,000-mile 
border between the United States and Mexico. If we shut that down, we 
are shutting down the U.S. economy.

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