ISG concerned over tariffs

In response to President Donald J. Trump’s declaration of China tariffs, and China’s subsequent reaction of placing a 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybeans, the Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) issued the following statement from Lynn Rohrscheib, ISG chairwoman and a soybean farmer from Fairmount, Ill.: “As the nation’s top soybean-producing state, we believe that trade and access to markets is vital to the economic well-being of our soybean farmers and the communities they support. We are disappointed that agriculture continues to be placed in the middle of the tariff debate with China. We need certainty, especially with this year’s crop in the ground. We need stability in the form of strong international trade relationships and a bipartisan Farm Bill to enable our soybean producers to thrive through market swings and manage risk. Illinois soybean growers look to the White House to move forward with a China strategy that rescinds the tariffs and instead, strengthens the competitiveness of our domestic industries while at the same time growing our export opportunities.” Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) is a membership organization serving more than 43,000 Illinois soybean growers. ISG provides advocacy in Springfield and Washington, D.C., to promote the interests of Illinois soybean farmers and programs that enhance soybean production and demand. Voice for Soy, the online action center supported by ISG, allows growers to easily connect with legislators and regulators to advocate for Illinois agriculture. For more information about ISG, visit the website www.ilsoygrowers.com.