How might the incoming Trump administration impact economic growth and stability, the regulatory environment, trade policy, and the labor market, for food and farming companies? And what would our readers in the agrifood space like to see over the next four years?
It’s early days, but some of the President Elect’s plans are beginning to take shape, with Trump this week signaling his intention to institute tariffs vs China and USMCA partners Mexico and Canada on “day one” of his administration, while Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have outlined plans for broad “regulatory rescissions, administrative reductions, and cost savings” via a new ‘Department of Government Efficiency.’
Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, has in turn proposed drastic cuts at the FDA and expressed his support for “psychedelics, peptides, stem cells, raw milk, hyperbaric therapies, chelating compounds, ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, vitamins, clean foods, sunshine, exercise, nutraceuticals and anything else that advances human health and can’t be patented by Pharma.”
Brooke Rollins, a former head of the nonprofit America First Policy Institute, meanwhile, is Trump’s nominee to head USDA, which oversees agriculture, forestry, rural development, food assistance programs, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and food safety for meat, poultry and eggs. Rollins, who has a degree in agricultural development and grew up on a farm, has called for the US to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and expressed concerns about Chinese ownership of US agricultural land, but has not yet made any statements about her plans for the sprawling department.
With this in mind, more than half of respondents (AgFunderNews readers in food, farming, academia and consultancy) replied “No” or “Don’t know” to the opening question in our recent reader survey: “At this stage, do you have a clear idea of what the Trump administration’s policy on food and ag is?”
Below is a sample of responses to our two-part survey, reflecting sharply contrasting views on topics from RFK Jr to regenerative ag, and tariffs:
1 – In the field that you are in, what are your biggest concerns and hopes when it comes to the new administration and the agrifood industry?
Robert F Kennedy Jr:
>> I am confident with Robert F. Kennedy Jr at the helm of Health and Human Services that the food and ag sectors will finally be supported for regenerative and organic farming through incentives, as well as the proper enforcement of safety testing for our highly processed and uniquely toxic food supply.
>> I am very afraid of the impact RFK Jr could have on our existing agencies. If he guts the FDA, the implications on food safety could be staggering. I also worry that any changes he makes to supplement policies, presumably to allow more substances based on some of his stances, could further propagate the myth the supplement industry is not regulated.
>> RFKs goals, which I totally agree with, put him up against some tough corporate players and compromised and entrenched regulatory agencies. Making America Healthy Again is going to be a tall – but not impossible – order.
Climate change, regenerative agriculture:
>>I hope for less nonsense about climate change and gutting of all climate change laws.
>>I’m concerned there will be no support for climate-related topics that directly impact agriculture and food safety.
>>I hope government subsidies for regenerative agriculture disappear because they aren’t driving any measurable change in production practices other than paying producers to keep deploying good methods that they’ve always been doing.
>>I hope they break up big food/big pharma to bring back a real food ecosystem and better health.
>>I hope Trump kills this soil health BS.
>>My concern is their incompetence [when it comes to understanding] the importance of soil and water resources relative to long-term agriculture needs.
>>Hoping this will accelerate regenerative ag and turbocharge investment in new agtech technologies.
>> [My expectation is that they will] reduce government spending, which will reduce inflation; reduce government regulation, which will lower cost of production and make us more competitive, globally; and reduce taxes allowing us to save more or reinvest in our businesses.
>>I am worried because Trump is a climate denier and I think he will end funding for sustainability schemes linked to food production.
Immigration:
>>My concern is will he allow people to work freely?
Cultivated meat:
>>The worst-case scenario for our industry would be for the US regulatory pathway for cultivated meat to be paused or dissolved altogether. Unfortunately, this is more likely than not considering statements we have seen from Donald Trump Jr., JD Vance, and RFK Jr.
Misc trade, deregulation, commodity payments
>>While organic Amish farmers are penalized by the government for providing nutritious actual food filled with microbial benefits and nutrition, alternative proteins have morphed beyond recognition. Meanwhile our water and soil continue to pile up with toxic chemicals left unchecked by all previous administrations. Therefore, this disruptive, focused and business centric administration is just what the American people want.
>>My biggest concern is more of the same and my biggest hope is a brighter future for US farmers due to decreased competition from low price imported food.
>>My concern is a near term oversupply of cash crops after the US institutes tariffs on Chinese goods, which will blunt China’s purchases of US crops [should China retaliate].
>>My concern is that they will gut IRA [Inflation Reduction Act] funding.
>>Limiting trade with China and other partners could limit the meat packing industry’s ability to maintain a presence in offal markets and weakens the sustainability of protein processing as a whole.
>>I hope government regulations are reduced.
>>My concerns are about tariffs and a lack of funding for FDA GRAS approvals, the NLEA [Nutrition Labeling and Education Act] etc.
2 – What would you like to see from the Trump administration when it comes to food & ag?
>>I would like to see less regulation and the promotion of ‘Grown in USA.’
>>I would like to see fewer frivolous regulations and reduced bureaucracy.
>>Don’t institute tariffs on food and ag inputs!
>>I would like to see a downscaling of commodity production in the US so it’s right sized to meet local demand, and a simultaneous scaling production of specialty crops.
>>I would like to see Trump accept climate change is real and provide pathways for the food industry to use sustainable practices to lessen the impact on the environment.
>>I would like to see more focus on regenerative agriculture and rural economic development in general.
>>I would like to see clear goals and a farm bill!
>>I would like to see the new administration fix the food system, get rid of fake food, seed oils, and much of the ultra-processed food, and prevent big pharma from direct consumer advertising.
>>I would like to see more money into soil and water and the Conservation Reserve Program [an USDA program encouraging farmers and landowners to convert highly erodible and other environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover, such as native grasses, trees, and riparian buffers] and keep crop insurance.
>>I would like the new administration to allow access for L-Band and GSM to enable connectivity countrywide, which should accelerate digitization of agriculture especially in remote un-serviced parts of the country, and provide a robust investment strategy for new technologies, especially in robotics and AI.
>>I would like to see the new administration rein in the EPA’s pursuit of expanding its reach into agriculture and WOTUS [Waters of the United States] regulations. I would also like to see the new administration stop illegal immigration but more importantly fix our broken system of legally immigrating into our country. Finally, I would like to see the new administration pull all funding for the ‘Green New Deal’ but continue to sponsor investment in innovations in energy production and storage.
>>I’d love to see increased traceability and enforcement on bad actors with false organics and bacterial contamination.
>>My biggest hope is that RFK et al focus their energy on true ultra-processed foods with the nuance that is appropriate. I’d also like to accelerate IRA [Inflation Reduction Act] resources flowing into regenerative farm operations and finally adding regenerative methodologies as “good farming practices” so that regenerative farmers can qualify for crop insurance, which is probably the largest suppressor to adoption.
>>I would like to see more support for regenerative ag and improvement of the nutrient density of food.
>>I would like to see the administration maintain and expand USDA standards to limit situations such as the recent Boar’s Head recall. I would also like to see a holistic farm bill that continues to make strides in methane research in the beef industry. This funding was present on his last farm bill, I want to see consistency on this topic.
>>I would like to see the new administration create incentives for investment in research and create incentives and a clear set of rules for regenerative agriculture and carbon intensity scoring.
>>I would like to see government support such as grants for companies that valorize waste streams.
>>I would like to see incentives focused on scaling regenerative ag.
>>I would like to see more assistance to programs such as the GRAS [Generally Recognized as Safe] process.
>>I’d like to see the new administration maintain the biofuels strategy and maintain conservation funding.
>>I’d like to see increased public and private investment in AI-driven agtech and foodtech research and development and for the new administration to foster partnerships between tech companies, agricultural businesses, and research institutions; develop supportive policies and regulatory frameworks that encourage innovation while ensuring food safety and environmental protection; and invest in rural broadband infrastructure to enable widespread adoption of AI technologies in farming communities.
>>The new administration should not put agriculture onto welfare with tariffs as [former Congressman Charlie] Dent explained. It should not undermine food safety.
>>I’d like to see Robert Kennedy [confirmed] as HHS Secretary and the prohibition of any land sales to China.
Further reading:
‘There’s anxiety, but not panic…’ How supply chain and procurement teams are preparing for tariffs
How would Trump’s tariffs impact large food & beverage firms? And what about USCMA?
Read the orginal article: https://agfundernews.com/fewer-regulations-more-funding-for-regenerative-ag-ai-and-rural-broadband-agfundernews-readers-tell-us-what-they-want-from-the-incoming-trump-administration
