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US Farmers Push for United States, Canada, Mexico Trade Agreement

Kane Farabaugh

   DECATUR, ILL. - Continuous wet weather disrupted the spring planting
   season for Southern Illinois farmer Jim Raben, meaning he is
   anticipating a lean harvest this year.

   "For our area and probably for our farm, probably 20, 25% prevent
   plant," he told VOA at the 2019 Farm Progress Show in Decatur,
   Illinois. "Then there were also failed acres later on that were under
   water or whatever reason, that's another 10%."

   Raben admits the weather is one of the great variables that no one can
   control. But human actions are playing a big role in other factors
   making life more difficult for American farmers, including a trade war
   with China and delays in the approval of a new trade agreement with the
   country's northern and southern neighbors.

   "I knew there was going to be adjustments," Raben said of President
   Donald Trump's escalating exchange of tariffs with China. "But I think
   I personally, I would not have moved into it that quickly, and wouldn't
   have had so many different entities of trade problems. I would have
   done them one at a time and work through it."

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