As farmers and ag industry types flocked to the American Farm Bureau Federation convention, a man nowhere in sight was getting lots of attention. President Donald Trump’s presence was felt throughout San Antonio’s Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. From the main stage to the exits, and seemingly everywhere in between, there was no escaping the newly re-inaugurated president.
During his opening general session remarks, AFBF President Zippy Duvall touted his group’s efforts to secure federal disaster aid in late 2024 and stave off a controversial Security and Exchange Commission rule that would have been extended to farmers. Still, it didn’t take him long to address the new federal landscape.
Duvall stressed that relationships are the cornerstone of Farm Bureau’s success. He said with a new Congress and administration in Washington, it is imperative for farmers to build relationships with them.
“Many of them, they’re not familiar with agriculture and some of them have ideas that would set us back years in modern-day farming, and interrupt our food security,” Duvall said. “Now, how we engage with these skeptics of modern agriculture is tremendously important.”
Later during a follow-up press conference, Duvall said he hoped the Trump administration would give AFBF a “seat at the table” so the organization could discuss how changes to immigration policy would impact farmers and ranchers. Duvall said producers want to do the right thing. According to him, a good policy would include not only immigration reform but also farm labor reform. He acknowledged many AFBF members are nervous about how the Trump administration will manage immigration reform.
“I think what makes us most nervous is we don’t know exactly what steps the full deportation plan has in it,” he said.
Duvall also conceded the bureau was concerned about Trump potentially levying tariffs on key trading partners, something AFBF’s policy does not support. He noted tariffs would impact both farm imports and exports, potentially raising the cost of fertilizers and other tools farmers need to grow crops. Duvall acknowledged AFBF participated in tariff discussions during the first Trump administration, which helped secure federal assistance. Still, he said AFBF remains hopeful that tariffs will bring negotiators to the table and yield better trade agreements.
When asked how much financial assistance farmers would need to offset the impact of Trump’s proposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico, Duvall said the bureau had not determined a specific dollar amount yet.
Regarding ag secretary nominee Brooke Rollins, Duvall said he had not yet had the chance to meet with her. Based on her past record and her relationship with former Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, he believes she will ensure farmers have their voices heard within the administration.
“I can’t see anything in her background that makes us concerned,” Duvall said. “I think she’ll be a great secretary.”