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Reaction outside agriculture was mixed; here, 14 links to stories across the country and around the world, all sharing reaction to President Donald Trump’s speech at the American Farm Bureau Federation convention.

Holly Spangler, Senior Editor, Prairie Farmer

January 15, 2018

4 Min Read
SUPPORT: Farmers turned out en masse to hear President Donald Trump address the American Farm Bureau Federation, the first time a sitting president has done so since 1992.

What did the rest of the world — outside of agriculture — have to say about President Donald Trump’s speech at last week’s American Farm Bureau Federation convention in Nashville, Tenn.? Here’s a roundup:

A year later, Trump still able to woo farmers: Politico’s agriculture reporter was at the convention and gives a rundown not only of Trump’s speech, but also of the larger NAFTA strategizing that made news during the convention. Excerpt: “Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker more comfortable in business suits than dungarees, may seem like an unlikely champion of farmers. But he has been able to touch on the issues they care about, such as commitment to rolling back federal regulations and the patriotism he invokes during campaign-style speeches like the one he delivered here Monday.”

Trump touts tax law, rural broadband initiative in farm bureau speech: CNN couched Trump’s speech in the context of a week that included revelations from Michael Wolff’s “Fire and Fury” book, and noted that he was “surrounded by farmers and agriculture executives.”

Trump Overstates Size of Tax Cuts in Speech to Farmers: The New York Times focused on Trump’s claims throughout the speech, citing information from nonpartisan organizations. Like many other stories, this includes Trump’s line about voting for him — “You are so lucky I gave you that privilege” — which brought audible groans and nervous applause from the crowd.

Farmers voted for Trump. Now he’s trying to assure them they made the right call: This Washington Post piece hits the highlights, focusing on trade and immigration actions, and sets it all in the context of the election: “In the year since rural America voted him into office, the president has proposed deep cuts to crop insurance subsidies, reductions in the number of immigrants entering the United States and withdrawal from the North American Free Trade Agreement — all of which have rattled farmers.”

Country Hour, Australian Broadcasting Co.: This podcast produced by Australian farm broadcaster Nikolai Bielharz includes a summary of the speech and events at AFBF, and an interview with Farm Progress editor Holly Spangler (author of this story), where he observes many similarities in the interests of American farmers and Australian farmers.

Trump’s Farm Fibs, Pollan’s Twinkies, and More: Your Winter Food Policy Round-Up: Modern Farmer typically takes an urbane approach to agriculture. It includes coverage of Trump’s speech in a weekly roundup story and takes a swipe at American Farm Bureau: “Trump’s administration has made progress on a few points that farmers — or at least the Farm Bureau, the biggest agricultural lobby, which can fairly be described as an organization representing agribusiness interests rather than actual farmers per se — have clamored for.”

Trump in TN: Farmers Personify the ‘Hard Work Needed to Make America Great Again’: Fox News avoided using the lucky-I-gave-you-that-privilege quote, covering the story with its own tweets.

Convention-goers react to president’s message: Local Nashville, Tenn., station WSMV got reaction immediately after the speech, including farmers from Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin.

Trump Embraces the Ag-Right: Huffington Post writers dug into the AFBF policy book and include this observation: “On the surface it may seem like Trump is giving a speech to one of our nation’s most beloved icons — the American farmer. But, the Farm Bureau actually represents a small, tight-knit clan of wealthy, far-right ideologues who oppose gay marriage and gun-free zones, support racist voter suppression laws, and want to gut social welfare programs like Medicaid.”

Trump at Farm Bureau: You are so lucky I gave you the ‘privilege’ of voting for me: The Hill leads with Trump’s most controversial line, both in a short story and in the video clips it shared.

Donald Trump Has Sold Out Family Farmers: The Nation takes a polarized view of the speech, condemning virtually everything Trump said. It also quotes Rob Larew with the National Farmers Union: “The vast majority of these family farms are in no way impacted by the estate tax.” Savvy readers will also note it captioned a combine photo as a corn shredder.

Trump Delivers a Hollow, Self-Congratulatory Speech to Farmers in Nashville: Mother Jones is typically a left-leaning publication, but it has delivered solid scientific reporting on issues close to farmers, such as GMOs. Its lead: “Donald Trump is big with the farmers. How big? Just ask him. ‘Oh, are you happy you voted for me,’ the president cooed during his speech at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 99th annual convention in Nashville on Monday. ‘Oh, you are so lucky I gave you that privilege.’”

Donald Trump to Farmers Who Voted For Him: “You Are So Lucky I Gave You That Privilege”: A curious news source to farmers, Pop Sugar ran a short story that focuses on his election comments. But it also published the entire speech to watch in one place.

Trump addresses American Farm Bureau Federation Convention: CBS News focuses on the rural broadband promises made throughout both Trump’s speech and that of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.

About the Author(s)

Holly Spangler

Senior Editor, Prairie Farmer, Farm Progress

Holly Spangler has covered Illinois agriculture for more than two decades, bringing meaningful production agriculture experience to the magazine’s coverage. She currently serves as editor of Prairie Farmer magazine and Executive Editor for Farm Progress, managing editorial staff at six magazines throughout the eastern Corn Belt. She began her career with Prairie Farmer just before graduating from the University of Illinois in agricultural communications.

An award-winning writer and photographer, Holly is past president of the American Agricultural Editors Association. In 2015, she became only the 10th U.S. agricultural journalist to earn the Writer of Merit designation and is a five-time winner of the top writing award for editorial opinion in U.S. agriculture. She was named an AAEA Master Writer in 2005. In 2011, Holly was one of 10 recipients worldwide to receive the IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Ag Journalism award. She currently serves on the Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation, the U of I Agricultural Communications Advisory committee, and is an advisory board member for the U of I College of ACES Research Station at Monmouth. Her work in agricultural media has been recognized by the Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Corn, Illinois Council on Agricultural Education and MidAmerica Croplife Association.

Holly and her husband, John, farm in western Illinois where they raise corn, soybeans and beef cattle on 2,500 acres. Their operation includes 125 head of commercial cows in a cow/calf operation. The family farm includes John’s parents and their three children.

Holly frequently speaks to a variety of groups and organizations, sharing the heart, soul and science of agriculture. She and her husband are active in state and local farm organizations. They serve with their local 4-H and FFA programs, their school district, and are active in their church's youth and music ministries.

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