By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

A veteran United States Senator says farmers deserve a trade deal with China and urges the Trump Administration to get back to the negotiating table.

Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas is the chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. He says farmers deserve trade negotiations with China to continue.

“I mean our farmers and ranchers and growers all across this country deserve that,” Roberts tells KFEQ Farm Director Melissa Gregory in a sit-down interview. “We do not deserve being used as a pawn with regards to the discussion between China and the United States or for that matter any country where we have a tariff. You impose a tariff, you immediately have tariff retaliation. Agriculture is the top target and, boom, there you go.”

Roberts says agriculture wants a consistent and predictable trade policy. He says trade with China could greatly increase commodity prices across the board.

Roberts is urging the Trump Administration to get back to the negotiating table with China. Roberts says the suggestion by some to increase federal aid to offset farm trade losses is misguided.

“I don’t think we can make up with regards to price recovery,” Roberts says. “That’s a noble goal. It’s something we’ll take a look at always, but that’s not going to make up the difference with regards to what farmers have experienced,”

Roberts says increased trade with China, and its population of 1.4 billion people, would make a huge difference for American agriculture, boosting commodity prices across the board.

Robert is not pleased that the two sides broke off talks.

“I’ve been somewhat critical with regards to what is going on now, but in terms of the China situation, that could really make the difference,” according to Roberts. “It could be a giant step toward that goal. It would make a difference with virtually every commodity that we have.”