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.”

 

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The following is a list of general highway maintenance and construction work the Missouri Department of Transportation has planned in the Northwest Missouri region for the week of May 27 – June 2.

MoDOT will halt temporary lane closures throughout the state to accommodate an increase in traffic due to the Memorial Day holiday. Most temporary lane closures stopped at noon on Friday, May 24, and will resume Tuesday morning, May 28. Some long-term closures and head-to-head traffic will remain in place.

Continued flooding may cause schedule changes in some of the planned work. There may also be moving operations throughout the region such as pothole patching, striping, signal work, etc., in addition to the work mentioned below.

All work is weather permitting and subject to change.

Andrew County

Route O – CLOSED at the Platte River Bridge for a bridge replacement project. The bridge will be closed through the end of September. More info: modot.org/route-o-platte-river-bridge-replacement.

Interstate 29 – Bridge joint repair at the Nodaway River Bridge, May 27 – June 2. A 12-foot width restriction is in place.

Business U.S. 71 – Resurfacing project from Main Street in Savannah to just south of Interstate 29, May 28 – 31. One lane, each direction, will remain open at all times. A 14-foot width restriction is in place.

Atchison County

Route J – CLOSED at the Tarkio River Bridge for a bridge replacement project through the end of August. More info: modot.org/atchison-route-j-tarkio-river-bridge-replacement.

Route PP – CLOSED until further notice due to a damaged culvert under the roadway.

U.S. Route 136 – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Route YY to Route M, May 28, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

U.S. Route 136 – Pothole patching from I-29 to Route M, May 28 – 31

Buchanan County

U.S. Route 36 – CLOSED at the ramp from eastbound U.S. Route 36 to Route 759 through the end of June.

U.S. Route 59 – Shoulder work from Route FF to 0.5 miles north of Route O, May 28

Caldwell County

U.S. Route 36 – Pavement repair from Route A to Route 13, May 28 – 31

Carroll County

Route C – CLOSED until further notice at the Branch of Turkey Creek Bridge due to damage from flooding.

Chariton County

U.S. Route 24 – Bridge maintenance at the Long Creek Bridge and Chariton River Bridge near Keytesville. The bridges will be narrowed to one lane with a 15-foot width restriction through May 31.

Route 5 – Resurfacing project from the city limits of Marceline to the city limits of Keytesville, May 28 – 31. This includes a 10-foot width restriction.

Route YY – CLOSED for a culvert replacement 750 feet west of Pershing Road, May 30, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Clinton County

U.S. Route 69 – CLOSED for bridge rehabilitation at the I-35 overpass through early June. More info: modot.org/clinton-and-daviess-county-bridge-deck-replacements.

U.S. Route 69 – Pavement repair south of Route 116 for one mile, May 28 – 31

Route 116 – Pavement repair at Route C, May 28 – 31

Daviess County

Route KK – CLOSED for bridge rehabilitation at the I-35 overpass through mid-July. More info: modot.org/clinton-and-daviess-county-bridge-deck-replacements.

I-35 – Bridge maintenance at the Grand River Bridge and the Grand River Overflow Bridge, May 28 – 31. A 16-foot width restriction is in place.

DeKalb County

U.S. Route 169 – CLOSED at the Third Fork Platte River Bridge for a bridge replacement project through the early July. Detour along Routes 48 and M. More info: modot.org/third-fork-platte-river-bridge.

Route EE – Chip seal project from U.S. Route 69 to Route 6, May 28 – 31. A flagger will direct motorists through the work zone.

Grundy County

Route 146 – CLOSED for a culvert replacement 100 feet west of Route CC, May 28, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Harrison County

I-35 – Resurfacing project from Eagleville to the Iowa state line, May 28 – 31. A 14-foot width restriction is in place.

I-35 – Pavement repair from Route N in Eagleville to Route 136 in Bethany, May 28 – 31. A 16-foot width restriction is in place.

Route N – Joint and pavement repair at the I-35 overpass, May 28 – 31

Holt County

Route D – Pothole patching from Route 113 to Route C, May 28 – 29

Route B – Pothole patching from Route 120 to Route H, May 30

Route H – Pothole patching, May 31

Linn County

Route WW – Pothole patching from Route 5 to the Macon County line, May 28

Route U – Pothole patching from U.S. Route 36 to Route 129, May 29 – 31

Livingston County

Route C – CLOSED for bridge maintenance at the Shoal Creek Drain Bridge through late June. The bridge was closed after flooding damage.

Mercer County

Route 145 – CLOSED until further notice due to culvert damage from Route B to U.S. Route 136.

Nodaway County

Route 148 – Resurfacing project from the Iowa state line to U.S. Route 71 near Maryville, May 29 – 31. A 12-foot width restriction is in place.

Route V – Shoulder work, May 28

Route JJ – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from U.S. Route 71 to Fairway Road, May 29, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Route ZZ – Pothole patching, May 29 – 30

Putnam County

U.S. Route 136 – Scrub seal project from the city limits of Mount Moriah to Route FF, May 28 – 30. This includes a 12-foot width restriction with a pilot car directing traffic through the work zone.

Route W – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Route 149 to Route FF, May 28, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sullivan County

Route PP – CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE at the East Medicine Creek Bridge after a regularly scheduled inspection revealed critical deterioration to the structure. The bridge is currently scheduled for replacement in fiscal year 2020. More info: modot.org/sullivan-county-route-pp-east-medicine-creek-bridge.

Route 139 – Intersection and sidewalk improvements through Newtown beginning on the south end of town working north (east side of road) then south (west side of road), May 28 – 31. More info: modot.org/route-139-newtown-ada-improvement.

Route BB – CLOSED for a bridge deck replacement project at the Rooks Branch Bridge through mid-June.

Route ZZ – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the West Fork Locust Creek near Harris through mid-July.

Route 6 – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the West Locust Creek Bridge, east of Humpreys, and West Yellow Creek Bridge, east of Milan, through late August. More info: modot.org/route-6-bridge-replacements-near-milan.

Worth County

Route YY – CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE at the Middle Fork of the Grand River after a regularly scheduled inspection revealed critical deterioration to the structure. The bridge is currently scheduled for replacement in fiscal year 2021. More info: modot.org/worth-county-route-yy-bridge-replacement.

Route H – Shoulder work 0.5 miles north of Route 246, May 28

Route 46 – Pothole patching, May 29 – 30

Route 1 – Shoulder work one mile north of Route 46, May 31