WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Residents had the opportunity to learn how trade tensions between the United States and China impact local agriculture at UWSP Wausau.
The forum entitled “U.S.-China Trade Tensions: What’s at Stake for Central Wisconsin’s Agriculture” was held on Tuesday night at the UW-Stevens Point Wausau Campus. The forum was to talk about how national trade tensions impact Wisconsin agriculture and what a potential resolution of tensions could do to Wisconsin agriculture.
Pam Jahnke, Farm Director for Midwest Farm Report Radio Network moderated the panel and explained the impacts in Central Wisconsin to WSAU News.
“It hit soybeans particularly hard, corn as well. And then we started to see the mounting impacts on, especially in Central Wisconsin, ginseng. A major crop for Wisconsin, a high-value crop that lost it’s market in just a matter of hours quite honestly. And still has not gained it back.”
For those that don’t know much about farming and would like to understand the impact locally. Jahnke recommends that those interested in knowing more about the local impacts of US and China trade tensions reach out to their local farmers to ask questions.
“Have the conversation with them. How is it impacting them? How are they dealing with it? When you see those people ask them, what have you noticed? How’s it’s changed the dynamics of your family, your farming operation? How long can you withstand this kind of uncertainty? So I’d say first ask the questions.”
While there aren’t many things residents can do to help farmers locally with the impact of trade tensions. Jahnke says talking to elected officials about your concerns for local agriculture is never a bad idea.
“Once you have that knowledge base, then don’t be afraid to talk to elected officials. I think they’re hearing it a lot already and just kind of keep that conversation going. We’ll hopefully see some resolution. But I don’t think ever having that conversation or letting elected officials know that you are paying attention, I don’t think that’s ever a bad thing.”
Jahnke says that when a resolution comes about, the hope is that farmers and those in the agriculture industry in Central Wisconsin will be able to restore their long-standing relationships with trade partners.
“That agriculture will be restored back to the relationships that it spent a lot of time and money growing over the decades. Hopefully, those relationships have not eroded. And whatever framework or infrastructure we end up with in the end, will still allow for those trade relationships to go on.”
The two-hour panel included 5 national experts on agriculture like Phil Karsting, who was with the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, Don Radtke of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, and Wausau native Will Hsu of Hsu Ginseng.
The forum also featured a visit from the Wisconsin Alumni Association’s Get the Scoop tour. You can find out more about the Get the Scoop tour at uwscoop.com.
