Trump Version 2.0 Returning to Washington

For the first time since Grover Cleveland did it in 1892, Donald Trump was reelected president after coming up short on his initial bid for a second term in 2020. There’s no shortage of commentary available online about how and why this happened, so I won’t add to that glut.

What I will say is that our members need to gear up for a very busy 2025. Given that the Republicans will likely hold 53 Senate seats, and possibly a slim margin in the House (as they do now), the period between January and next summer will be very active, with the Republicans likely in control of both chambers of Congress and the White House. The flurry of activity will include tax policy – the 2017 tax cuts expire at the end of next year, and renewing those income tax rates, as well as adjusting other aspects of tax policy from tipped income to the SALT tax, will be the focus of a huge, all-hands-on-deck campaign in 2025.

We know that trade will be a top priority of the incoming Trump Administration and it sounds like Ambassador Robert Lighthizer will again be leading that effort. We will be ready on day one to make our priorities known. We also anticipate that a focus on immigration policy could come to the fore. Here again, NMPF is prepared to point out the crucial role that immigrant workers play in our food production system. What I will remind people of at this point is that the presidential campaign rhetoric is now fading, and the reality of a new Administration with new priorities is beginning. We will be keeping our eyes focused on not just words, but the actions and advocacy of shaping sound policy for U.S. milk producers.

I’m not going to add any more commentary on all of the individual contests that were decided this week, except for two seemingly minor but important ones:

First, voters in Sonoma County, California, rejected Measure J, which would have limited the size of animal farming operations. Proponents of the measure said it would been a way to contain “big agriculture,” but opponents said many of the 21 farms it would have shut down are relatively small. That vote was a convincing 85% against and 15% in favor.

Meanwhile, in Colorado, Ordinance 309 failed. This was a ballot initiative to shut down a meatpacking plant in Denver that effectively would have destroyed the sheep and lamb processing industry in the entire West. The proposal was rejected by a two-to-one margin. Thanks to everyone who supported our efforts to defend the agriculture community from these attacks.