WASHINGTON, D.C. – Gov. Doug Burgum issued the following statement today after meeting on trade and agricultural issues with President Donald Trump, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and other governors and congressional leaders at the White House.
“We’re deeply grateful to President Trump for hosting this productive discussion and his ongoing commitment to partner with the states,” Burgum said. “North Dakota farmers and ranchers are among the most productive and technologically advanced on the planet, and it’s refreshing to hear the President’s passion for restoring fair trade and leveling the playing field so they can compete with anyone in the world.”
“We support a steady approach to negotiations with China and our NAFTA partners and encourage the administration to take appropriate steps to prevent or soften the impacts of tariffs on North Dakota producers and improve market stability,” Burgum added.
Burgum emphasized the importance of a strong farm bill for North Dakota producers, especially coming off a year with historic drought that brought significant hardship to farmers and ranchers. He said he also appreciates the President’s willingness to work on a path forward for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and to reconsider joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership to open export markets for U.S. producers.
Burgum was one of three governors in the White House meeting, joining Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa and Gov. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow and about a dozen members of Congress including Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s agriculture subcommittee, and Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee.