Vice President Kamala Harris’ decision to pick Tim Walz – a governor of a major farming state – as her running mate has signaled to the US agricultural industry that it may finally get some attention on the campaign trail.
“The attention span of a national campaign is limited, and Vice President Harris has not been focused on agricultural issues,” Bracewell’s Scott Segal told Bloomberg. “The addition of Governor Walz marks a clear focus on agricultural issues in a way likely to be meaningful for upper Midwestern states so relevant to the success of Democratic ticket.”
During his six terms in Congress, Walz was involved in the crafting of three farm bills. As governor of Minnesota, he has advocated for policies aimed at boosting crop-based renewable fuels like corn ethanol.
Stakes are high for the $1.5 trillion US agricultural sector in the upcoming election. The risk of new tariffs or changes to the country’s biofuel policy would only amp up the uncertainty for farmers already facing their biggest income slump since 2006.
