A Letter to President Trump from Senator Tester

The following is an open letter sent to President Donald J. Trump from Montana Senator Jon Tester on Aug. 20, 2019, inviting the President to meet with grain producers who have expressed concern over the President’s recent comments minimizing the U.S. trade relationship with Japan.

Dear President Trump,

I am writing you today relaying concerns I have heard from my fellow Montana wheat farmers regarding your comments that downplayed the importance of this commodity to our economy. My neighbors and I are currently in our fields for harvest experiencing depressed prices and uncertainty we haven’t felt in years. Your recent comments suggesting that American wheat exports to Japan are not valuable sting in rural America. I am inviting you to Montana to meet with fellow wheat producers and learn directly from them the role trade plays to our economy and their pocketbook.

Montana farmers rely heavily on Asian Pacific countries for trade, and Japan plays a particularly important role as the largest importer of Montana’s wheat. This is not a market we can replace and our relationship should be celebrated, not mocked. I believe this would be abundantly clear if you toured rural Montana and heard directly from impacted producers.

I appreciate your interest in making sure Americans are treated fairly in trade deals. It is an important goal and one that previous Republican and Democratic presidents have failed to fully meet. Unfortunately, things have only gotten worse over the last two and a half years. I do not believe this is the intention of your Administration, but this is the reality for farmers selling grain at the elevator.

I would be happy to host you on my family farm or tour a different operation at your request. I believe direct conversations with Montana agriculture producers would benefit everyone. I stand ready to assist you in visiting with my fellow farmers.

Sincerely,

Jon Tester

U.S. Senator for Montana