Combine harvesting soybeans in central Nebraska, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
OMAHA — Independent U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn today criticized the federal government’s decision to provide a $20 billion financial bailout to Argentina, which has directly undermined Nebraska’s soybean producers at the worst possible time.
“I was astonished when I heard about this,” said Osborn. “Our own government – which supposedly exists to promote the interests of our people – just gave Argentina the ability to undercut our farmers and steal our biggest customer. Nebraska farmers are struggling right now, so when our government uses our resources to bail out our competitors, something is really, really wrong.”
The U.S. government is bailing out Argentina—one of our main competitors for China’s soybean market—with a $20 billion package. Argentina responded by eliminating its export taxes on soybeans, making their beans cheaper and prompting China to immediately purchase over 1 million tons of Argentine soybeans. Meanwhile, China hasn’t bought a single bushel from Nebraska farmers this harvest. We’re using our own tax dollars to help a foreign competitor steal our biggest customer.
Even Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a family farmer himself, was outraged by the move. “Why would USA help bail out Argentina while they take American soybean producers’ biggest market???” Grassley wrote on social media. “We shld use leverage at every turn to help hurting farm economy. Family farmers shld be top of mind in negotiations by representatives of USA.”
