BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Addressing a full auditorium of Illinois corn growers, Mary Kay Thatcher, federal government and industry relations lead for Syngenta, said farmers are generally in a better position with Donald J. Trump in the White House than if his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, would have won the Nov. 5, 2024, presidential election.

“I believe President-elect Trump really does support farmers,” Thatcher said during her Nov. 26 speech at the 52nd annual meeting of the Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA), held at the AgriCenter in Bloomington. However, Thatcher cautioned the ICGA farmer-leaders that there are many issues and agendas that must be carefully monitored as Trump’s presidential cabinet nominees are named, vetted and installed and as Trump’s stated policies take shape.

“I think the election is driving everything we’re going to deal with in the next couple years,” said Thatcher, who characterized Trump’s election and gains made in the Senate (where Republicans now hold a 53-47 advantage) as “something of a mandate” for carrying out his policies. The reality is that the relatively slim margins in both chambers will present a challenge to immediate passage of many of Trump’s more controversial policies, she added.

“There are a lot of people who are saying that the gridlock has ended, the Republicans have a trifecta, and we’re set to go. I don’t think the gridlock has subsided at all. I think it will be every bit as difficult to pass (legislation),” Thatcher said. “Anything other than a reconciliation bill would have to have at least seven Democrats come over in order to pass, along with the vote of all 53 Republicans.”

Of great interest to farmers, Thatcher anticipates that Congress could pass a lame duck session ad-hoc weather disaster program (the FARM Act) currently said to be valued at $21-$24 billion. She does not, however, expect a new farm bill to be passed until later in 2025.

As for Trump’s cabinet nominees, Thatcher expects the Senate will work to confirm many of his candidates relatively quickly. Some of the president-elect’s nominees, however, may require a longer, more thorough vetting to gain confirmation. The veteran Washington insider is nonplussed with the notion of nominees gaining confirmation without going through the vetting process, which Trump has strongly suggested.

“I have to say I am really scratching my head about the idea of Mr. Trump – here is where I won’t beat around the bush – saying (to) ‘recess appointments, Senate go away, I just want you to take who I have, I don’t want any hearings and I’m not doing any FBI background checks,’” said Thatcher, adding that any GOP legislator who would support such a policy would be risking their own political futures with American voters.

Thatcher also commented on Trumps’ pick to lead the USDA, Brooke Wallins, saying, “I have no idea who she is. I’ve been in Washington for 40 years; it’s a small family. I’ve never heard of this person.”

Acknowledging Wallins’ background (she worked at the White House, holds an ag-related degree, grew up on a farm and was a state FFA officer), Thatcher admitted, “I just don’t know enough about her to offer a judgment. I don’t know much about RFK (Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy) either, but my phone has been ringing off the hook about RFK for the past two months.”

Potential conflicts could arise with the U.S. livestock industry over RFK’s stated views regarding HHS-regulated antibiotics, Thatcher cautioned. As for concerns over HHS’ involvement in the regulation of items such as seed oils, GMOs and pesticides, “most of those things are under the jurisdiction of USDA,” according to Thatcher. “(RFK) would have to fight with the director of agriculture to get some of (his goals) done, so I think we’re going to have to spend time making sure she is up to speed and can withstand the pressure from him.”

Farmers can expect less regulation under the second Trump administration, though Thatcher is soft in her support of the president-elect’s campaign promise to repeal 10 regulatory measures for every one enacted while Joe Biden was president. She is also not in favor of “gutting” the U.S. EPA, as Trump has promised to do. 

Tariffs are another area of concern for farmers under Trump 2.0, Thatcher warned, as some targeted countries have promised to respond to the taxes in kind.

“Agriculture is an easy target when someone decides to retaliate, and I suspect that is what is going to happen,” she said.

Thatcher also addressed the issue of immigration and foreign workers, a sector of the workforce vital to agriculture that has been targeted by Trump. “Immigration is going to be an interesting issue,” she said. “Obviously, Trump feels very strongly about closing down the border and deporting people. Whether or not agriculture can get some kind of exemption (to keep) this happening to us on our farms, or happening in meat packing plants or other agricultural related industries, remains to be seen. If he moves forward with this proposal with no exemptions, the experts say we’ll lose one in every eight jobs in agriculture.”