Ben Riensche of Blue Diamond Farming says he left the White House feeling optimistic.
(KWWL) – What started as an unexpected email turned into a once in a lifetime opportunity for Iowa farmer Ben Riensche.
The owner of Blue Diamond Farming was among a group of farmers from across the country invited to the White House Thursday evening for a dinner with President Donald Trump and members of his administration.
Riensche said the gathering focused less on politics and more on the issues impacting farmers across the country, including rising input costs, fuel prices, trade, and the future of U.S. agriculture.
The White House said the dinner highlighted the administration’s efforts to expand trade opportunities for American agriculture, reduce costs for producers, and strengthen the nation’s farm economy.
While trade negotiations remain a point of uncertainty, Riensche said he believes expanding export markets will create new opportunities for farmers in the long run.
“President Trump is all about expanding our markets. There’s no doubt about that, and the tariff issue is very challenging to decipher because we haven’t had a level trading field before. President Trump is all about playing hardball when he needs to and making new friends too, and so I think this is going to take time to play out, but I think we’re going to have more places to sell what farmers produce.”
Despite that optimism, Riensche said many farmers continue to face financial pressure as grain prices remain low while production costs, including fertilizer and fuel, stay elevated. He said those challenges will take time to address but left Washington hopeful about the direction of future agricultural policy.