U.S. midterm elections and rural economy voters (CGTN America) 

CGTN America (China) produced a video interview with International Food Policy Research Institute’s Joseph Glauber, a senior research fellow, to discuss farmers’ economic needs and how they will vote. “Farmers actually weathered the pandemic pretty well. Prices started to rise in 2021, and the government did provide money to farmers to help augment some of the losses they had. This year will be similar. Farmers are facing high input costs; for output costs like soybean or corn, then their margins will get smaller or even negative.” Glauber also discusses “The Farm Bill” which is up for reauthorization. “It is a massive document, and fully three-quarters of the money go to nutrition policies. But $20 billion annually go to farmers and most of the Republicans in Congress want to maintain the suite of programs, but they don’t want new monies coming out of the current programs.” Glauber said that the trade policy. “Trade exports have been booming. Less to do with the policies of the current administration, but the economic climate has been great–good crops, price levels have been high, export levels are hitting record levels.” What could a Republican congress mean to farmers? “For the most part, foreign policy is bipartisan. Yes, some candidates wouldn’t want to put more monies into climate efforts, but generally, members of Congress, particularly those on the agriculture committees are supportive of the programs in place. The question is can we get additional money for farmers? Given the budget and environment, I think that’s doubtful.”