
Agricultural News
Senator James Lankford Believes Global Issues are Impacting Rural America
Mon, 31 Jan 2022 15:32:37 CST
There is much happening on Capitol Hill according to U.S. Senator James Lankford. He told Ron Hays, senior reporter for the Oklahoma Farm Report, that multiple issues are impacting rural America, including turmoil in China and labor shortages are impacting rural America most.
"There are two big issues everyone is talking about: one is Russia and Ukraine and the other is China and Taiwan," Lankford said. "(China) continues to saber-rattle with Twain. If we have a major shift in policy in China, that affects all of us in (agriculture) country, but it has a pretty big effect on our national security as well."
Recently, the Qin Gang, the Chinese ambassador to the U.S., said Taiwan was moving toward independence with U.S. help in a recent one-on-one interview. Lankford said potential blowback from China could destabilize markets the U.S. has gained since the Phase One trade agreement busted open overseas opportunities in big ways.
Focusing on the beef industry, Lankford said labor shortages continue to impact the nation's beef supply chain. The labor shortage is affected by a few key issues, according to Lankford.
"It doesn't matter where I go, everyone is talking about labor issues whether it is in the fields or manufacturing," Lankford said. "There are a lot of folks who were working before the pandemic who decided to stay home - it could be for quite a while."
Although nearly 4% of Americans stayed home in Dec. 2021, people are still spending money which is skewing supply and demand, according to Lankford.
"It is pushing every single labor market to go compete for labor," Lankford said.
With 2022 being an already exciting election year, Lankford said he is confident the GOP will win the U.S. House of Representatives but said doing the same in the U.S. Senate could be tougher.
Hit the LISTEN BAR below to hear Ron Hays and Sen. James Lankford discuss the state of the Union and more.
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