Trade wars. Shipbuilding snafus. Extending tax cuts. Biofuels. A new Farm Bill. Protecting the farm economy. Defending sound science.  

Where’s a farm advocate to even start? The Wisconsin Soybean Association (WSA) had its hands full deciding which pressing policies to prioritize during a spring visit to Washington, D.C. 

Don Lutz, who sits on the American Soybean Association, chose all of the above, though he focused on defending seed oils when discussing concerns around the recently created Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission. Although members of Congress were back in the districts during an unplanned recess, WSA advocates articulated their message in meetings with congressional staffers.  

“Every issue we discussed is very important to Wisconsin agriculture,” said Lutz, who farms in Scandinavia, “but I felt it was necessary to push back on junk science about seed oils.” 

Lutz was joined by a team of advocates, including ASA Executive Committee member Tanner Johnson, WSA President Doug Rebout, Vice President Matt Rehberg, Director Danny Brisky and Executive Director Adam Kask. In addition, WSA welcomed special guests, including Jacob and Joyce Kaderly, winners of ASA’s 2024 Conservation Legacy Awards, and Wisconsin farmer Andy Bensend, a past winner and member of the selection committee.  

“It was such a unique experience to be on the Hill with (WSA) and learn how they work on behalf of our farmers,” Joyce Kaderly said. “We’re very glad we were able to join them.”   

For Lutz, visiting Capitol Hill alongside Bensend brought back memories. Bensend was also able to share with legislative staffers his shipping expertise from sitting on the Soy Transportation Coalition.  

“Andy was one of the first people I did Hill Visits with,” Lutz said. “He’s very knowledgeable.”  

On the move 

Wisconsin farmers produce about $1.3 billion of soybeans each year; most of the state’s soybean crop is exported to markets in China, Canada and Mexico. In the 2023/24 marketing year, U.S. exporters shipped nearly $24 billion worth of soybeans (46.1 million metric tons) to international markets. China remains far and away the largest importer of U.S. soy, and growers are concerned an escalated and prolonged trade war could have long-lasting effects. During the 2018-19 trade war, U.S. ag absorbed $27 billion in damages; soybeans accounted for 71% of those annualized losses. 

With more tariff threats on the horizon, growers were anxious for clarity and a swift resolution.  

“The longer this goes on, the more uncertainty it creates and the greater the damage we’ll see to the farm economy,” Rebout said.   

In March, a new trade policy roadblock emerged when the U.S. Trade Representative proposed remedies to increasing reliance on foreign shipbuilders in international trade by requiring U.S. exporters to use a merchant maritime fleet that consists of at least 5% U.S.-built vessels and 15% U.S.-flagged vessels after seven years. 

Enacting taxes or fees on most of the maritime fleet would bring unintended consequences by increasing costs to U.S. farmers, further damaging a farm economy that suffered a nearly 50% drop in crop prices since 2022.  

Lutz is hopeful the transportation and trade issues, along with an overdue Farm Bill, will be resolved when WSA returns for ASA’s summer Hill Visits in mid-July.  

“Some of these issues are going to end up being resolved fairly quickly when they finally hit the table, but at this point, nobody knows where the tariffs and everything else are going to end up,” Lutz said. “We just always need to be there and make sure if something’s not going our way, to see if we can’t convince them otherwise.”