Rural Georgians Slam Trump’s Failing Economy

ATLANTA — While rural Georgia and our neighboring states deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Sally, Georgia farmers are already struggling to make ends meet due to Donald Trump’s compounded failures for rural America. According to a recent study, 8 in 10 Georgia farmers have lost revenue due to Trump’s incompetent response to COVID-19 — after already hurting because of of Trump’s reckless trade war. 

“Rural Georgians are hurting because Donald Trump failed to contain COVID-19, and now our farmers are paying a steep price as revenues drop across the state,” said Georgia House Democratic Leader Bob Trammell, Luthersville GA. “Farmers already lost business because of Trump’s failed trade war with China, but he keeps lying to the public and making this pandemic worse. Our revenues have plummeted, our farms are being foreclosed, and our debts are rising. We cannot afford four more years of his failed leadership.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic, and Trump’s failed response, has placed a major burden on small and local farmers in Georgia. I have seen declining sales on almost every commodity that we small farmers are able to raise or grow,” said LeMario Brown, a farmer and Mayor Pro-Tem of Fort Valley GA.  “Due to local restaurants and grocery stores not being able to serve more food, it has put a burden on farmers that we were not ready to face. We needed Donald Trump and Brian Kemp to allocate more funding during these tough times for small farmers and our local veterans, not make things harder. We need leadership that will help our local food systems to be healthier, more sustainable, and more profitable for farmers — that’s Joe Biden.”

More on Trump’s failed record for farmers: 

• After Trump lied about the impact of COVID-19 and prolonged the health and economic crises, 82% of Georgia farmers will lose income — with an average loss of $49,000 per farm. 
• Thanks to Trump’s trade war with China, U.S. farm bankruptcies went up 20% last year. 
• After southwest Georgia farmers took the brunt of damage from Hurricane Michael in fall 2018, it took nearly 18 months for aid to finally be approved, thanks to Donald Trump’s refusal to provide financial assistance for all hurricane relief victims.  
• Trump talked a big game on boosting exports to China but failed to deliver even half of what his failed trade deal promised. U.S. exports to China are only at 38% of what Trump’s trade deal promised.

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