Sen. Smith Creates Group To Solve Rural Issues

Sen. Tina Smith is forming a bipartisan Senate group to strengthen rural communities

WASHINGTON – Sen. Tina Smith is forming a bipartisan Senate group to strengthen rural communities.

One thing she says she’s hearing from people in our area that would help is, “trade, not aid.”

The Rural Economic Working Group and Republican South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds hopes to connect people and organizations to take on challenges hitting rural areas hard.

Sen. Smith says she’s hearing from people in East Grand Forks, Hallock and Roseau that they want the trade war to be resolved quickly.

“I think that Minnesota farmers and farmers across America feel like they are collateral damage in this trade war that really has nothing to do with them,” Smith explained.

U.S. soybean exports to China have dropped more than 70 percent from last year according to the University of Missouri.

The Trump Administration says tariffs are in place because China is stealing U.S. companies’ intellectual property.