President Donald Trump told the audience Sunday in a packed conference hall of farmers and ranchers that his administration鈥檚 policies keep them in mind.
鈥淚f we want America to thrive and grow, then we must ensure America鈥檚 farms flourish and prosper, and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e doing,鈥� he said at the American Farm Bureau Federation鈥檚 annual conference at the Austin Convention Center.
Protesters and supporters gathered outside before his speech. Some held signs saying 鈥淭rump 2020,鈥� while others pointed out his impeachment and called him a liar. His visit comes just two days before his is set to begin in the Senate.
Inside the conference hall, Trump鈥檚 remarks were well-received. He touted recent decisions by his administration he said will benefit American farmers and ranchers.
鈥淢y administration understands that if we want to stand up for America, we must stand up for American farmers,鈥� Trump said to cheers.
He praised the recent trade deal with China as "groundbreaking," saying the U.S. will triple the amount of exports there.
"We're going to sell the greatest product you've ever seen," he said.
He said he would sign the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the deal to replace NAFTA, this week.
鈥淭he USMCA as we call it will massively boost exports for farmers, ranchers, growers and agricultural producers from north to south and from sea to shining sea,鈥� he said.
It's unclear if farmers, many of whom have been stuck in the middle of those trade disputes, will see immediate relief after the administration's actions.
Trump boasted about expanding the border wall and the amount of job growth that has occurred under his administration. He slammed left-wing politicians, saying they 鈥渁re not for the farmer鈥� and want to 鈥渓oad you up with regulations so you can鈥檛 live, you can鈥檛 breathe,鈥� though he did not provide evidence of such efforts.
Trump also announced he is directing the Army Corps of Engineers to immediately withdraw a new water supply rule and allow states to manage water resources based on their own needs and what the agricultural community wants.
He said these kinds of regulations prevent farmers from thriving.
鈥淲ater is the lifeblood of agriculture and we will always protect your water supply,鈥� Trump said.
Robert Nolan, a vegetable farmer on Long Island, told KUT the Obama-era rules were overly restrictive.
"You know if you have a puddle on your farm that would be considered, that could be regulated," he said. "We鈥檙e just looking for some common-sense legislation and it looks like it鈥檚 coming.鈥�
But environmentalists warned of the danger of gutting the rule, saying the types of streams set to lose protections feed drinking water sources across the country.
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
This post has been updated.
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