Investing In Worker-driven Social Responsibility Models
After 8 months of U.S. President Trump holding office, the economy has grown only an average of 2%, while the stock market has increased an average nine percentage points year-to-date. Following robust campaign promises to deliver the “best” deals for America, uneasy challenges persist for the Trump Administration affecting the U.S. economy. An imperfect China trade deal concluded after the gift horse U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, updated changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) remain unresolved, increased trade sanctions have been put in place against Iran, North Korea and Russia, and the socialist government of Venezuela continues to melt into further chaos.
But last April, preceding the release of President Trump’s Executive Order – Promoting Agriculture and Rural Prosperity in America, Ray Starling, the Special Assistant to the President of Agriculture, Trade and Food Assistance disclosed the administrations agenda to grow the economy through agriculture. Accordingto Starling’s press briefing, the agricultural community is actively engaged as “a net contributor to lessening the trade deficit…growing more food than we can eat in the United States.” Bi-lateral negotiations involving agriculture are anticipated to improve the economy and job growth.
The following day, President Trump’s Executive Order replaced former-President Obama’s informal House Rural Council which did not specifically address economic growth with the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. The Task Force will identify legislative, regulatory, and policy changes to promote rural America, agriculture, economic development, job growth, and other quality of life issues. Specifically, the Task Force will address changes that ensure access to reliable workforce and increase employment opportunities in agriculture-related and rural-focused business.