Host Joel Heitkamp visits with U.S. Congressman Collin Peterson about federal payments for farmers amid ongoing trade war.

Word has been circulating across Washington, D.C. about the House of Representatives possibly holding up farm aid on the federal level for farmers across the country who have been negatively impacted by President Trump's ongoing trade war with China. Specifically, Republican leaders are calling out House Democrats for slowing up the process, but U.S. Congressman Collin Peterson, who is also the Chairman for the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, visits with host Joel Heitkamp about why that isn't necessarily true.

"The whole irony of this thing is that they created this waiver/limitation back in Truman's time and since then, the appropriators have been changing from year to year," says Congressman Peterson. "Some House Democrats are saying that if Trump is using this money to buy peace with farmers, why don't we just not put the waiver in there so then this thing put in place by the Republicans starts but even then, it wouldn't stop farm payments it would just delay it. The whole thing is ridiculous and there's no reason to be doing this."

Additionally, Congressman Peterson tells host Heitkamp that this is dangerous territory some House Democrats are taking. "We've had an agreement that's allowed us to pass farm bills that have worked for our people, meaning urban folks get food stamps and rural folks get farm programs but if you blow that up, there won't be another farm bill," says Congressman Peterson.

Previously on News and Views, host Heitkamp interviewed Michelle Fischbach, a Republican challenger to Congressman Collin Peterson. During the interview, Fischbach was not aware of what the government had put into payments to help farmers get through the trade war, let alone the price of a bushel of soybeans. Congressman Collin Peterson responds to Heitkamp's comments about Fischbach's lack of knowledge when it came to basic questions in relation to agriculture.

"People need to understand that if you don't have bipartisan support with the farm bill, it's not going to work and you can't just do this with one party so what sense does it make to take somebody from another party that's working with you and get rid of them just because you want a Republican in that seat," says Congressman Peterson. "What sense does that make? People need to be careful, you can't get anything done with one party and if you do, it won't stick."

(Joel Heitkamp is a talk show host on the Mighty 790 KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. His award-winning program, News & Views, can be heard weekdays from 8 11 a.m. Follow Joel on Twitter @JoelKFGO.)

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Congressman Collin Peterson on Farm Bill & payments for farmers: "You can't do this with just one party." - KFGO News