2016 Commodity Classic Report: Campaign Indifference Trumps Indignation
March 7, 2016 Like many in the agricultural community, I’ve just returned from the annual Commodity Classic event. This meeting place for many of the nation’s growers, ag retailers, and suppliers is a regular pilgrimage that typically marks the end of the winter show season and the start of the upcoming growing season. As always, there were plenty of new product introductions, industry gossip, and just plain old catching up with old friends.
But what was missing was talk of the race for U.S. president. Normally, when the Commodity Classic falls during an election year, attendees are buzzing about politics – What’s wrong with the current administration? Which candidate would be the best for agriculture? Who might eventually win? For instance, I vividly remember a moment at the 2008 Commodity Classic, when one speaker was talking about all of the candidates then seeking the nomination of their respective parties and which one would be best for agriculture’s interests. “Right now, that candidate would probably be Hillary Clinton, based upon what she’s said in public about supporting ag policies,” said the speaker. This was followed by plenty of groans from the audience.
But this year, politics wasn’t even an afterthought on the 2016 Commodity Classic show floor. Visitors talked about tightening their belts to weather low commodity prices, consolidation in the crop protection products business, and how technology improvements should make life easier (and more profitable) for the entire marketplace.
Loading ...“Are you following this year’s race for president?” I asked many attendees. “Sort of . . . but I’m waiting for the race to shake out some before really paying attention to it,” was the most common response. And when I narrowed the field down to the likely candidates based upon the early state elections, (Clinton and Donald Trump), several just shrugged their shoulders and kept walking.
In fact, only one person directly answered this question, and the response itself was rather telling. “If I was given the choice between those two, I would probably vote for the one I dislike the least,” said the attendee.
It should be a very interesting next few months as the political season really gets underway.
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