a deal, with former environment secretary Michael Gove telling an NFU conference in February that they
would not abandon those requirements “in pursuit of trade deals”.
But thousands of miles away in Iowa, the outcome of negotiations between the UK and EU are
understandably less of a concern for farmers. Whereas UK farmers may be feeling some anxiety, American
farmers are clearly sensing opportunity.
Bill Tenneger, a pig producer in northwest Iowa, sits back with a sparkle in his eye when asked about the
potential for a trade deal with the UK. Tenneger says that Donald Trump’s trade war with China has been
hurting farmers like him, but he thinks Trump could potentially capitalise on a weak negotiating position
following Brexit. “Haven’t [traded with them] in the past but the UK just came and asked, I just seen this in
the press, the UK is asking for a trade agreement, just in the last week or two,” Tenneger says with a slight
smile.
But he says he hopes it will help British people out too: “I think trade agreements are good. Hey, it’s a small
world. We’ve all got to get along in the world. I’ve travelled all over the world representing the pork
industry. In the end, I don’t care what culture you go to or you get embedded in, they all just want to feed
their families and support their families and have the government leave them alone.”