Taking hard line against Canada, Trump signs executive order to boost rural America

WASHINGTON — President Trump took a hard line against Canada on Tuesday as he signed an executive order he said would help American farmers compete globally.

"Our border states in particular are not able to sell their dairy products into Canada, and this has been going on for a while, and we're not going to put up with it," Trump said while meeting with 15 farmers at the White House to sign the executive order.

The order itself followed the same pattern of many of Trump's previous orders — convening a task force and asking for a report within 180 days. The order asks for ways the federal government can boost rural development by reducing regulation.

But the timing of the order served to cast it in nationalistic terms, coming on the heels of the Commerce Department's 24% punitive tariff on Canadian softwood lumber. "People don’t realize Canada’s been very rough on the United States. Everyone thinks of Canada being wonderful and civil. I love Canada. But they’ve outsmarted our politicians for many years, and you people understand that," Trump told the farmers.

"Our farmers deserve a government that serves their interests," he said. "That's what today's executive order is all about."

Trump assigned newly confirmed Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to chair a task force looking at an array of rural development issues — including housing, utilities and broadband access. But aides said the emphasis will be on the American farmer.

"We do believe that in these rural communities, the best thing we can do to make them grow quickly and economically is to focus on agriculture. because it is the number one driver in most of these rural communities," said Ray Starling, the special assistant to the president for agriculture, trade and food assistance.

The executive order will abolish President Obama's White House Rural Council, which was supposed to coordinate agricultural policy but rarely met.

Tuesday's order is the 26th signed by Trump, with several more expected this week as he approaches his 100th day in office. Other orders expected to be signed this week will focus on protected lands, veterans and energy.