Root of the Matter

Root of the Matter


ROTM: Tariffs, Trade Deals, and the American Farmer

January 07, 2026

Trade has been a major topic over the past year, and as the U.S. agriculture industry continues to face challenges, trade has become more important than ever. In this episode former, USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney joins the conversation to discuss global agricultural trade. Drawing on his experience traveling the world to negotiate trade deals, McKinney shares where the Trump administration stands in the process of negotiating new agreements and where he sees U.S. agricultural trade in 2026.